SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX
120 FIRST STREET
SWANTON, VT 05488
SPECIAL MEETING
Thursday, March 3, 2022
5:30 PM
PRESENT: Neal Speer, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Janet Dimick, Arts Council & SPAN and Ch. 16.
Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.
- Call to Order:
Chris Leach, Village President, called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
- Agenda Review:
None.
- Pledge of Allegiance:
Everyone stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.
- Swear in elected officials for 2022: Neal Speer, Village President (one year term); Eugene LaBombard, Village Trustee (three-year term); Dianne Day, Village Clerk (one year term) and Betty Cheney, Delinquent Tax Collector (one year term) were sworn in on March 2, 2022 to perform duties:
Neal Speer read aloud his Oath of Office for Village President for a One Year Term; Eugene LaBombard read aloud his Oath of Office for Village Trustee for a Three-Year Term. Dianne Day, Village Clerk and Betty Cheney, Delinquent Tax Collector, were sworn in on March 2, 2022 so they could conduct Village business.
- Appoint a Treasurer for the Village of Swanton for 2022 and swear in:
Eugene LaBombard made the motion to appoint Dianne Day as Village Treasurer for a One Year Term. Chris Leach seconded. Dianne Day read aloud her Oath of Office for Village Treasurer. Motion carried.
- Motion that the Swanton Village Board of Trustees Adopt Roberts Rule3s of Procedures for the rules of procedure for Village Trustees for the upcoming year through March 2023:
Adam Paxman made the motion to adopt Roberts Rules of Procedure for 2022. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.
- 2022 Official Voting Results:
Neal Speer, Village President, read aloud the Official Voting Results for Officers and Budgets. They are as follows:
Official Return of Voting Results
OFFICIAL RETURN OF VOTES
ANNUAL SWANTON VILLAGE MEETING ELECTION OF VILLAGE OFFICERS
MARCH 1, 2022
BALLOT ACCOUNTABILITY
Number of Voters on Checklist 1575
Number of Ballots Counted (including absentees) 244
Number of Absentee Ballots Counted 63
I, Dianne Day, Swanton Village Clerk, hereby certify that the results of the ELECTION OF OFFICERS by AUSTRALIAN BALLOT at the ANNUAL SWANTON VILLAGE MEETING held in the Swanton Village Complex in the County of Franklin and State of Vermont on the 1st day of March A.D. 2022 were as follows:
VILLAGE PRESIDENT, for one-year NEAL SPEER 209
Write Ins 15
Undervote 20
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
VILLAGE CLERK, for one-year DIANNE DAY 230
Write Ins 1
Undervote 13
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
COLLECTOR OF DELINQUENT TAXES, for one-year BETTY CHENEY 225
Write Ins 5
Undervote 14
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
VILLAGE TRUSTEE, for three years EUGENE LABOMBARD 205
Write Ins 13
Undervote 26
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
Attest: _________________________ Dianne Day
Swanton Village Clerk
Official Return of Voting Results
OFFICIAL RETURN OF VOTES
ANNUAL SWANTON VILLAGE MEETING BUDGET VOTE
MARCH 1, 2022
BALLOT ACCOUNTABILITY
Number of Voters on Checklist 1575
Number of Ballots Counted (including absentees) 244
Number of Absentee Ballots Counted 63
I, Dianne Day, Swanton Village Clerk, hereby certify that the results of the BUDGET VOTE by AUSTRALIAN BALLOT at the ANNUAL SWANTON VILLAGE MEETING held in the Swanton Village Complex in the County of Franklin and State of Vermont on the 1st day of March A.D. 2022 were as follows:
ARTICLE II, General Fund, $148,264
Yes Votes 203
No Votes 39
Undervote 2
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
ARTICLE III, Highway Fund, $565,587
Yes Votes 210
No Votes 34
Undervote 0
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
ARTICLE IV, Fire Department, $83,329
Yes Votes 217
No Votes 26
Undervote 1
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
ARTICLE V, Police Department, $768,370
Yes Votes 169
No Votes 74
Undervote 1
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
ARTICLE VI, Surplus Hwy Funds, $30,988
Yes Votes 199
No Votes 43
Spoiled/Overvote 1
Undervote 1
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
ARTICLE VII, Surplus Gen Funds, $49,146
Yes Votes 179
No Votes 65
Undervote 0
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
ARTICLE VIII, Surplus Fire Funds $2,139
Yes Votes 206
No Votes 38
Undervote 0
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
ARTICLE IX, New Water Meters $630,000
Yes Votes 146
No Votes 96
Undervote 2
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
ARTICLE X, Retail Sale of Cannabis
Yes Votes 119
No Votes 125
Undervote 0
TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED 244
Attest: _________________________ Dianne Day
Swanton Village Clerk
- Approve and accept Minutes from Tuesday, February 8, 2022 and Minutes from the Informational Meeting Tuesday, February 22, 2022:
Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Tuesday, February 15, 2022 and Minutes from the Informational Meeting Tuesday, February 22, 2022 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.
- Approve and accept Village Warrants through Thursday, March 3, 2022:
Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through Thursday, March 3, 2022 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman asked about the payment made to Hach Company in the amount of $1600. Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, stated that is the company used to purchase chemicals for the water department. Chris Leach asked about the $2090 payment made to Kittell, Branagan and Sargent. Lynn said they are the accounting firm hired by the Village and they have a contract for a yearly audit for $26,000. She said they bill that amount in two or three increments. Motion carried.
- Public Comment – Janet Dimick, requesting Letter of Support for a “Let’s Visit” project grant:
Janet Dimick was present to request a letter of support from the Village of Swanton Board of Trustees for the Art Council’s Let's Visit grant project. She said this will provide artists with non-traditional canvases in the form of tables, chairs and market booths to bring public art forward in the community while providing seating and economic opportunities focusing on the more experienced or at-risk members of our community. The tables, chairs and booths will be setup for farmer's markets, craft events, and the ongoing Food Truck Sunday's happening in the Village Green Park, The Marble Mill Park, or Recreation Department fields to encourage sitting and enjoying the community events while connecting community members together of all abilities.
She said these tables, chairs and booths will be temporary, easy up and easily packed up items available for any community member to use for an event within Swanton. These lendable items will provide sitting areas for food and cultural events, as well as provide startup crafters or artisans with market booths
supporting our growing number of new small businesses ran by members of all backgrounds, income
levels, and ages, many of whom have gained experience and confidence by working with the Swanton
Arts Council.
The decoration of the tables, chairs and booths will be in an art instructional environment with our local
seniors and veterans invited to create first. Inviting next, the local youths and the general public to come
have fun creating art that is both functional and something to have deep pride in accomplishing. We
expect beautiful and whimsical designs to come to life while discussing color, design and form.
The outcome will be durable, light weight seating and shade aimed at enhancing Swanton's park
environments for the community to enjoy. The need for this seating and shade is for our aging
community that is 41% over the age of 50 and an estimated 3% severely physically challenged to feel
welcome and safe while walking and shopping throughout our town. She said the cost for the folding chairs, tables, spray paints, tape, drop cloths, boards and tarp along with a 6’x10’ enclosed trailer total approximately $12,205. She said they will also cover tax, title and registration so will apply for the whole amount of the grant which is $15,000.
Neal Speer stated he wanted to commend the great work done on the art walls. Adam Paxman asked if this will be zero charges to the taxpayers and Janet said yes, there would be no charge to the taxpayers for any of these items. He also asked where the trailer would be stored when not being used. Janet said they are still working out the details on that, but possibly at Judy Paxman’s property or David Winchester’s commercial property on Foundry Street. Adam Paxman made the motion to authorize Village Manager Reg Beliveau to write and sign a letter of support on behalf of the Village Trustees for the Arts Council to apply for these grant funds for their Let’s Visit program. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.
- Adopt Grants Management Policy for the Village of Swanton:
Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, explained to the Board that this grant policy doesn’t change the format on how they do their grants now, it’s just putting a policy in place and on paper. She said she would insert this grant policy in her Village Financial Policies. Chris Leach made the motion to adopt the Grants Management Policy as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.
- Any Other Necessary Business:
None.
- Executive Session If Necessary:
None.
- Adjournment:
Adam Paxman made the motion to adjourn the Special Board of the Trustees meeting at 6:10 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 6:10 p.m. Motion carried.
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Neal Speer, Village President Date
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Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date