Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Selectboard members Lewis Sumner, Mitchell Green, and Bradley Rafus were present, as were Stephan Chait, Ray Combs, Nancy McCrea, Diana Conway, Duane Fletcher (Renaud Bros.), and Robbin Gabriel.

Changes and/or Additions to Agenda

Lewis Sumner advised the 2019 dog warrant has been presented for signature.

Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes

Brad Rafus made a motion to approve the 6/4/19 regular meeting minutes as written. Mitch Green seconded the motion, which passed, 3-0.

New Business

Open Bids (Sand, Fuel)
Four bids were received for winter sand, as follows:

Cersosimo Industries, Inc., Brattleboro, Vermont: 4,000 yards ¾” winter sand, picked up at River Road pit (in Chesterfield, NH), $8.25/cu. yd. Delivery fee: $13.50/cu. yd. Total cost per cubic yard if delivered, $21.75.

Renaud Gravel, Inc., Vernon, Vermont: 4,000 yards ¾” winter sand, $9.60/yd. delivery fee, $8.60/yd. at the pit; $18.20 total per yard if delivered.

Zaluzny Excavating, Vernon, Vermont: 4,000 yards ¾” winter sand, $8.00/cu. yd. picked up at pit, $18.00/cu. yd. if delivered.

Fitzpatrick Excavating & Trucking, LLC, Wardsboro, Vermont: 4,000 yards ¾” winter sand, $10.00/yd. at the pit, if delivered, $19.50/yd.

Ray Combs asked what was meant by three-quarter inch. Rafus said nothing in the loads would be larger diameter than ¾”; he told Stephan Chait the product was a combination of stone and fines. Duane Fletcher, of Renaud Gravel, said square or slotted screen might be used; some stone might by ⁵/₈” but there would be nothing over ¾”. Chait asked whether products from the different vendors were comparable to each other. Most of the pits are along the Connecticut River, Rafus answered; Fitzpatrick’s sand has more fines in it because of the pit location, but all the products are fairly similar. Green made a motion to accept the Renaud Gravel bid of $8.60/yd. picked up, $18.20/yd. delivered, as the Town has been working with Renaud and their service and product have been satisfactory. Rafus seconded the motion, which passed, 3-0. Prior to the vote, Rafus told Green the travel distance to Zaluzny’s pit is greater than Renaud’s. Fletcher told the meeting that Renaud is opening a pit in Chester, Vermont, and will also be setting up an operation in Vernon, where they will be using a new process to make sand out of ledge product. Combs and Nancy McCrea had questions about the process. Rafus explained that crushers would be used in two stages to break large chunks of rock which would then be put through a double screen, with the first layer producing 1¹/₄” gravel and the second layer ¾” sand. How many truckloads is 4,000 yards?, asked McCrea. Our Town trucks hold 14 yards, answered Rafus, and theirs carry 18 yards. Our truck, with 14 yards of sand and no other equipment, probably weighs about 72,000 pounds. How is the price compared to last year?, Combs asked. Rafus thought the price per yard was the same as last year; with trucking a little higher.

Two bids were received for heating oil, as follows:

Guy E. Nido, Wilmington, Vermont: 2,000 gallons heating oil delivered to the Town Garage on an automatic 10-day delivery cycle, $2.25/gal.

A. R. Sandri, Greenfield, Massachusetts: 2,000 gallons heating oil delivered to the Town Garage on an automatic 10-day delivery cycle, $2.599/gal.

Sumner made a motion to accept Guy E. Nido’s heating fuel bid at $2.25/gal., to be paid by August 15, 2019. Rafus seconded the motion, which passed, 3-0. Before the vote, Rafus told Combs the Town prepays heating oil to lock in the price.

Two bids were received for summer and winter diesel, as follows:

Guy E. Nido, Wilmington, Vermont: 8,750 gallons of summer diesel fuel, delivered July 1, 2019 through October 31, 2019, and April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020, paid in full by the 10^th of the subsequent month of delivery; $2.28/gal. 8,750 gallons of winter diesel fuel, delivered November 1, 2019 through March 31, 2020 on a 10-day automatic delivery cycle, paid in full by the 10^th of the subsequent month of delivery; $2.46/gal.

A. R. Sandri, Greenfield, Massachusetts: 8,750 gallons of summer diesel fuel, delivered July 1, 2019 through October 31, 2019, and April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020, $2.599/gal. 8,750 gallons of winter diesel fuel, delivered November 1, 2019 through March 31, 2020 on a 10-day automatic delivery cycle, $2.599/gal.

Rafus made a motion to approve Guy E. Nido’s bid for summer and winter diesel fuel at $2.28/gal. and $2.46/gal. respectively. Green seconded the motion, which passed, 3-0. Who do you currently use?, asked Chait. It’s split, replied Rafus; Barrows & Fisher is providing heating oil and Nido is supplying summer and winter diesel. What is the winter mix?, asked Combs. 40/60, with kerosene to prevent gelling, said Sumner.

Junk Code Violations
Sumner said the Boyd property on Brook Road is being cleaned up; a large trailer-load went out last week. Not much seems to have changed at Wincek’s. Chait reminded the Board that they had spoken of reviewing other properties in town in the interests of fairness. Did you find other places?, he asked. There are a few, answered Sumner, but some of them are being foreclosed on. Green mentioned the Moyers’ property on Hatch School Road. The bank has foreclosed on that, said Sumner. Chait asked about the property on Route 112 at the Massachusetts border. A lot of that is construction equipment, replied Sumner, and I think it’s exempt under State law. Combs asked if anything would be done about two places on Collins Road; Leonard Boyd’s and the old farmhouse. There’s been some cleanup at the Boyd place, and much of what is at the farm is agricultural equipment, responded Board members. What about the property across from Sprague Road?, asked Rafus; there are nine cars and probably 30 appliances out in the field. The Board asked Gabriel to prepare a letter to Bill Adams, Sr., who owns that property. Diana Conway suggested creating guidelines about what is and is not acceptable for people to have in their yards. The Board said the Town has an ordinance, which follows State statute and permits less than four unregistered vehicles. Green recommended the Town’s junk ordinance be posted online. You can have as many registered vehicles on your property as you like, Green told Nancy McCrea.

2019 Dog Warrant
Sumner advised the yearly warrant for unregistered dogs has been prepared by the Town Clerk. Board members signed the warrant, which will be sent to Constable Andy Rice. Sumner said several owners listed on the warrant are no longer in Halifax.

Old Business

None.

Other Business

None.

Hearing of Visitors

Ray Combs asked about the replacement sign for Tucker Road. Rafus said he has a new sign now but has not installed it yet. We lost eleven signs last winter, he added; they cost $200-$300 apiece.

Diana Conway has seen traffic counters on Halifax roads recently; Rafus told her the State had put them out. He noted that this year some were put on deadend roads; there was one on Old Stage Road and one on Whitneyville Road. Chait found one on Stowe Mountain Road, and Sumner saw them on Reed Hill, Brook Road, and Green River Road. Rafus said one was installed on Pennel Hill while the road crew was working on the road and the trucks were making almost 70 trips a day.

Stephan Chait thought the Resilient Roads event on June 13^th went well and had a good turnout. He hoped it would prove useful for the Town. Combs suggested a PA system was needed; he had trouble hearing the presentation. Conway asked whether the presenters were promoting paved over gravel roads. No, answered Chait, they weren’t recommending one over the other, but were making a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of each. There was general discussion of Act 64 and Municipal General Road Permit mandates and the expense and work involved in implementing requirements.

Selectboard’s Order to Treasurer for Payment

 The Selectboard’s Order to the Treasurer was reviewed and signed.

Correspondence

Correspondence was reviewed and filed. The Selectboard received a response to their letter to Vermont Agency of Transportation regarding the poor pavement conditions on Route 112. The AOT letter said Route 112 was being monitored and patched as needed. Although Route 112 has not been repaved for 20 years, it is not high on the State’s priority list; the road is not considered to be as heavily traveled as other routes. John Gannon replied by email to the AOT letter, expressing his disappointment in the response.

Executive Session
None held.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:09 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Robbin Gabriel
Selectboard Secretary