SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX
120 FIRST STREET
SWANTON, VT 05488
SPECIAL MEETING
Monday, August 15, 2016
7:00 PM
PRESENT: Neal Speer, Village President; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Chris Leach, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau, Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Tom Benton, St. Albans Messenger; and Ch. 16.
Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.
1. Call to Order:
Neal Speer, Village President, welcomed all to the Special Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.
2. Agenda Review:
None.
3. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, August 8, 2016:
Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, August 8, 2016 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach stated he would abstain because he was absent at last meeting. Motion carried.
4. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, August 12, 2016:
Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants (#89-#94) through Friday, August 12, 2016 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Eugene LaBombard asked about vendor Altech. Reg Beliveau stated that is for the bucket truck in the Electric Department. Adam Paxman asked about the vendor Municipal Emergency Services for $1933.92. Reg stated that was to purchase air packs in the Fire Department. Reg also stated they are doing plant shutdown at the Hydro Plant and have a butterfly valve down. He said they’ve replaced it and it still didn’t work so they are now entering into litigation over this valve. Chris Leach asked about the aerators at the Sewer Plant. Reg stated they are under litigation at this time. Motion carried.
5. Set 2016 Tax Rate:
Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, informed the Board that Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, has prepared two separate tax rates for them to choose from. One tax rate, .7711, is the grand list taxing the Village of Swanton on the Memorial Auditorium Building as well as the Village owned Foundry Street property. The other tax rate, .7721, is prepared without those two Village owned properties in the rates. Reg explained that Lynn would prefer to use the tax rate without the Village properties this year because she needs to recalculate her payment in lieu of taxes from other departments here in the Village. He also explained that because the Village wasn’t prepared for these tax bills she will be able to put those figures into the budget for next year. The tax bill on a Village property assessed at $175,000 would be $1351.18 and one assessed at $200,000 would have a tax bill of $1544.20. He said this amounts to a 4.24% increase in the 2016 Village taxes.
Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve the 2016 Village of Swanton tax rate at .7721. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.
6. Any Other Necessary Business:
Chris Leach asked if the Police Department has made any headway on the vandalism issue. Reg Beliveau stated they are continuing to work on this.
Any Other Business: Neal Speer stated the storm water swirl basin was installed at Marble Mill this week. He also asked about the street lights on Merchants Row on the right hand side of the building. Reg Beliveau stated that Duane has checked them and they are fine. He said they may have a controller somewhere on the inside of their building that could be off. He said he would check into that.
Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated the State paving project is slated to begin on August 22, 2016. He said they are receiving some negative comments on Facebook regarding this and he wanted everyone to know this isn’t a Village run paving project. The following roads will be impacted:
North River Street from Swanton Lumber into the Village Square and all of Merchants Row
Grand Avenue from the Swanton Bridge approach all the way to Babcock School
First Street, from Ste Marie’s Market to the Village Complex
Canada Street to the intersection of Spring Street
Spring Street from Canada Street to just past Stearns Court
Any Other Business: Chris Leach asked about the sidewalk plan to MVU and South River Street. He was informed that that was discussed and approved at the last Board meeting. Adam Paxman stated they will install a sidewalk from Hannaford’s to MVU and are also going to widen South River Street.
Any Other Business: Chris Leach stated he stopped by a local RV sales place to discuss his electronic sign and was told by the owner that the State of Vermont made him take it down because of the brightness and flashing lights. Reg Beliveau stated he would look into this.
Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated they have their NEPPA Conference next week and said they will be covering 4 topics. He told the Board he has the agenda and will forward it to them.
Any Other Business: Neal Speer stated he is wondering who from the Village will be attending the Swanton Now show with the Town of Swanton. Adam Paxman and Eugene LaBombard will be attending.
Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated the Village has blocked the sluiceway on the dam by about 90%. He said by doing this it raised the water level some but not a lot. He said they are working on another piece of steel to put on it but for now this seems to be working.
7. Public Comment:
Tom Benton, St. Albans Messenger reporter, asked about the Public Access TV show that Neal Speer mentioned earlier. Neal stated it’s a show with Richard Copperthwaitt in which he interviews both the Town and Village of Swanton asking about current issues going on. He said they do this quarterly.
8. Executive Session (If Necessary):
None.
9. Adjournment:
Eugene LaBombard made the motion to adjourn the Special Board of the Trustees meeting at 7:39 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 7:39 p.m. Motion carried.
_____________________________________ _______________________________________
Neal Speer, Village President Date
_____________________________________ ___________________________________
Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date