OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD
Town of Halifax, Vermont
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
March 18, 2014
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm. Board members in attendance were Lewis Sumner, Earl Holtz, and Edee Edwards. Others in attendance were Jessica Bruno, Margo Avakian, Ray Combs, Chris Parkins, Ross Barnett, Orrin Isles, Keith Stone, Sue Kelly, Mary Horne, Len Derby, Jesse Ferland, John LaFlamme, Sirean LaFlamme, Carl Barman, Brad Rafus, Peggy Rafus, Marilyn Allen, Jim Coughlin, Nick Bartenhagen, and Maggie Bartenhagen.
Approval of Minutes
Holtz made a motion to accept the 2/18/14 Regular meeting minutes as corrected. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Holtz made a motion to accept the 2/24/14 Regular meeting minutes as written. Edwards seconded the motion, which passed 2-0-1 (Sumner abstained).
Sumner made a motion to accept the 2/25/14 Joint Informational meeting as written. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to accept the 3/4/14 Regular meeting minutes as written. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 2-0-1 (Sumner abstained).
Edwards made a motion to accept the 3/10/14 Regular meeting minutes as corrected. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
New Business
Reorganization of the Selectboard
Edwards made a motion to appoint Sumner as chairman of the Selectboard. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 2-0-1 (Sumner abstained).
Edwards made a motion to appoint Holtz as vice-chairman of the Selectboard. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed 2-0-1 (Holtz abstained).
Posting Roads for Mud Season
Sumner made a motion to post the roads for mud season effective until 5/15/14. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
The group briefly discussed logging trucks in the road. The road commissioner noted that they should not be operating in the traveled section of the road.
Appointments
Edwards made a motion to appoint Brian McNeice for a four-year term on the Planning Commission. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
The Selectboard encouraged people that applied for the position to attend meetings and support the work of the Planning Commission.
Edwards made a motion to appoint William Pusey for a four-year term to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to appoint Brad Rafus for the position of Road Commissioner for a one-year term. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Holtz made a motion to appoint Ross Barnett for the position of Tree Warder for a one-year term. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to appoint Leonard Derby for the position of Animal Control Officer for a one-year term. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to appoint William Pusey for the position of Town Service Officer for a one-year term. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to appoint Nick and Margaret Bartenhagen for the position of Windham Regional Commissioners for a one-year term. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to appoint Lewis Sumner and Clifton Inman for the position of Windham Solid Waste Management District Representatives for a one-year term. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Sumner made a motion to appoint Allan Dacey and Andrew Rice for positions on the loan review committee. Edwards seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to appoint Everett Wilson for the position of ADA Coordinator for a one-year term. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to appoint Wayne Courser for the position of E-911 Coordinator for a one-year term. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to appoint Lewis Sumner for the position of Recycling Coordinator for a one-year term. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to appoint Tara Lee Lane for the position of Green-Up VT Inc. Coordinator for a one-year term. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Holtz made a motion to appoint John LaFlamme and Ross Barnett for the positions of Co-Emergency Management Directors for a one-year term. Edwards seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Holtz made a motion to appoint Sue Kelly for the position of Health Officer for a three-year term starting 6/1/14. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Holtz made a motion to appoint Leonard Derby for the position of Citation Ticket Responsibility for a one-year term. Edwards seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to assign Deerfield Valley News and the Brattleboro Reformer as the newspapers of record. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Holtz made a motion to hold Selectboard meetings on the first and third Tuesdays at 6:30pm. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to hold Selectboard meetings on Mondays at 8:00am on weeks with no regular Tuesday night meeting for the next three months. Holtz seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Halifax Quarry
The Selectboard received a municipal impact questionnaire from the lawyer handling the proposed Halifax Quarry for the land owner and Ashfield Stone.
Edwards drafted a letter outlining some of the concerns that have been expressed that addressed the questions in the municipal impact questionnaire. There was a discussion about the class of road in question. The Selectboard and road commissioner were in agreement that it was a class 4 road. Holtz and Sumner will review the letter and the board will discuss it again at the next Monday meeting.
Interim Zoning
Sirean LaFlamme noted that the Planning Commission discussed interim zoning, but voted it down. They are in the process of re-writing all of the zoning and there really is no time to put into one particular area right now. Several attendees expressed concerns that there are discrepancies between our town plan and current zoning. They hoped that interim zoning could address some of the inconsistencies. It was unclear what the procedures and timeline would be for putting interim zoning in place. The Selectboard had concerns about taking action at this point as there is a project before them and they are not allowed to do ‘spot’ zoning.
Hearing of Visitors
Barnett provided the RERP checklist for signature.
Rafus noted that the Selectboard will be speaking with John Alexander at 8:30am Monday.
Old Business
Old County North Bridge
Edwards made a motion to award the construction oversight bid to Holden Engineering not to exceed $10,000. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed 3-0-0.
Edwards made a motion to have Earl Holtz and Ed Gay perform clerk of the works duties for the Old County North Bridge project. Expenses will be reimbursed and time will be volunteered. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed 2-0-1 (Holtz abstained).
Correspondence
The mail was reviewed and filed. Edwards noted that the state will be doing work on Rte112 this summer and may need the right of way width for Branch Rd.
Selectmen’s Order to Town Treasurer for bill payment
The order for payment of bills was completed and signed.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:42pm
Respectfully submitted,
Jessica Bruno
Selectboard Secretary