OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD

TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT

SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES

May 20, 2023

 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM  AT THE HALIFAX TOWN OFFICE

CALL TO ORDER

Pete Silverberg called the meeting to order at 10:00 am May 20th, 2023. Selectboard Members present were Tristan Roberts, Edee Edwards, Patrick McAllister, Karen Christofferson, Peter Silverberg, and Alison Crossley. Others present in person or remotely were Cara Cheyette, Andrea Rand, Gary Rand, David Jones, Ann Manwaring and Laurel Copeland.

NEW BUSINESS

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding

• Halifax ARPA funding story to date (5 minutes)
  • Total left $145,000
  • Total given from start: $203,000
  • Committed to date:
    • $2,500 Electronic equipment
    • $16,000 Town office windows
    • $40,000 DV Fiber
  • Must obligate funds by Dec 31,2024
  • Must expend funds by Dec 31,2026
• Any additional community input for projects? (15-30 minutes)
  • Town garage roof infrastructure projects take off from ARPA, MERP should cover or Town will finance other methods.
  • Large matching sum to DV Fiber
    • Suggestion made for Halifax to subsidize monthly fee $XX/month for X months
    • Readsboro implemented program to help those requesting support for for hookup & installation
  • Other projects:: 
    • Halifax Fire Company Inc. – Town funds insurance, Gas sharing, nothing else
    • Historical Society – 501c3 with Charter with town
    • Community Hall – 501c3 with Charter with town
      • Warming center need
      • Solar/Battery
    • FYI: School owns town office – that town leases from school
  • See REVISED May 12th – BDCC HALIFAX COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT AND PROJECT PRIORITIZATION (CAPP) REPORT at halifaxvt.com > Halifax News > Halifax News for known projects to date
• Decide on process and timing for allocation of funding (30 minutes)
  • Create RFP for community to submit processes based on CAPP format
  • Priorities mentioned:
    • Prioritize projects that don’t have other means of funding, viability of others
    • Criteria for projects that do not have on-going funding required
    • Champion required
    • Alignment of goals from CAPP
    • Prioritize projects that benefits and accessible to all
    • Note when town will need to pay for insurance
    • Deadline: XXX 
  • BIG verse small projects:
    • Patrick – TBD
    • Karen – TBD
    • Tristan – Prefer small projects
    • Pete – Prefer small projects
    • Edee – Larger projects that serve broader needs of town
• Finalize town priorities for ARPA funding (15 minutes)
  • Discuss DVFiber proposal(s): May 31, 2023 deadline for match (15 minutes)
    • $10K
    • Edee makes a motion to allocate 10K to be used in the public interest for town owned sites, location of civic organizations, and for the household with children and seniors. Pete seconds. Passed 5-0.
  • Fire department – 100K
    • Equipment replacement
    • Pavilion/Park
  • Community – 65K
    • Panels $25K
    • Battery $26K
    • Engineering 
    • Rebates?
  • Historical – 15K
    • Roof –
    • $32,000 renovations – $17,500 
    • In the bank – $9K, $3,500 return
    • Working fund – $12K
      • $1,500 per year

– Roadcrew expenditures – Culverts 

– Grant Writer – 25K?

HEARING OF VISITORS

ADJOURNMENT

Pete called to adjourn at 12:15. Tristan seconded. Passed 5-0.

YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtLJSz4h3M8