OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD
TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
January 2, 2024
6:00 PM AT THE HALIFAX TOWN OFFICE
CALL TO ORDER:
Pete Silverberg called the Regular Meeting of the Selectboard to order at 6pm on January 2, 2024. Selectboard members present were Pete Silverberg, Edee Edwards, Patrick McAllister and Karen Christofferson. Others present or remote were Stephan Chait, Mike Fournier, Sue Kelly, Mike Drummey and Kyle Farnsworth.
CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA:
- McAllister: Add sale of Wheeler Road advertising discussion and finalization of Bid Form
- Christofferson: Add item. Town Treasurer requested completion/signature of the Grants-In-Aid document
- Edwards: Defer discussion of “Appointment change to SB Member(s) & Salary Discussion” portion of the Road Commissioner & Highway Supervisor discussion until Tristan Roberts can attend.
- Mike Fournier: Add item: 20% down for Pike Road under Old Business
- Edwards: Move approval of Minutes later in meeting to just before Selectboard Orders
- Silverberg: Adjust old Business and move Executive Session to beginning of meeting in order to accommodate visitors.
OLD BUSINESS:
Mike Drummey addressed the Selectboard and provided a written document and photographs related to the town turnaround adjacent to a new driveway on his property.
Silverberg asked Mike Fournier to address the situation.
Mike Fournier noted that the turnaround was created in order to provide room for town vehicles to turnaround without going onto the existing driveway. Mike Fournier noted that he was unaware that Mike Drummey intended to put a new driveway in right next to the new turnaround. Mike Fournier further noted that the Town went to the expense of using 7 loads of gravel and 2 loads of ditchstone to create the turnaround.
Mike Fournier requested that Mike Drummey sign something saying it is ok for the town to use the turnaround but that the town can’t guarantee the new driveway won’t be buried in 3+ feet of snow from time to time.
Mike Drummey responded by saying he is a 40 year CDL holder and plowed Halifax roads for 2 years. His concern is that trucks were backing on to his lawn. Mike Drummey noted that he uses his own front loader to clear the area at the logging road and that there is 100 feet of road edge to push snow.
McAllister asked how much of the disputed area is in the Town Right of Way. Both parties agreed that it was about 50%.
Edwards noted that the Town has made an investment in the turnaround. What is fair to the taxpayers? Should we have long term access to the turnaround?
Silverberg noted that we have lots of turnarounds in town, some are tighter than others.
McAllister raised the possibility of creating a Right of Way document and asking the Town Attorney to to draw up documents that would protect the town in future situations.
Silverberg noted that if we can’t turn around then we can’t plow the road. However, Edwards further noted that there are other property owners on the road who would then be disadvantaged.
Mike Drummey noted that if there is a new owner in 10-15 years that doesn’t want the town to use the turnaround the road can be changed to Class IV since it can only be a Class III with a turnaround. Mike Drummey further contended that the new driveway is specifically compliant with the permit as written and he strongly urged the Town to honor the permit.
Edwards and McAllister noted that the Selectboard can approve the permit “with conditions”.
Mike Drummey stepped forward and offered to acknowledge that the permit is conditional on the landowner agreeing to let the Town continue to use the area as a Town Turnaround.
Mike Fournier agreed noting it was what he originally requested.
McAllister added language to the permit to that effect. The Permit will be provided to the Town Clerk for recording. Mike Drummey said he would pick it up on Monday (January 8th), his next day off.
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS:
Edwards moved to enter Executive Session to discuss two personnel matters. McAllister seconded. All in favor 4-0. Stephan Chait (attending remotely) left the meeting.
6:45pm Entered Executive Session.
7:08pm: Came out of Executive Session with no decision made.
Edwards noted that the Selectboard has to follow up with Town Meeting fast approaching. Pete will follow up with the employee and Christofferson will follow up with the Town Clerk.
It was noted that we forgot to start the recording at the beginning of the meeting.
7:09pm Edwards moved to enter Executive Session to discuss another personnel matter—the Agenda did not reflect an earlier requested item, which wasn’t clear to all board members. McAllister seconded. All in favor 4-0. The board went back into Executive Session and stop recording.
7:40pm Recording in progress. Came out of Executive Session with no decision made.
OLD BUSINESS (Continued):
Highway Job Descriptions:
Edwards opened the discussion with respect to the most recent updates to the Road Commissioner & Highway Supervisor Job descriptions. Edwards noted the changes reflect conversations with Department of Labor and VLCT.
Edwards reviewed changes to the Supervisor position description as:
- FLSA section indicates a Non Exempt position as it is a 40 hour position with overtime.
- Remove the Compensation line as not necessary to the job description
- Added weights the position holder will need to lift as a range between 50 and 99lbs. Mike Fournier was in agreement with the addition.
A discussion ensued regarding accessing Windham Regional Grants and the agreement of all that we need to take advantage of this service.
Mike Fournier noted the paperwork challenges of the position as Grants, Payroll and Bid Specifications.
7:59pm Members realized that we forgot to call Stephan Chait back into the meeting. Mike Fornier called him on the Selectboard’s behalf.
Edwards reviewed changes to the Commissioner position description.
- FLSA Exempt or Non-Exempt is still to be determined. Silverberg noted that we would need to track hours from a minimum wage perspective.
McAllister added that he thinks the Road Commissioner position should be held by a member of the Selectboard. Edwards noted that she thought we were deferring this portion of the discussion until Tristan Roberts can join the discussion.
Silverberg moved that the board approve the Road Commissioner and Highway Supervisor job descriptions with edits noted by Edwards. Christofferson seconded.
A discussion ensued. Silverberg rescinded the initial motion which had been seconded, and moved instead to approve the Highway Supervisor role with edits noted by Edwards. Christofferson seconded. All in favor 4-0.
McAllister raised the point that if the Selectboard decides the Commissioner should be a member of the Selectboard there will be further edits/deletions to the job description as currently drafted.
Edwards suggested the roles & responsibilities will need to be effective April 1, 2024 after Town Meeting and the new Selectboard is seated. The April 1st date will also accommodate a full months payment for the month of March for the existing Road Commissioner. Edwards further noted that the position currently pays $7,200. Edwards suggested that the Selectboard move $5,000 from the Commissioner role to the Supervisor role for FY25 budget.
Edwards noted that Halifax pays the highest stipend for the role in the VLCT compensation survey. Another town pays just $350.00 a year though we do not have access to the related roles and responsibilities.
Silverberg asked about minimum wage that would be required by the State of Vermont. Edwards and McAllister posited that if the Commissioner is already in an elected position that minimum wage wouldn’t apply.
Edwards and McAllister suggested that the role be held by one or two selectboard members with an April 1st effective date.
Silverberg moved to approve the Commissioner Roles and Responsibilities with Edwards’ changes and the intention that the role will be held by one or two selectboard members. McAllister seconded. All in favor 4-0.
NEW BUSINESS (8:31pm):
The discussion turned to the following New Business Agenda items:
- Whitingham LHMP Review Request: Edwards said that Whitingham has requested a confirmation that neighboring towns review their Local Hazard Mitigation Plan to meet grant requirements. Edwards noted that she and Christofferson are meeting with Halifax’s EMD on Friday and will bring it up with him.
- Closed Landfill Maintenance: Silverberg provided an update to the Selectboard saying he had spoken to Joe Saladino who said, weather permitting, he can do the work in a day and will provide an estimate.
- Plan to meet with School Board to discuss future rent for town office: Silverberg noted that he had been contacted by Chum Sumner with a request to discuss an increase in the rent the Town pays to the School for the Town Offices. Christofferson confirmed this was the $11,000 budget amount that is offset by the Highway Department plowing the School lots. Silverberg said he had suggested that Chum Sumner join us at our January 4th Special Budget meeting and that we add it as an Agenda item.
- Wheeler Road Property: At the December 5th Selectboard meeting it was agreed that we would post the bid information in the Deerfield Valley News to allow for final bids to be due on February 6th. The week of December 18th posting did not occur. McAllister reported that Bob Fisher has provided a template for the bid advertisement for the newspaper. A discussion ensued regarding whether postpone opening bids to retain 3 weeks of advertising in the newspaper or advertise only 2 weeks and retain the February 6th bid date. Given the need to complete the closing by 31 March 2024, Silverberg indicated best to retain opening on 6 February. McAllister agreed. McAllister will complete the bid notice and send to Silverberg who will call the Deerfield Valley News to place the ad.
HEARING OF VISITORS:
Stephan Chait offered his compliments to Mike Fournier and the Road Crew for their responsiveness to the recent December mud event over the holidays.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
At approximately 8:45pm, given the late hour, approval of the minutes was deferred.
Edwards noted she needed help reviewing the December 19th minutes. Christofferson offered to help review them. Edwards will send to Christofferson in .doc format.
Christofferson volunteered to draft the minutes for tonight’s January 2nd meeting.
SELECTBOARD ORDERS:
Silverberg read the Selectboard order $59,005.29
Edwards asked about the Visiting Nurses amount and a discussion ensued about removing the $1,900 amount under Account 9612 for Article 21 of the FY24 Town Meeting as they had not provided services and an article over the summer reported they were reducing services.
Silverberg noted that the amount of $17,502.78 for Account 6951 represents the sum of a list of Tax Overpayments.
Following removal of this entry, the Selectboard order was $57,105.29
Highway orders were also reviewed and signed, including the sizable bills for recent gravel and sand deliveries. Given multiple sheets and no total lines, specifics were not read into record, but highway orders are public records that can be requested.
OTHER ITEMS:
- Silverberg signed, as Chairman, the VT Agency of Transportation VTrans Grants in Aid Municipal Invoicing Spreadsheet.
- Silverberg volunteered to post the tax sale notice in the Town center. McAllister will post at Town Hall and Post Office
- Silverberg advised that he will not be running for the next session of the Selectboard and that he will announce it in Front Porch Forum
- Edwards reviewed proposed Agenda for Special Meeting of the Board for Thursday January 4th.
ADJOURNMENT:
9:00 pm McAllister moved to Adjourn the Meeting, Seconded by Silverberg. All in favor 4-0
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Christofferson, secretary pro tempore
Meeting Recording, part A: (10 seconds only, recording difficulties) https://youtu.be/NWW8po5dGFU
Meeting Recording, part B: https://youtu.be/TPUIswzn2xY
Meeting Recording, part C: https://youtu.be/eXzcE38_pBg