OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD

TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT

SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES

June 28, 2023

6:30 AM AT THE HALIFAX TOWN GARAGE  

CALL TO ORDER

At 6:40 AM on June 28, 2023 Pete Silverberg called the meeting to order at the Halifax Town Garage. Selectboard members present were Pete Silverberg, Edee Edwards, Patrick McAllister, Tristan Roberts, and Karen Christofferson. Others present in person were Mike Fournier, Keith Stone, Ben Barnett, Wade Janovsky, and Blake Janovsky. There was no remote option for this meeting as the primary purpose was for employee evaluations.

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA

Edee requested to change the order of the agenda to do Annual Personnel Reviews first, and the update on Job Description revisions after that.

 EXECUTIVE SESSION

• Pete Silverberg made a motion to enter executive session based on 1 VSA 313(3) for the evaluation of public employees. Tristan Roberts seconded and the motion carried 5-0.
• Invited into executive session at various times were Blake Janovsky, Keith Stone, Ben Barnett, Wade Janovsky, and Mike Fournier.
• The board came out of executive session at 9:00 AM.
• At this point Patrick McAllister and Tristan Roberts needed to leave for other commitments.

OLD BUSINESS

• Update on Revamp on Position Descriptions – Highway Supervisor, Road Commissioner
  • Briefly discussed a document “Ten reasons for job descriptions.”
    • Important for employee/supervisor shared expectations, worker’s compensation return to work guidelines, employee relations and communications, and more.
  • General information about Road Commissioners from VLCT was noted.
  • Review and revision started with a VLCT provided document called “highway-supervisor-job-description-template.” (A similar “highway-maintenance-worker-job-description-template” exists.)
  • Edee and Karen reviewed and compared the template to the Halifax 2002 Supervisor position description, and then the Road Commissioner position description.
  • Several duties fall into the Supervisor position more than out old Road Commissioner position.
  • Original intention of this work was to try to separate the main duties in case another option, such as appointment of separate individual(s) for road commissioner, is deemed beneficial. (Some towns appoint 1-2 members of the selectboard.) By law, the town’s citizens could also vote to make the road commissioner an elected role.
  • Mike noted that whereas earlier he had stated he wasn’t interested in the Road Commissioner role, he feels it would be hard to separate the tasks out and might be best to keep with one person.
  • Next steps: Edee and Karen to meet with Mike to go over the details, and bring the duties revisions proposal back to the full Selectboard.
  • May wish to later create/update position descriptions for Highway Maintenance Workers.
  • May wish to later update Personnel Policy as VLCT says if they are 2018 or older, the laws have changed.

OTHER BUSINESS

• Beaver deceiver on Pennel Hill Road is working, but now a lower end of the ditch may be the next trouble spots
• Active roof leakage, newer damage, and the typical spot for winter ceiling crack expansion at the Town Garage was pointed out to Selectboard members. This is related to a MERP grant, and an earlier estimate for repairs.

• Breakfast sandwiches and beverages were provided for attendees.

HEARING OF VISITORS

• None present

ADJOURNMENT

• Meeting adjourned at 9:37 AM. Moved by Edee Edwards. Seconded by Karen Christofferson. Passed 3-0.

Respectfully submitted,

Edee Edwards, Vice Chair, Secretary pro tempore