Trustee Meeting Minutes - January 27th, 2014

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

MONDAY, January 27, 2014

7:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Ron Kilburn, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; and Ch. 16.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

Ron Kilburn, Village President, welcomed all to the Regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

1. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, January 13, 2014:

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, January 13, 2014 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: None. Motion carried.

2. Approve and Accept Warrants through January 24, 2014:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept Warrants through January 24, 2014 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach asked about Millennium Power Services for $182,000 and Parrot’s Gun Shop & Supply for $2574. I said I thought Millennium was for something at the Hydro Plant and Parrot’s Gun Shop was for Police Dept. supplies. I said I would find out and explain at our next meeting. Motion carried.

3. Adopt and Sign 2014 Annual Warning:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to Adopt and Sign the 2014 Annual Warning as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach asked why there wasn’t an article for placing surplus funds into each department. I stated that this was discussed at last year’s Informational meeting by Mr. Larry Wall. He advised Lynn he didn’t agree with that accounting practice and Lynn stated she agreed and would take it off the ballot. Chris stated they could see how it goes without it this coming year. The Board members signed the Annual Warning. Motion carried.

4. Discuss and Sign VT Clean Water State Revolving Fund – Wastewater Treatment Plant UV Disinfection System:

Village Clerk Dianne Day explained to the Board that Wayne Elliott from Aldrich & Elliott would like a letter of support stating that the Board of Trustees is in agreement to bring before the voters an article to vote on purchasing a new ultraviolet disinfection system for the Wastewater Treatment Plant for $1 million dollars in November 2014. Wayne advised the State of Vermont would like this letter of support to show that the Village of Swanton is serious about this project come November. Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve the letter of support for the upcoming Wastewater Ultraviolet Project in November 2014. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried. The Board signed the Letter of Support.

5. Any Other Necessary Business:

None.

6. Executive Session (If Necessary):

None.

ADJOURN: Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 7:25 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ronald Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 7:25 p.m.

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President                    Date

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

Trustee Meeting Minutes - January 13th, 2014

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

MONDAY, January 13, 2014

7:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Ron Kilburn, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reg Beliveau, Village Manager; Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager Dianne Day, Village Clerk; and Ch. 16.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

Ron Kilburn, Village President, welcomed all to the Regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.

1. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, December 23, 2013 and Monday, January 6, 2014:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, December 23, 2013 and Minutes from Monday, January 6, 2014 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach stated they discussed the grand list topic some more and he has tabled it for now. Adam asked Reg if he spoke with Channel 16 about being able to choose which meetings were shown online. Reg stated he hasn’t but would do so. Chris Leach stated that Northwest Solid Waste District is using Peoples Trust Company in St. Albans for their line of credit with great success. He said this is just something to think about. Motion carried.

2. Approve and Accept Warrants through January 10, 2014:

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Warrants through January 10, 2014 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Eugene LaBombard asked about the VT Department of Health payment. Lynn stated that was for test bottles for the Water Treatment Plant. Motion carried.

3. Adopt 2014 Budgets:

Chris Leach made the motion to adopt and approve the 2014 budget as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: The Board asked when the Village would hold their annual informational meeting. They decided on Wednesday, February 26^th at 7 p.m. Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, stated that the budget included a two percent increase in payroll, which was consistent with the cost of living adjustment (COLA). Adam Paxman asked if the final purchase power numbers were in yet. Lynn stated not as of yet. Motion carried.

4. Sign Electric Department Line of Credit:

The Board of Trustees signed the Line of Credit and Resolution documents for the One Million Dollar line of credit from Union Bank that was approved at their January 6, 2014 meeting. They also signed the  post issuance compliance procedures and tax certificates.

5. FCIDC Building Lot 2 Park C Request for Water and Sewer Allocation:

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Water Commissioner’s meeting at 7:22 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, asked the Board to please not mention the company’s name as of yet. He stated that FCIDC is requesting a Water and Sewer Allocation for Building Lot 2 Park C next to Vermont Precision Tools. They are requesting a water allocation of 775 gpd and a wastewater allocation of 700 gpd. Adam Paxman made the motion to approve FCIDC’s request for their water and wastewater allocation for Building Lot 2 Park C as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

Adam Paxman made the motion to exit Water Commissioner’s meeting at 7:27 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

6. Any Other Necessary Business:

Lynn Paradis asked the Board if they were comfortable adopting the water and sewer rates that were in the 2014 budget. She stated she wanted to get notice out to the customers as soon as possible stating that the rates were increasing.

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve the water and sewer rates as presented in the 2014 budget. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried. Chris Leach stated that this increase is based on need for the bond payment for the Water Treatment Plant upgrade through 2017 and that the voters approved these rates increases.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman stated that the internet access is down right now on the downtown camera and he said Channel 16 is sending someone up to refigure the IP address. Adam also stated he would like to announce that he is running for Village Trustee again and said he would deliver the same or even better service as the last three years. He also stated at their last JLB meeting he brought up the need for a point person for Swanton. He said this person would tackle issues such as downtown development, bringing new business to Swanton, bring new money to Swanton (grants for all kinds of things) etc. and he said he has come up with a job description for this individual. This person would live in Swanton, is passionate about making Swanton a prosperous community, has grant-writing abilities or has the contacts for grant-writing, has or would acquire contacts throughout the State that would help Swanton prosper, would be a full time employee of the Town, would have the responsibility to meet with prospective businesses about locating in Swanton, would work closely with the Town Administrator and Village Manager to understand the strengths and weaknesses of Swanton as a whole (what we offer and what we can’t), and would report to the Swanton JLB. He said this is just a rough draft and he would like this added to the next agenda for their next JLB meeting so they can further discuss it in February. He said he believes this is important for the future of Swanton. Ron Kilburn asked if this position would be grant funded. Adam said he didn’t know how they would be paid yet, that’s why he wants it on the next agenda to discuss it further.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard stated the streets are in better condition this week and said the ice is melting. He said it’s been impossible to keep up with and he wanted to thank the Public Works crew.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated that the Cub Scouts decorated the Park Band Stand this year. Adam Paxman said Christmas in the Park will be held earlier next year.

Any Other Business: Chris Leach asked if the Village picked up the Christmas trees. Reg stated yes they are, they bring them to the compost pile at Hudak’s. Chris advised residents to check out Northwest Solid Waste District’s website for recycling information. Their web address is nwswd.org.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard stated there is a tree at the north end of the Village Green that should be cut. He said it is in very bad shape.

Any Other Business: Ron Kilburn stated that he would like to announce that he chooses not to run for another term as Village President for the Village of Swanton. He stated he feels someone younger should run as President and said he will feel more comfortable in his retirement giving this up. He said he enjoyed his two terms and was made to feel welcome by everyone.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated that the Town and Village of Swanton would be coordinating their Village Report covers this year using the 250^th Anniversary as their theme. Chris Leach asked if I received the Solid Waste report for the Village Report, I told him yes I did. He said he would like to see something mentioned about picking up Christmas trees and leaves in Reg’s report. Ron stated he would have a report on the 250^th Anniversary for the Village Report as well.

7. Executive Session (If Necessary):

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Executive Session at 7:56 p.m. to discuss personnel. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

Adam Paxman made the motion to exit Executive Session at 8:24 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

ACTION TAKEN: Personnel Issue Resolved.

ADJOURN: Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:25 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ronald Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:25 p.m.

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President                    Date

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

Trustee Meeting Minutes - January 6th, 2014

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

SPECIAL WORKING BUDGET MEETING

MONDAY, January 6, 2014

7:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Ron Kilburn, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reg Beliveau, Village Manager; and Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager via cell phone.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

Ron Kilburn, Village President, welcomed all to the Special Working Budget Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.

1. Working Budget Meeting:

Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, was on the phone and provided a very detailed summary of the budget. Questions were asked by the Trustees and addressed by Lynn. The request for the Trustees to review the budget one last time and approval of the 2014 budget will be discussed at the next regular meeting on January 13, 2014.

2. Any Other Necessary Business:

Chris Leach made the motion to authorize Lynn Paradis to use Union Bank for a One Million Dollar line of credit at a .99% fixed interest rate for the Village of Swanton. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

3. Executive Session (If Necessary):

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Executive Session at 8:40 p.m. to discuss personnel. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to exit Executive Session at 9:50 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

ACTION TAKEN: The Board of Trustees will sign the Village Manager’s evaluation at their next regular meeting.

ADJOURN: Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Special Working Budget Board of the Trustees meeting at 9:55 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ronald Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 9:55 p.m.

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President                       Date

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                                 Date

Trustee Meeting Minutes - December 23rd, 2013

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

MONDAY, December 23, 2013

7:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Ron Kilburn, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reg Beliveau, Village Manager; Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Gordon Winters and Channel 16.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

Ron Kilburn, Village President, welcomed all to the regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m.

Ron Kilburn stated they would hear #3 first to accommodate our guest.

3. Gordon Winters Increased Water Allocation Request & New Water Connection at 218 Maquam Shore Road:

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Water Commissioner’s meeting at 7:12 p.m. to hear this item. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

Reg Beliveau stated that the increased water allocation won’t be an issue but the new connection may be. He asked Gordon if he was aware that he would have to bore under the road because the Town of Swanton will not allow a cross cut on their road surface. Gordon Winters stated he is asking for an increased water allocation from the Village of Swanton and will coordinate with Harold Garrett from the Town of Swanton with regard to boring under the road for the new connection.

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve Gordon Winter’s request for an increase in water allocation from 280 gallons per day to 490 gallons per day, with coordination from Reg Beliveau and Mike Menard regarding the new water connection at 218 Maquam Shore Road. Chris Leach seconded.

Adam Paxman made the motion to exit Water Commissioner’s meeting at 7:22 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

1. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, December 9, 2013 Meeting:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, December 9, 2013 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman asked Reg if he had any other thoughts on the “Watch Online” offer from Channel 16. Reg stated he talked with Dave Jescavage from the Town of Swanton and they are not going to do it. Adam Paxman and Chris Leach stated they would like to pass on it right now. Eugene LaBombard thought it was a good idea. Adam asked if the Village could pick and choose a certain meeting to be viewed, such as a public hearing. Reg stated he would find that out. Motion carried.

2. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, December 13, 2013:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants #646-#650 through December 13, 2013 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach stated they have paid a lot in purchase power. Motion carried.

4. Budget Discussions:

Electric Dept. -- Lynn Paradis explained to the Board that after the rate case she is going to review her depreciation schedule. She said this may increase expenses by about $484,000 and she said the Village is looking at another rate increase for 2014. She said they are working with VPPSA on that. Lynn also said there is work at the Hydro Plant that needs to be done. She said the line crew has two trucks that need to be replaced, one is a pickup truck and the other is a digger truck.

Lynn said in 2014 the Village will be working on a line of credit and will have to do a 108 filing that the Public Service Board will rule on. If approved it would then have to go before the voters. She said she has been working on this and has been forced to do it.

Water Dept. – Lynn stated that the first bond payment on the Water Plant Upgrade will be due in 2014. She said the Board of Trustees will have to approve a rate increase in the water rates. Reg Beliveau stated the voters are aware of and have approved the rate schedule through 2017. Lynn said Brian Bishop is using less chemicals since the upgrade and she has cut that line item in half.

Sewer Dept. – Lynn said they need to look at a new ultraviolet disinfection system for the Waste Water Plant. She said this is a safety issue at this time. She said the other issue at this time is the vactor, it’s a 1995 rig and rolls just about every day. She said they will need to lease or finance a new one.

Highway Dept. – Lynn stated they have budgeted to pave Fourth and Second Street after the Water Project is complete and also Canada Street. She said this budget does not reflect paving First Street.

General Fund – Lynn said there are no surprises in this fund. She said the fountain in the park needs attention. Reg stated he ordered some new trees for the park and also some new lights for Flat Iron Park.

Fire Dept. – Lynn said the new Fire Chief has worked very hard to keep this budget level funded this year. She said the two biggest expenses are dispatching and insurance. Eugene LaBombard asked about the dispatching costs. Lynn advised that what is in the Fire budget is only what the Fire Department pays. She said Missisquoi Valley Rescue is also billed and they pay approximately 74% of the bill. The Fire Department pays 24-26% of the bill and it’s based on per capita.

Police Dept. – Lynn said there is an increase in this budget this year because a cruiser needs to be replaced. She said the Swanton Town contract is in the budget and also the Student Resource Officer (SRO) with MVUHS is in the budget. Chris Leach asked if there was any talk about hiring a resource officer at the elementary school. Lynn said she hasn’t heard any talk of that.

Commercial Building Fund – Lynn advised the Memorial building needs repair but she said that building pays for itself. She handed the Board a list of equipment the Department heads would like to purchase in 2014.

She said the estimated tax rate for 2014 is .7159 and in 2013 it was .6847. Reg also informed the Board that this budget reflects another full time maintenance position. He said the primary responsibility would be at the Hydro Plant and this position is budgeted in the electric department. Reg said this individual would work along with Joe Letourneau and Greg Spaulding doing maintenance.

The Board agreed to have a budget meeting on January 6, 2014.

5. Grand List Discussion:

Chris Leach said they need to find ways to grow the grand list every year to keep taxes reasonable and asked for everyone to think about this. Eugene LaBombard stated that if you increase taxes every year you need to increase the grand list. He said we don’t have any land available for industry. Ron Kilburn asked if there were any resources they could look to for help. Chris thought the Regional Planning Commission may be able to help them. Reg stated industry stabilizes the rates in electric, water, sewer and also the grand list. He said the Village and Town work diligently together on these kinds of issues and would like nothing more than to see a large company come to Swanton Village or Town. Eugene LaBombard said the infrastructure is already here for a company to come in and set up. He also said that Molly and Hank Lambert’s efforts will help in bringing people here to Swanton. He also said the schools need to be good enough to support growth. Chris Leach said to continue to keep this item on our agendas and to also include it on the next JLB agenda. The board members agreed to write down their definition of expanding the grand list for their next meeting.

6. Any Other Necessary Business:

Reg Beliveau stated that the road crew and electric crew did a great job during the ice storm. He said we lent our electric crew to other departments and that says a lot about them. He said it’s a burden on the guys but they are glad to help where they can. He said he was glad mother-nature took care of them because getting the sleet was a good thing, it didn’t attach to anything. Reg said if they had gotten a full inch of rain this would have decimated the Village. He said they starting planning for this on Thursday and there are still more conference calls to come regarding this ice storm.

7. Executive Session (If Necessary):

None.

ADJOURN: Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:55 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ronald Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:55 p.m.

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President                    Date

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

Trustee Meeting Minutes - December 9th, 2013

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

MONDAY, December 9, 2013

7:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Ron Kilburn, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reg Beliveau, Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Molly Lambert, Hank Lambert and Sandy Kilburn; and Channel 16.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

Ron Kilburn, Village President, welcomed all to the regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

Ron Kilburn stated they would hear #3 first to accommodate our guests.

3. Discuss Downtown Improvement Program:

Molly Lambert thanked the Board for having her and Hank come in and explain what the Downtown Improvement Program is all about and what they are working on. She also thanked Sandy and Ron Kilburn for becoming involved in this group. She said this group is very interested in continuing to work on making Swanton a great place to live, work, play and learn. She said that is their mission. She thanked Rich Kelley and Reg Beliveau for work on their website. She said their next step was to establish a steering committee and they have Marie Frye, Ross Lavoie, Kathy Lavoie, Earl Fournier and Amanda Torrey. She said their objective is to formulate an action plan. Reg Beliveau talked about the survey that was sent out by the group and how they are working with these surveys. Chris Leach stated he would love to see more industry locate in Swanton. Molly stated when you see a community succeed people are proud to live here, you see the vibrancy and outside businesses are intrigued by that. Sandy Kilburn stated that some of the things asked for on the survey were art, music, food, walk-able and friendly access to river activities. She said they need to energize these things. Chris stated they have so much traffic going through Swanton, they need to find something that they want to stop for. Reg stated that a lot of money was spent on programs that went nowhere in the past, he said these things need to happen and need action. Chris Leach stated that this is a bedroom community and a lot of people aren’t here enough, they’re going to Chittenden County. Molly invited Chris to join their committee. Reg stated that Molly and Hank have a process and they need to work through it. He said this is a great group of forward thinkers. Molly stated that sometimes “singles” are better than “homeruns” and that you need to lay a foundation and it will mount. Ron Kilburn asked Molly and Hank to state their credentials from past jobs and experience.

Molly thanked the Board and stated she would keep them regularly informed on what’s going on with the Downtown Improvement Program. She also mentioned the Front Porch Forum that was created on Facebook.

1. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, November 25, 2013 Meeting:

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, November 25, 2013 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach stated the Eagle Scout project is called the Military Service Appreciation Monument. Motion carried with change.

2. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, December 6, 2013:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants #643-#645 through December 6, 2013 as presented. Chris Leach seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach asked about the VPPSA payment for $44,976.77. Reg Beliveau stated that the Village is over budget about $345,000 on purchase power this year. Motion carried.

4. Northwest Access TV “Watch Online” Service Request:

Reg Beliveau informed the Board that Northwest Access TV (Channel 16) is offering the Village an internet video hosting service called “Watch Online.” “With this additional service, meetings that are recorded can be stored online for viewing at any time, from any location on any type of internet-capable computer or mobile device.” The cost of this service is $50 per meeting and covers all expenses for preparing the meeting video for online viewing, hosting the video without commercials and support for your website manager to place the video on the Village’s website. The Village meets twice per month so this would cost $100 per month. The Board discussed the pros and cons and asked Reg to talk with Elizabeth Malone at NW Access TV and ask about storage, the ability to track residents with the computer, how much interest there is in this, and if we could use their website instead of the Village’s. Reg stated he would bring back further information when he had it.

5. Any Other Necessary Business:

Chris Leach asked if the Village was doing appraisals this year. Reg stated yes they would be by the end of the year. He said they would be scheduling a meeting with the Board in the next week or so to work on budgets. Chris stated he read the cost of living (COLA) this year is about 1 ½% Eugene LaBombard stated that the Board did very well with insurance this year and wanted to keep that in mind when discussing wage increases. Chris Leach also stated he wanted to sit and discuss the Grand List and asked that I put it on the next agenda. He also asked if anything happened with the downtown camera. Reg stated he has not heard back from them as of yet.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman stated he attended the Fire Department’s Christmas party on Saturday night and three awards were handed out. He said two Firefighter of the Year awards were presented to Ronnie Greeno and Dustin Robtoy. Adam stated a Years of Service award was presented to Garth Lizotte. Adam wanted to remind everyone that Christmas in the Park will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14 with a tree lighting ceremony at 4 p.m. He said the Cub Scouts will be helping to decorate the park. Adam also stated on December 2^nd he attended an Incident Command Center meeting and it was very enlightening. He said it touched on what the role of a trustee would be in the event of a disaster and/or emergency action plan. He also reminded everyone the next JLB meeting will be held here on Wednesday, Dec. 18^th at 7 p.m.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau informed everyone that on Friday, Dec. 13^th from 6 to 8 p.m. four local businesses will have Santa Claus and activities for the kids. These businesses are Champlain Insurance, The Village Cone, Katie’s Pet Grooming and the Hair Loft. He said there will be a scavenger hunt and hot cocoa. He also stated the Water Project is complete until spring at which time some places will be top soiled and re-seeded.

Any Other Business: Ron Kilburn stated at the JLB meeting on Dec. 18^th they will be discussing the water and sewer lines that feed the Fourth Street Garage and whether or not bigger lines need to be installed. Reg stated it depended on what was going in there.

Any Other Business: Chris Leach asked if anyone has heard anything about the Space Challenger Center and what the status of that project is. They agreed they would ask about this at the next JLB meeting.

6. Executive Session (If Necessary):

None.

ADJOURN: Adam Paxman made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 7:58 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ronald Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 7:58 p.m.

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President                    Date

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

Truseee Meeting Minutes - November 25th, 2013

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

MONDAY, November 25, 2013

7:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Ron Kilburn, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reg Beliveau, Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; and Channel 16.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

Ron Kilburn, Village President, welcomed all to the regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

1. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, October 28, 2013 Meeting:

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, October 28, 2013 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach stated he urged residents to go to the NWSWD website and read about their new laws. Motion carried.

2. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, November 22, 2013:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants #630-#642 through November 22, 2013 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach asked about the $729,160.86 payment to US Bank on warrant #633, Reg explained that paid off a bond. He also asked about the $172,874.07 payment on warrant #634 to Kingsbury Construction. Reg stated that was for the water job construction in progress. Chris stated the new sidewalks are beautiful. Motion carried.

3. Any Other Necessary Business:

Chris Leach asked if the Village has enrolled in the medical plan as of yet. Reg stated that Lynn went directly to Blue Cross Blue Shield and they enrolled the Village directly. Chris also asked about the water rate delta between the Village and the Town and asked if that will change. Reg stated that is up the Board and said they can talk about it. Chris stated he likes having that delta in place because the Village owns the Water system. He also asked about the older utility poles being removed from First Street. Reg stated that Daren Plouff has talked with Fairpoint and told them they would be billed if the poles were not removed. He said they are slowly removing the poles. Adam Paxman stated the Village should continue with the Utility Pole Ordinance they talked about earlier in the year. Chris Leach also stated he saw the downtown camera on TV and said it would be nice if it turned to the right to the see the storefronts. Reg said it would be better if it panned 80 yards out and said he would find out about that. Chris also mentioned expanding the Grand List.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman mentioned the Winter Parking Ban that goes into effect on December 1^st and runs through April 15^th. He wanted all residents to be aware of the parking ban. Adam also mentioned the upcoming meeting for the Downtown Improvement Committee group and urged everyone to attend.

Any Other Business: Chris Leach stated they needed to sit and think about what they don’t have downtown. Ron Kilburn said they need to celebrate what’s there. Reg stated some of the items being discussed with the Downtown Improvement Committee are the Swans, Historical Sign, River Dam, Lake, I89, and Out of State issues. Chris Leach said they should consider canoes and bikes along the river. Reg stated the Recreation Department is applying for a grant. Reg stated he would like to add this topic to the next agenda so he can bring up their website and let the public know what they are working on.

Any Other Business: Ron Kilburn stated the Village Pub will be opening soon. Chris Leach stated Joey Stell’s son finished his Eagle Scout project, the Military Service Appreciation Monument. Chris said he also attended his spaghetti dinner fundraiser.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard asked about all the vehicles for sale on the corner of First Street and Greenwich Street. He said there are two or three campers there for sale. He asked if the winter parking ban would affect this. The Board also stated they are parked in the Village right of way and maybe because of that they can do something about it. The Board stated they would look into this further.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard stated he wanted to wish Dick Thompson a speedy recovery.

Any Other Business: Ron Kilburn asked about Christmas decorations for the Village park. Reg stated he picked up Christmas lights today and said he is going to request a line item on the ballot for Christmas decorations for next year so they can replace some of their older decorations. He said he would get some prices together.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau mentioned the VT Transportation Board meeting that he attended recently. He said he mentioned First Street again and the heavy truck traffic. Reg said the Village maintains First Street, cleans it and plows it but the State needs to reconstruct it. He said the State had concerns with the asphalt that was used on First Street.

Reg stated he needs an Executive Session to discuss Customer Accounts and Bonds.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau informed the Board that they had some issues on Second Street with the Water Project. He said when the contractor installed the water line to the curb stop they neglected to flush the line so the Village had to deal with that. He said Tuesday they finished the final layer of asphalt.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau informed the Board that he suggested to the Fire Department to involve a town member in the budget process to let them know where they are at in the budget process. He said by involving them in upfront conversations early will be beneficial because it affects their budget as well. Reg also stated he will be attending a meeting for the WWTP regarding phosphorus levels in Lake Champlain. He said there is more to come on this and he will keep them informed.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau informed the Board he attended a Court Diversion meeting last week and said there are a lot of good agencies involved. He urged residents to call the Police Department if they see something happening in the Village. Reg also informed the Board about the School Safety Meeting and what they are doing for the community and the student population.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard asked if there was any news on the storm water runoff issue. Reg said the funds got re-directed and also said that the Webster Terrace property had new owners. He said the project is a few years out but may move forward to reduce phosphorus.

4. Executive Session (If Necessary):

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to enter into Executive Session to discuss Customer Accounts and Contract Negotiations at 8:00 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

Chris Leach made the motion to exit Executive Session at 8:42 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

ACTION TAKEN: None

ADJOURN: Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:42 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ronald Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:42 p.m.

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President                    Date

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

Trustee Meeting Minutes - October 28th, 2013

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

7:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Ron Kilburn, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reg Beliveau, Village Manager; Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; and Channel 16.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

Ron Kilburn, Village President, welcomed all to the regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

1. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, October 7, 2013 Meeting:

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, October 7, 2013 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Reg Beliveau requested that I add to the Minutes that Village employees can also choose the Gold Plan and Silver Plan from Blue Cross Blue Shield as well as the Platinum Plan. Reg stated that Lynn Paradis has tried several times to enroll the employees into the plan to no avail. Chris Leach asked if the Village changed the eye or dental insurance. Lynn advised there were no changes made to those insurance plans. Motion carried with changes.

2. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, October 25, 2013:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants #620-#629 through October 25, 2013 as presented. Chris Leach seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach mentioned the VPPSA bill for $258,976.20. Lynn stated that even with all the rain they’ve had they have paid a lot in purchase power. Chris Leach asked about Union Bank payment for $85,840.08. Lynn advised that pays off the anticipation note at the Water Treatment Plant. Eugene LaBombard mentioned Union Bank for $2745.65. Lynn said she is waiting to get reimbursed on that. Motion carried.

3. MVUHS Substance Free Committee Coin Drop Request:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve MVUHS’s request to hold a Coin Drop on Saturday, November 2, 2013 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon with a rain date of Saturday, November 9, 2013 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

4. September Financial Review:

Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, presented the Board of Trustees with the September financial reports for each department.

Electric Fund: Lynn discussed Residential Sales, Solar Credits, Purchase Power, and Fixed Asset Purchases. Eugene LaBombard asked about the fuel tax and Ron Kilburn asked about the maintenance of line labor. Lynn also stated that the Department of Public Service had an issue with the Village paying cash for fixed asset purchases. She said their next bucket truck will be leased. She said the next bond in the electric department will be paid off in 2016. She said they would have to be picky on what they buy over the next few years.

Water Fund – Lynn stated they are over budget in maintenance in the Water Fund. Chris Leach asked if the contractor doing the water project would be penalized for breaking water lines. Reg stated he has been having conversations with the contractor regarding that. Lynn said their water loss number has gone way down and that is a good sign. She also said that when they are doing the budget she would like the Trustee’s to approve the rate structure because the rate’s need to go up for the 2014 bond payment.

Sewer Fund – Lynn stated the chemical costs are under budget so far this year but will be close to budget by year end. Chris Leach asked if there was any more pressure by the State of Vermont about the storm water. Reg Beliveau stated no and that discharge levels are being reduced.

Highway Fund – Lynn stated they are under budget in labor but winter is coming and that could change. She said the public works labor is budgeted in the water, highway and sewer departments, depending on what they are working on. Chris Leach asked if the Town helped haul snow during a large snow storm. Reg said no, they do their own and the Village hauls their own. Lynn mentioned the grant from the State of Vermont to work on the surface of the bridge for $23,000. She said so far they have spent $10,000 of the grant money and in the spring will work on it some more then she will submit it for reimbursement. She said she has until June to do so.

General Fund – Office, Fire & Police – Lynn said she found money left in a stock in Prudential Phoenix & Virtuous for parks and plant maintenance. Ron Kilburn stated that the repairs to the fountain the park is going to cost a lot of money.

Fire Department – Lynn said there are no issues in the Fire Department and that the new fire truck is in the budget.

Police Department – Lynn stated they are over budget in the Town Contract line item because she had only budgeted three months. She said she now has a three year contract. She also mentioned the equipment line item stating that was grant money used for a license plate reader and for radios.

Commercial Building Fund – Chris Leach asked if it would be wise to think about selling the memorial building. Lynn stated they made about $8200 this year and said next year they may break even due to repairs on the building that need to be done.

Lynn advised the Board members to look over these individual budgets and to let her know if they had any questions.

5. Any Other Necessary Business:

Reg Beliveau stated the pipe on Fourth Street is laid and they are tying in services this week. He is hoping to have sidewalks in before winter time. He said the water line is working and has no leaks in it. Ron Kilburn stated he noticed they added a fire hydrant on Second Street. Reg also mentioned the gas leak they had on Second Street when the contractor hit a gas line. He said he had a very poignant discussion with the contractor and with VT Gas. He said everyone was safe. Ron Kilburn asked if there were any anticipated expenses by Flat Iron Park. Reg stated no this was all part of the project and said they are ahead of schedule. Reg also stated the contractor couldn’t believe how well the Village Public Works crew takes care of the Village residents.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated that a camera has been installed at the Chamber of Commerce building office and that they are just waiting for a few connections from Comcast and it will be up and running.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated regarding the Jewett Street issue, they met with Mr. Demar at Pike Industries and he said to limit traffic they will go in the back entrance way after hours. He said they would continue to have conversations with everyone involved.

Any Other Business: Chris Leach stated he attended the NWSWD retreat last weekend regarding Act 149. He said that new law became law but it’s upsetting because there is no way to enforce it but by 2015 everyone will have to recycle and by 2020 everyone will have to compost. He said he would keep the board informed. He also said the price for getting rid of trash is not going down.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman asked Reg where he was regarding the utility pole ordinance. Reg stated he may not need one. He said Swanton Village is working well with other utilities and the second poles on First Street may be down real soon.

Adam stated he needed to discuss Real Estate and Legal Matters in Executive Session.

Any Other Business: Chris Leach asked if the brown leaf bags were meant to be left open by the residents. Reg stated yes, the public works crew picks them up that way and puts them in the compost pile.

6. Executive Session to Discuss Contract Negotiations:

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Executive Session to discuss Contract Negotiations, Real Estate and Legal Matters at 8:05 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

Chris Leach made the motion to exit Executive Session at 8:49 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

ADJOURN: Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:49 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ronald Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:49 p.m.

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President                    Date

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

Trustee Meeting Minutes - October 7th, 2013

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2013

7:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Ron Kilburn, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reg Beliveau, Village Manager; Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; and Channel 16.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

Ron Kilburn, Village President, welcomed all to the regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

1. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, September 30, 2013 Meeting:

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, September 30, 2013 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Referring to the last meeting Minutes, Reg Beliveau stated that he looked up the Town of Swanton check and it was from a resident who paid both Town and Village taxes in one check so the Village had to refund the Town. Adam Paxman stated that the Alburg Bridge should be called Missisquoi Bay Bridge. Ron Kilburn stated he still had to set up a meeting with Mr. Demers regarding the Jewett Street situation. Motion carried with changes.

2. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, October 4, 2013:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants #618-#619 through October 4, 2013 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman asked what the payment of $2864.48 to BAU/HOPKINS vendor was for. Reg stated that was for the Foundry Street Pump Station work. Motion carried.

3. Set Insurance Budget:

Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, explained to the Board that the Village of Swanton now offers a high deductible insurance plan for the Village employees. She said the Village pays for 96% of this plan and it cost approximately $465,897 per year. Lynn advised that with the new insurance plans offered, no Village employee would qualify for tax incentives. She provided the Board with information she has received and figured the Silver Plan would cost Village employees approximately $14,000 per year, the Gold Plan would cost them approximately $11,000 per year and the Platinum Plan would cost them approximately $5,000 per year. She said they had a choice of going with either MVP or Blue Cross Blue Shield and she is recommending to the Board that they go with Blue Cross Blue Shield and offer their employees the Platinum Plan. She said with this plan it would cost them an estimated $499,435 per year but the employee would pay their out of pocket maximums. Chris Leach asked what would happen if the Village didn’t offer health care coverage to their employees. Lynn said they would face a penalty. Eugene LaBombard asked if they would be locked in yearly and Lynn advised they would have to do this on a yearly basis. Adam Paxman had Lynn change from 96% to 95% and see what that did to the employees contribution. Adam asked if the employees would rather see more of an increase come out of their  paycheck or pay more in deductibles and out of pocket expenses. I advised I thought most employees would want less out of their paycheck and pay more out of pocket expenses when and if they went to the doctors.

Adam Paxman made the motion to authorize the Village of Swanton to offer Village employees the Blue Cross Blue Shield Platinum Plan Standard Insurance funded at 96%, noting that Village employees can also choose the Gold Plan or Silver Plan. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

4. Any Other Necessary Business:

Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, advised the Board that she had the Water Bond Anticipation Note for $500,000 that needed authorization and signatures.  She said this is for the Fourth and Second Street Water Project. She said she received approval to use the Union Bank checking account for this project and said she got an interest rate of 1.25% from Union Bank for this note. Reg Beliveau stated the Fourth Street project is going very good.

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to authorize the Village of Swanton to borrow $500,000 from Union Bank with an interest rate of 1.25% for the improvements or replacement of existing water lines. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

Any Other Business: Lynn Paradis handed out budget information to the Board for them to look at for their next meeting.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau advised the Board he would be working with the school children Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Oct. 22, 23 & 24^th on Fire Prevention.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman advised the Board that the pumpkin lighting event would not be taking place this year in the park but said hopefully it would next year.

5. Executive Session (If Needed):

None.

ADJOURN: Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:35 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ronald Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m.

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President                    Date

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

Trustee Meeting Minutes - September 30th, 2013

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

7:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Ron Kilburn, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reg Beliveau, Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Leonard Stell, Chief of Police and Channel 16.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

Ron Kilburn, Village President, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

1. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, September 9, 2013 Meeting:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, September 9, 2013 as presented. Chris Leach seconded. Discussion: Reg Beliveau stated that the vendor DMS Machinery mentioned at the last meeting was for a shear pin at the Hydro Plant. I stated that in the last Minutes I had listed Eugene LaBombard as present but he was not. Motion carried with changes.

2. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, September 27, 2013:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants #610-#617 through September 27, 2013 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman asked what the payment made to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for $23,263.23 was for. Reg stated that was for the annual licensing fee at the Hydro Plant. He also asked what the Town of Swanton was paid $2580.93 for. Reg stated he would find out. Motion carried.

3. Discuss Petition Received Regarding 15 Spring Street:

Chris Leach stated this is primarily a dog complaint issue and asked if the Town of Swanton was aware of this issue. Reg stated the Town was aware and said they have been for a long time. Chief Stell stated he researched this noise issue and checked the log book back over a two month period. He said he could not find one complaint and said he spoke to two people on the petition and encouraged them to call regardless of the time. Eugene said he is aware that the police department has been there but said it could have been longer than six months ago. Chris Leach asked if they could find out if the animals there were licensed and if the health officer could check on the trash that was piling up. Reg offered to mediate with the neighbors and the tenant to see if he could resolve some of the issues between them. He said he would also talk to the landlord.

4. VT Route 78 Construction Discussion:

Adam Paxman stated they are paving from the Missisquoi Bay Bridge down Route 78 stopping 150 yards from the Village line with that being the main problem area. He said he filled out a questionnaire and offered to get on a committee and asked Chris Leach to join him. He said Chris Leach didn’t make the last JLB meeting so he just wanted to bring him up to speed on what they discussed on this topic that night. He said Warren Fournier told him it takes years to get anything done and it’s very frustrating. Ron Kilburn also gave and read a copy of the letter he sent to Richard Tetrault with the VT Agency of Transportation. Chris thanked Adam and Ron for the update.

5. Any Other Necessary Business:

Chris Leach stated good job done on Operation Northern Lights.

Any Other Business: Chris Leach asked how the rate case was coming. Reg Beliveau stated the Public Service Board ruled a 1% rate increase was all they would allow based on their tier and said they gave the Village some homework to do regarding how they fund some projects.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman stated the ladies that held the pumpkin carving event in the park last October would like to do so again this year. He said they would like the Chamber to be involved with them somehow and would let the Board know when he had more information on the event. He asked when the Board would start working on budgets. Reg stated Lynn would have information for them soon.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard asked if Reg had any information on insurance for them yet. He said they would have a meeting next week on insurance.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated he searched previous years’ minutes about moving the scales on Jewett Street and said we couldn’t find anything. It was determined that this was discussed previously but nothing ever materialized. Reg stated that speed was a concern on Jewett Street and he said the Police Department had done a speed study there. He said out of 444 vehicles the average speed was 20 mph. Reg stated he talked with the business owner about the early trucks and he said he is willing to work with the residents there. Ron Kilburn is going to set up another meeting and will get back to the Board with his results.

6. Executive Session (If Necessary):

Ron Kilburn stated he had brought with him the conveyance of the dam rights from the Town of Swanton to the Village of Swanton and needed an Executive Session to discuss Legal Matters and Real Estate. Eugene LaBombard made the motion to enter into Executive Session to Discuss Legal Matters and Real Estate at 8:08 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

Adam Paxman made the motion to exit Executive Session at 8:25 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

ACTION TAKEN: Reg Beliveau will submit invoice for payment to the Village of Swanton.

ADJOURN: Chris Leach made the motion to Adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:26 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ronald Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:26 p.m.

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President                    Date

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date