OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD
TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 2, 2024
6:00 PM AT THE HALIFAX TOWN OFFICE
CALL TO ORDER
Edee Edwards called meeting to order at 6:00pm on April 2, 2024. Selectboard members present Rhonda Ashcraft, Edee Edwards, Karen Christofferson, and Patrick McAllister. Residents present or remote included: Stephanie Pike, Randy Pike, Linda Huebner, Stephan Chait, Kyle Farnsworth, Melanie Crosby, Bob Leete and Alison Crossley.
CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
- Add to other business: Update Trustee of Public Fund
- Add to Old Business: Update of ARPA grant recipient requirements
APPROVAL PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
March 19, 2024 Selectboard Meeting Minutes
- Patrick made a motion to approve minutes for March 19, 2024 with no changes. Rhonda Ashcraft seconded. Passed 4-0.
OLD BUSINESS
- Highway Grants paperwork, DUE 4/15
- Town contact sheet, naming the Road Commissioner and other officials
- Town Road & Bridge Standards
- Certificate of Compliance
- Completed: TA60 Annual Town Financial Plan & FY25 TH Grant applications
- Discussion was had regarding highway grants paperwork, selectboard signed paperwork.
- No action was taken.
- FEMA aid reporting
- Discussion was had regard FEMA project management for future events.
- Action Item: Edee Edwards will ask WRC regarding FEMA resource support for towns
- Action Item: Karen will contact Christina Moore regarding FEMA documentation after potential event and possibility of work being done by her.
- Action Item: Place on next meeting agenda
- Greenhouse gas reduction grant-closure on a focal point project
- The focal point project was boiler improvements in the school.
- Public records request (previously labeled FOIA)
- Discussion was had regarding FOIA – request has been completed.
- Read into record the public records request from Bob Teree – Dated March 14, 2024
- Public Records Document
- Update of ARPA grant recipient requirements
- Discussion was had regarding ARPA allocation and recipient requirements.
- Action Item: Recipients need to send invoice for allocated amount and receipt of funds, provide information of use of funds (town report) and date of completion.
- Action Item: Upcoming agenda item – discussion of ARPA spending for highway spending
- Halifax Constable & Animal Control Officer (Define roles & responsibilities)
- Discussion was had regarding roles and responsibilities for Halifax Constable & Animal Control Officer
- Action Item: Kyle Farnsworth will reach out to Windham County Humane Society.
- Action Item: Edee Edwards to notify community group developing dog ordinance and health officer
- Kyle Farnsworth contact for calling: 802-380-4535
NEW BUSINESS
- Solar eclipse planning (April 8) including highway time off request
- Discussion was had regarding solar eclipse planning
- Community Center and Halifax School is hosting events on Monday
- No action taken.
- Continuation of Finance Committee (note: not on appointments list)
- Discussion was had regarding Finance Committee continuation.
- Action Item: Finance committee will discuss question of continuation regarding foundational documents and report back to selectboard.
- 2024-2025 Board Priorities
- Discussion was had regarding board priorities over the next year.
- Potential ideas for quarterly focus time:
- Systems issues – Website redesign, financial accounting system
- Policy Updates
- Town Garage roof – MERP grant outstanding, Energy model
- Mini MERP – Tristan to give updates
- Coordinate incident response training with major stakeholders
- Long term road term maintenance & plan
- Inventory for paved, bridges, guardrails
- Shared services with Windham Regional Commissioner
- HR Policy & Procedures
- Gravel feasibility study (Place on next meeting agenda item)
- Park with a Pavilion
- PFAS monitoring w/ WRC
- State approval for one testing per year
- Action Item: Patrick will update list for next meeting agenda.
- Bonding or other loans for large equipment purchases
- Discussion was had regarding large equipment purchases, grader & loader.
- Action Item: McAllister to talk to Silverberg to ask if he’d contacted the bonding attorneys.
- Recap Selectboard Essentials VLCT training
- Discussion was had regarding VLCT training that Edee Edwards taken.
- Action Item: Kyle Farnsworth needs to get access to VLCT website by signing up himself.
OTHER BUSINESS
- Next Regular Selectboard meeting day and time
- Discussion was had regarding changing potential time and day.
- Action Item: Patrick McAllister to reach out to Tristan Roberts to discuss.
- Update Trustee of Public Fund
- Discussion was had regarding Trustee of Public Fund issue and will send a letter once it has been resolved.
HEARING OF VISITORS
- Randy Pike & Stephanie Pike came to volunteer interested
- Melanie Crosby – Brought complaint to selectboard regarding time of plowing at the Halifax school.
- Action Item: Rhonda Ashcraft to discuss with Mike Fournier
- Bob Leete – Road closure complaint
- Action Item: Road Commissioners to understand what “road closure” definition mean and report back.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
- Halifax Constable & Animal Control Officer got moved to Old Business
SELECTBOARD ORDER
- Also, Highway order—Gravel costs
- Discussion was had regarding gravel costs being overcharged.
- Selectboard Order – TOTAL: $21,259.85
- Highway Order – Read into the record
CORRESPONDENCE
- DVFiber resolution to appoint representative to the governing board of Deerfield valley communications union district.
- Overweight permits – read into the record.
- Landowner appreciation dinner: Jacksonville Easy Riders April 27, 2024 at 5:30PM
- Opioid Settlement documentation for Tristan Roberts
- NEMRC reappraisal copy
ADJOURNMENT
Patrick McAllister moved to adjourned at 8:40pm. Rhonda Ashcraft seconded. Passed 4-0.
YOUTUBE LINK