OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD
TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES- DRAFT
December 17th, 2024
6:00 PM AT THE HALIFAX TOWN OFFICE
CALL TO ORDER
Edee Edwards called the meeting to order at 6:00pm. Other members of the Selectboard present were Rhonda Ashcraft, Randy Pike and Karen Christofferson and Tristan Roberts. Members of the public present were Emily Dow, Patty Dow, Mary Brewster, Nancy McCrea, Anna Ducca, Stephan Chait, Mike Fournier, Stephanie Pike, Ben Barnett, Charles Fowler.
CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
There are no changes to be made to the agenda.
NEW BUSINESS
Mary Brewster brought a new tax sale to the meeting to get permission from the Selectboard that she can engage Fisher & Fisher Law for the tax sale on March 19, 2024. This tax sale does not incur a cost on the town as lawyer fees and other fees are covered.
There are pertinent deadlines Mary is instructed to follow. As some towns have given a motion for their tax sales to be covered for the entire tax year until September 30th, Mary expressed interest in attending the Selectboard meetings as needed to request her permission for the tax sales. Previously, Mary needed to notify the owners within 10 to 20 days but, now she is allotted 30 days. Criteria for the property to be eligible for a tax sale is one year behind. Edee asked how the procedure and fees change if an owner responds to the tax sale for which Mary answered there is still a fee.
Edee made a motion to authorize the tax sale for Mary Brewster and to have permission to speak to Attorney Fisher and to proceed with the 2024 tax sale.
Motion carries 5-0
OTHER BUSINESS
Excavator Bid Award
The two companies that Halifax is looking heavily at for the purchase of an Excavator are: Beauregard Equipment with CASE WX140E for $225,200 and Woods CRW Equipment with Volvo EWR 150EL for $236,395.
Beauregard Equipment doesn’t include Autolube however, Mike confirmed it’s not a dealbreaker to not have it as the road crew currently oils their own equipment. Beauregard Equipment also did not provide Warranty Information as that is pertinent to awarding the winning bid as the town would like to maintain equipment for 7 to 15 years depending.
Woods CRW Equipment doesn’t include Joystick Steering, which cost $5,900 and that feature is an important one for the crew to have as it gives them better ability to operate the vehicle. Woods Equipment does include Autolube but, there is no service package included and a warranty for an extra cost.
Edee made a motion to purchase the CASE WX140E for $225,200 from Beauregard Equipment with an additional request to get the Extended Warranty information. Tristan seconded the motion.
Motion carries 5-0.
Karen will be following up with financing options through the vendor and the bank to see what options best suit the needs of the town. It’s noted that the price for the CASE Excavator is roughly $100K below the asking price for what the voters approved for spending on a new machine. This fits into the budget along with room for any necessary additions in the final cost to ensure the road crew has a safe and reliable machine. There will be another meeting to discuss financing options with Beauregard Equipment.
While comparing bids from both Beauregard and Woods, their specs and warranties differ and they have a few options each. Therefore, consideration and care need to be taken to choose the most suited machine for our road crew.
Loader Bid Award
The Town of Halifax is looking heavily at United Construction and Forestry with John Deere 544-G Tier Wheeled Loader for $154,200.
Ben vouched and expressed high interest in the John Deere Loader because the crew has much experience with the manufacturer and understands how to operate therefore, there won’t be a learning curve rather than with an unknown manufacturer.
To save on costs, Mike mentioned foregoing the service package and Autolube as they can be unnecessary and it’ll save on costs. Karen confirms the town has been authorized for a spending amount on the Loader for $235,000 for which the John Deere Loader is well under budget. The John Deere equipment Halifax currently operates has had one major repair with the radiator in the 15 years the town has owned it. This John Deere is in stock at the distributor and tires and forks are included in the price.
The Highway Department works ten hour days, 7 days a week and frequently coming in and out of the garage. Autolube is $11,700 for the John Deere Loader and it would be much appreciated if the crew could have this option as they currently oil their own equipment as well as coming into this Winter Season.
Beauregard Equipment CASE is not in stock and 90 days to deliver.
Edwards made a motion that the town orders the John Deere Loader from United Construction and Forestry with the machine delivered price of $154,200 plus warranty for $2,672 and that we look at finding information about the extended warranty and pursue financing. $156,872 is the final cost. Karen seconded the motion. No further discussion. Motion carries 5-0.
2025 Health insurance for Halifax Employees
Randy volunteered to look into a HRA but, upon further discussion with Edee and Patty, the town would have to pay a fee from the other company to get information and that was not approved. Furthermore, the HRA will not be looked into further at this point. Insurance raised 18.1% from the previous year and will raise annually. Proposing the town continues with the current plan, the new cost is $157,432.80. Last year, the cost was $139,885 for the BCBS Platinum plan that the Town of Halifax pays 100% for.
Option 1 for the Gold Plan would cost $133,986 which is close in cost to what the town paid last year and that would forego the increase in insurance price but, it will lower employee coverage and raise employee pricing. It is a known factor that insurance costs raise annually.
Gold Plan
- $1,400 Deductible
- $5,600 Medical Out-of-Pocket
- $20 Copay, $55 Special Visits
- $65 urgent Care
- 30% Outpatient
Platinum Plan
- $450 Deductible
- $1,600 Medical Out-of-Pocket
- $0 Copay, $40 Special Visits
- $50 Urgent Care
- 10% Outpatient
It is more on the taxpayers to cover the Platinum plan but, if employees have to start covering a portion for their health insurance we are essentially taking the pay raises they were just awarded and must turn it around to pay health insurance. If the town will make this change, families will need advanced planning and budgeting to account fo the new bill. These are not easy decisions and situations and need to be though out carefully in deciding to make this change. As you can see above, more than just price changes, as coverage changes as well.
Halifax did budget for a 15% increase for the calendar year and after half of the year we can see the full increase. We live in a rural area where there are not enough doctors. Mike expressed seeing difficulty in maintaining employee retention it’s been mentioned prior to change plans but not right now with the current job market. Looking at both ends; Can the employees pay for the health insurance with their current wages? Can the townspeople pay the raising taxes? With the Affordable Care Act, Halifax saved a lot due to being put into a larger insurance pool.
If no changes are made by December 31, 2024, the plan will be automatically renewed. Any changes need to be made by January 2025 and will be in effect by February 1st. 2025.
Randy Pike would like to make a motion that they would like to have the employees contribute 15% to the health insurance BCBS Platinum Plan. Rhonda Ashcraft seconded the motion. Motion fails 2-3.
Covereage level depends on family size and with an average of 5 employees, they would have to pay more than $4,000 each which is a 4% raise and roughly $2 an hour for employee cost. Karen mentioned by taking away from the compensation package, it will take away from retaining employees.
Mike Fournier, Anna, and Charles Fowler left the meeting at 6:45pm
HEARING OF VISITORS
No visitors wished to speak.
OLD BUSINESS
Budget Continuation– Going through the budget line by line to best manage the town budget.
Stephanie Pike left the meeting at 7:30pm
Emergency Supplies and Expenses– Fuel and Service for the generator and internet and telephone to the firehouse. Edwards mentioned reaching out to the EMD to get a spending plan.
Street lights- Recently in the last 5 years have been updated to LED lights. Averaging $112 a month for about 6 total lights in the Town of Halifax.
Humane Society– Leveled Fund due to not typically enduring costs.
Accounting services- Increased for FY26 for FY25 Audited financial statement expense
Legal Services– Town Treasurer will ask for a current bill
NEMRC– New England Municipal Research Center- This is an Accounting Software that is compatible with municipal accounting that Selectboard and listers use. Last spoke about this in April 2024 for which the rough amount is $9,000 for the software package and inclusions best fit for the needs of the town. Modules are one time fees but there is an annual Disaster Recovery Fee $5,900 as the Data is being backed up as well as additional fees for other inclusions. This has already been in discussion with the Finance committee and there isn’t any grant money for it. The town has been told they need accounting software that is designed for municipalities and this will also reduce the associated audit costs because they don’t have to reinvent the wheel rather than being able to go through it clearly.
WCSO Law Enforcement– Law Enforcement comes to town for random or scheduled 3 hours a week. This is helpful as the town has needed to call law enforcement in the past and it’s good for the townspeople to have this level of safety and availability of the police.
Fire Department– Looking to raise to $15,000 to cover all safety means from equipment testing and gear maintenance and purchasing.
SELECTBOARD ORDER
The board is paying the Town Garage Roof but it will carry forward to a future meeting.
Building Repair and Maintenance– This was not a budgeted expense therefore a point of discussion. The first idea for payment was from an ACT 68 Reimbursement the town received for overpayment of taxes to the school. The second idea for payment and funding is through ERAF Funding as the state obtained extra funds to cover grants from flooding in 2003. Please note that the town only has to cover 2.2% of the cost. If the town pays this bill for $57,456.74 will there be a cashflow problem for the town? Do we need to borrow from the Scott Fund? We took this project on without it being a budgeted item, found a funding source, and had this happen in the last fiscal year.
Tristan and Patty left the meeting at 9:00pm
The Selectboard orders were signed and Edee Edwards read the aggregate amount for orders on December 17, 2024 for an order total $66,430.06.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
No Executive Session was held.
CORRESPONDENCE
Need to sign Rescue Inc Contract for the next year.
Auditors Vacancy- Try to appoint to someone at the next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
Randy made a motion to adjourn at 9:26pm. Rhonda seconded the motion. Passed 4-0
Respectfully submitted,
Emily Dow
Halifax Administrative Assistant
Recording Link:
https://youtu.be/ixU7E2ThhT4