Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:15 p.m. Selectboard members Lewis Sumner, Mitchell Green, and Bradley Rafus were present, as were Ray Combs, Alice Aldrich, Andrew Rice, Peter LaFogg (LaFogg & Hathaway), Fred Cheney (Vermont Roadworks), Brian Siano (Lane Construction), David Thurber (Springfield Paving), and Robbin Gabriel.

Changes and/or Additions to Agenda

Brad Rafus advised the Board should set a date for employee evaluations.

Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes

Mitch Green made a motion to approve the 5/16/17 regular meeting minutes as written. Lewis Sumner seconded the motion, which passed, 2-0-1, with Rafus (who was absent from that meeting) abstaining.

New Business

Open Bids (Fuel, Sand, Bridge, Paving, Salt Shed, Crushing)
Sumner advised that as a number of paving company representatives were present, the Board would review those bids first. Four bids were received for the paving of 1.5 miles of Branch Road, as follows:

Vermont Roadworks, LLC, Guilford, Vermont: Reclaim 1.5 miles, $19,553.60; shoulders, $3,350.00; 3,369 tons blacktop at $63.83 per ton, $215,043.20. Total project cost, $237,946.27.

Lane Construction, Northfield, Massachusetts: 6” reclaim and 3” HMA (hot mix asphalt) in place, 3,270 tons blacktop at $85.00 per ton, $277,950. Emulsion for tack coat if required, $2,115.00.

Bazin Brothers Trucking, Inc., Westminster, Vermont: Reclaim, $19,360.00; 3” paving, 3,226 tons at $57.49 per ton, $185,462.74; shoulders, $6,446.00. Total $211,268.74.

Springfield Paving, North Springfield, Vermont: Reclaim, $20,908.80; road widener plus crew, $4,523.20; 3,300 tons blacktop, $58.96 per ton, $194,568.00. Total, $219,000.00.

Following a discussion of specifics, and some questions to vendors present, the Board advised they would make a decision at their June 20^th meeting.

Four bids were received for the Deer Park #52 bridge construction, as follows:

LaFogg & Hathaway Construction, Inc., Williamsburg, Massachusetts: Design/build, HS25 load rating. Remove/replace deck with 6”-8” precast approximately 18” width. Two-section deck with keyway joint down centerline; sealer and 4” blacktop over deck. 150 lineal feet steel guardrail w/beam, single-faced; 4 steel w/beam terminal ends, single-faced. Total $56,130.00.

Renaud Bros., Inc., Vernon, Vermont: Remove old deck and steel beams. Install new precast deck, new bridge rail and 25’ guard rail off four corners. Total, $52.500.00.

M.A. Bean Associates, Sanborton, New Hampshire: Remove existing deck, install new precast deck, HL-93 loading capacity; core and pin deck to abutments; install closure hardware, non-shrink grout at shear keys and lift ports, Royston 104 bridge barrier membrane over entire deck, red posts for bridge guardrail, standard steel posts at four corners, 60’ standard W-beam guardrail both sides, wrap end sections at four ends. Town to provide and install crushed gravel. Total, $42,000.

Cold River Bridges LLC, Walpole, New Hampshire: Remove existing deck; construct cast in place solid concrete slab with fascia mounted railings; deck with approximately 18’; total rail length 75’ each side. Town of furnish gravel to shim approaches. Total, $64,576.00. Deduct $3,200.00 if guardrail anchors not required.

In discussion, Rafus noted the first two bidders are providing everything needed for the project. Pete LaFogg said his bid included sealer and 4” of blacktop to protect the keyway. The Board discussed various differences in proposed designs, and anticipated road closure time. Rafus made a motion to award the #52 Deer Park bridge project to LaFogg and Hathaway. Green seconded the motion, which passed, 3-0.

Three bids were received for winter sand, as follows:

Zaluzny Excavating, Vernon, Vermont: 4,000 yards ¾” winter sand, picked up, $7.25 per cubic yard, total $29,000.

Renaud Gravel, Inc., Vernon Vermont: 4,000 yards ¾” winter sand, picked up, $8.65 per cubic yard, total $34,600.00.

Cersosimo Industries, Inc., Brattleboro, Vermont: 4,000 yards ¾” winter sand, picked up, $8.25 per cubic yard, total $33,000.

Rafus said he should speak to vendors to determine pickup locations before a decision is made. As sand is trucked by the Town, the cost of trucking is an important factor. The sand bid will be awarded at the June 20^th meeting.

Three bids were received for gravel crushing, as follows:

Fuzzy Brothers LLC, Walpole, New Hampshire: Crushing of approximately 6,000 cubic yards 1-1/4” gravel, Town to remove finished product, bidder must have ability to break up large rocks for crushing, $5.50 per cubic yard. $33,000. Additional $0.50 per yard for second loader, hammering $200 per hour or $150 per hour as rental.

Bazin Brothers Trucking, Inc., Westminster, Vermont: Specifications as above, $4.97 per cubic yard. Total, $29,820.00.

Zaluzny Excavating, Vernon, Vermont: Specifications as above, $6.75 per cubic yard. Total, $40,500.00.

Alice Aldrich asked whether the Town gravel would be crushed during regular hours, and said she had been hearing a crusher late in the day. Board members said that was probably Jesse Boyd’s operation, possibly screening rather than crushing, and he was in compliance with permitting and State Act 250 requirements. Andy Rice said when the State police address noise issues in general they advise a 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. timeline. The Town’s crushing operation this summer will probably take about ten days, and will shut down daily at 4:00 p.m., Rafus added.

Green made a motion to award the gravel crushing contract to Bazin Brothers Trucking, at $4.97 a yard, $29,820.00 total. Rafus seconded the motion, which passed, 3-0.

Two fuel bids were received, as follows:

Guy E. Nido, Inc., Wilmington, Vermont: 2,000 gallons #2 heating oil delivered to Halifax Town Garage on an automatic 10-day delivery cycle, $1.89 per gallon. 8,750 gallons summer diesel fuel, $1.91 per gallon. 8,750 gallons winter mix diesel fuel, $2.16 gallon.

Barrows and Fisher Oil Co., Brattleboro, Vermont: 2,000 gallons #2 fuel oil, $2.105 fixed price per gallon, pre-paid, $4,210.00. 8,750 gallons summer diesel fuel, two options—1) $0.25 over rack price out of Gulf Albany at time of delivery, or 2) fixed price, $2.095 per gallon. 8,750 gallons 60/40 blend winter mix diesel fuel, two options—1) $0.35 over rack price out of Gulf Albany at time of delivery, or 2) fixed price, $2.285 per gallon.

Sumner made a motion to approve the Guy E. Nido bid for heating oil at $1.89 per gallon, summer diesel fuel at $1.91 per gallon, and winter mix diesel fuel at $2.16 per gallon. Green seconded the motion, which passed, 3-0.

One bid was received for the salt shed addition construction project:

Tom DeBlois Builders, Readsboro, Vermont: 30’ x 28’ pole barn to match existing addition, match to west side without upstairs room and with solid back, open in front for access. Materials to be supplied by contractor, excavation to be done or supplied by town with assistance by contractor in setting precast footers. Total, $29,500.00.

Green made a motion to approve Tom DeBlois Builders’ bid for salt shed addition construction. Rafus seconded the motion, which passed, 3-0.

Andrew Rice
Rice turned in his end of the fiscal year accounts for Constable services to the town. He reported there had been some complaints involving four-wheelers, cows, horses, and yaks, on Thomas Hill and Jacksonville Stage Roads; these have been satisfactorily resolved. Rice will also make yet another visit to the family of a local youth who has had multiple encounters with drivers while riding four-wheelers on public roads. Rice is frustrated that, in spite of his intervention and that of State police, the behavior has continued.

What is our dog policy?, asked Alice Aldrich. Rice said the Town is using the State statute; if a dog worries livestock or a pedestrian on the road it can legally be shot. But that doesn’t make for good neighbors, said Rice.

Tam Contract
The Board has received a contract for recycling from TAM, Inc. The terms refer to a three-year contract, while the Board had voted for a one-year contract. Gabriel will speak to Trevor Mance about revising the wording to one year, and clarifying the location of the recycling bins.

Town Garage Roof
The garage roof has developed a leak again, said Rafus, and it is not possible to determine whether the breach is at the seam previously sealed or from some other location. Melanson sealed a single seam this year, and provided an estimate for sealing all the seams. Sumner made a motion to have Melanson seal all the garage roof seams this season. Green seconded the motion, which passed, 3-0.

The Board plans to budget monies over several years for a full roof replacement.

Employee Evaluations
The Board agreed to hold an executive session at the town garage for employee reviews on Tuesday, June 13, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.

 Executive Session (if necessary)

None needed.

Old Business

None.

Other Business

None.

Hearing of Visitors

Nothing further.

Sign Orders to the Treasurer

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

Correspondence

Various pieces of correspondence were reviewed. One overweight permit was signed, as well as the VY FY17 subgrant agreement, and an application for federal surplus eligibility through the State. A letter was received from someone representing himself as an engineer in Kristine Boyko’s employ, requesting a particular culvert slated for replacement during the Branch Road paving project be replaced at the same depth. Rafus advised the culvert was in the Town right-of-way, and could not be replaced at the same depth, as the new culvert would be larger and must conform to State specifications. Notices of available WRC grants relating to the new Municipal Roads General Permit and hazard mitigation projects have been received.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:06 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Robbin Gabriel
Selectboard Secretary