OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD
TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
June 20, 2023
6:00 PM AT THE HALIFAX TOWN OFFICE
CALL TO ORDER
6:00pm Pete Silverberg called the meeting to order at 6:01pm on May 16th, 2023. Selectboard members persent were Pete Silverberg, Edee Edwards, Patrick McAllister, and Karen Christofferson. Others present in person or remotely were Nikki Walling, Mike McConnell, Andrea Rand, Gary Rand, David Jones, Stephan Chait, Laurel Copeland, Doug & Marilou Parkhurst and Alison Crossley.
CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA –
Edee:
- Add Mike McConnell and Nikki Walling (GMP) to New Business
- Add Planning Special Mtg for June 28th
Moved Edee/2nd Pete – 4-0 approved.
APPROVAL PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
- June 5th Selectboard Special Meeting Minutes
- June 6th Selectboard Regular Meeting Minutes
- Patrick Moved/Edee Seconded – 4-0 approved.
OLD BUSINESS
- Discussion of landfill tour and long-term plan for monitoring (Pete)
- Pete distributed Preliminary Plan for Town Landfill Monitoring – note as preliminary draft but it has not been discussed by the board
- Pete, Edee and Karen did a site visit on June 17th
- Halifax Secretary circulated most current inspection report (Dated June 15, 2023)
- Halifax Secretary will post to town website.
- Highway orders signature delegation of authority:
- Discussed highway orders signature delegation of authority.
- Edee suggested that it be ensured that SB be provided with a copy of the highway orders signed by a single delegated SB member
- Karen asked about audit/control implications and how the process can be improved to address and support accounting controls
- Alison suggested possibility of scanning orders rather than making additional paper copies to send out to entire board for review.
- Edee suggested that it be ensured that SB be provided with a copy of the highway orders signed by a single delegated SB member
- Patrick moved to appoint Peter Silverberg, per 24 VSA Section 1623, to approve and sign orders for the Highway Department until the first meeting of the Selectboard following the next Town Meeting
- Patrick moved/Edee 2nd, Pete abstained = approved 3-0
- Patrick will discuss process with Town Treasurer
- ARPA Funding Next Steps
- Noted new windows for Town Office have been installed.
- This is a discussion for both ARPA funding and town BDCC
- Alison will reach out to residents to conform to CAPP form so that SB can review options on equal basis and will let Selectboard know when complete to schedule a special meeting to review.
- Auditor appointment status update:
- Patrick noted that the paper ad didn’t result in candidate
- Patrick reached out to write-ins One person declined; others have not responded
- Patrick requests that the SB think about anyone who might be interested and ask that they step forward
- No experience or credentials required.
- Need people who can work with SB, Finance Committee
- Discussion noted if SB can’t get one person to do the job then we are required to hire someone
- Posting the vacancy according to statute is not a concern due to discussion with VCLT
- Action plan: SB to ask for candidates and put them in touch with Alison who can bring them into the process.
- Planning Special Mtg for June 28th
- Discuss creating position descriptions (not performance) in public as a starting point for the next board and new appointment of Road Commissioner as the time to make formal changes.
- Edee Moved/Pete Seconded/Passed 4-0.
- Discuss creating position descriptions (not performance) in public as a starting point for the next board and new appointment of Road Commissioner as the time to make formal changes.
- Discussed highway orders signature delegation of authority.
NEW BUSINESS
- (6:06pm) Mike McConnell (Windham Regional):
- Shared presentation Halifax Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
- Next mtg July 20, 2024
- Last done in 2016 (None of the board was here at the time) Mike will share copy after the meeting
- Update to position Halifax for Funding and recovery should it ever be needed
- Mike McConnell and Paul Blais have been working together.
- Focus of Hazard Mitigation Plan is to protect against Natural Hazards
- Edee asked if Biological hazards (like Pandemic) would be considered
- Yes – though it may not be as relevant to FEMA funding
- We are in the Draft Development part of the process now
- Internal Town Comment (working with Paul now)
- July 20, 2023 meeting for Public Input on new mitigation actions(We will need this room)
- Public comment in early fall
- Submit draft to Vermont Emergency Management (November)
- Edee noted Nikki in audience – would be helpful to have an understanding of where the power goes down the most often. Mike will be reaching out to GMP
- Mike would like offline contact regarding citizen’s groups, vulnerable populations in the town so they can be aware of plan and provide comment
- Pete asked about other less obvious natural hazards (Mike shared a printout – example fire)
- Mike is posting the survey link and would like it posted to our town website (Alison action and also Edee with Front Porch Forum)
- Edee asked if Biological hazards (like Pandemic) would be considered
- (6:26pm) Nikki Walling (GMP)
- Requesting that the town sign petition to allow tree trimming on Smith Road
- Have 4 poles but need to get to one landowner
- Have easements from all but 1 landowner who has involved attorney
- Need to extend the line and need permission to do additional work
- Most in town right of way
- Minimal tree branches over the road
- Need to bring power to a customer
- 5 feet width with stone wall boundary on one side – do not have easement for this (standard width).
- Dispute is because the map allegedly does not accurately reflect actual location
- If SB denies permission – it becomes a legal battle between the landowners. GMP can not deny service
- They have relocated to other side of the road but have exhausted what they can do. All trimming is within the town right of way.
- Stephen confirmed it was just tree trimming not removal
- Edee moved that we sign this, Pete Seconded
- Patrick: Comment = suggested we invite the impacted landowner
- Pete noted this has come up as a Hearing of Visitor and was not part of a noticed meeting
- Edee suggested we invite our tree warden
- Nikki’s time schedule is to be responsive to landowner who needs power
- road – it is 300 feet from the home and is minimal impact
- Question from Gary Rand: Sounds like a land dispute where the trail is for the town to differentiate. The town property dispute should be resolved
- Asked Nikki to come back to next SB meeting (July 5th)
- Question from David Jones: State maps are posted in pdfs on line (Latest version of state’s updated map)
- No action taken on motion
- Signing of the New Truck Loan documents:
- Patrick moved
- 2nd Pete
- Discussion ensued:
- $226,670 (annual $45,334) five year term, 6.53%
- Account 7696 FY24 budget = $80,000 for Truck 2 and Truck 4 =$72,617 so this new truck is not included
- Need to update the Equipment Schedule
- Previous selectboard ordered the truck
- Will include in FY25 budget planning tool
- 4-0 Approved
- Selectboard Meeting Schedule – review holiday conflicts
- Regular Meeting at Noon on the 4th: Just for payroll. When post Time Change
- Just to sign payroll orders
- Edee all Selectboard mtgs be posted from current to Town Mtg
- Special Meeting on July 5th
- Regular Meeting at Noon on the 4th: Just for payroll. When post Time Change
- MERP mini grant (Tristan)
- Postpone to July 5th
- Fiber internet staging area (Edee)
- David and Edee rcvd a request from DVFiber
- Edee for equipment and trailer stored here, port-a-san. Will speed roll out
- David – need staging area shortly and will be several months
- Edee – other towns have done this on an informal basis
- Karen- what is the profile of a candidate location?
- David: Old town garage site or New town garage site
- Need 24/7 access for DVFiber
- DVFiber Field engineer thought 1000sqft of space
- Fiber reels and locked storage box
- Old Town Garage is convenient – black top is a plus
- Edee: Hwy department isn’t there every day and the gate is locked (New Town Garage)
- Pete: noted that when they were grinding 112, they staged at the garage location. Will speak with Mike about security concerns.
- David – we need to decide in about a month. Should set up time for field engineer to meet with Mike
- David will co-ordinate through Mike and Pete/Edee will stay involved
- Requesting that the town sign petition to allow tree trimming on Smith Road
OTHER BUSINESS
- David noted that residents who are interested in the service should go to DVFiber.net and “check availability”. They will be asked to provide address and contact info so they are on the list to be contacted when DVFiber is ready to proceed.
HEARING OF VISITORS
- 8:25pm
- Stephan Chait:
- Asked that the Conservation Agenda be posted
- Informed Selectboard that the Bonneville Education Center has rcvd a grant to study beaver behavior in Halifax and Westminster
- Conservation commission will be discussing at Thursday meeting
- Patty Smith will share information with SB for both towns
- Beneficial to environment and town budget
- Pete noted the successful efforts at the Pennel Hill culvert
- Stephan noted that Hatch School road is much improved with thanks to Laurel Copeland for her donation
EXECUTIVE SESSION (None)
SELECTBOARD ORDER
- Pete read into record total $19,385.75.
CORRESPONDENCE
- Flood resilient communities fund – July 31st – SB will review at next meeting
- Tax property – Patrick spoke with Bob Fischer read into record that town wants to sell via bids with a minimum bid. We have 30 days to decide. Town takes possession within 30 days of June 23rd. Tax collectors deed will be pending after June 23, 2023.
ADJOURNMENT
- Meeting adjourned at 9:00pm by Patrick. Seconded by Pete. Passed 4-0.
YOUTUBE