OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD
Town of Halifax, Vermont
SELECTBOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
September 19, 2017

 

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Selectboard members Lewis Sumner and Bradley Rafus were present; Mitchell Green was absent. Raymond Combs and Robbin Gabriel were also in attendance.

Changes and/or Additions to Agenda

Lewis Sumner would like to discuss paying Whitingham’s first responders, who have been covering emergency calls in Halifax for the past three months.

Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes

Brad Rafus made a motion to approve the 9/5/17 regular meeting minutes as written. Sumner seconded the motion, which passed, 2-0.

New Business

PFC Testing Discussion
Sumner advised the Town has received PFC testing results for the Tamburrino, Rafus, and Town Garage private wells. All three tests were negative, showing no traces of PFC. He noted the Phelans, on the far side of Branch Brook, had asked to have their well tested, but they were not available on the day the tests took place. At present, the Phelan and landfill monitoring wells are scheduled for re-testing in October. Ray Combs asked whether the Boyko well had been tested. Rafus and Sumner told him they had again refused the offer. Sumner started to offer a motion to have Gabriel convey test results to the Phelans, with a suggestion that their well need not be tested, but Rafus recommended waiting until Mitch Green could be present at a meeting as he (Rafus) has been consistently recusing himself from decisions involving the tests. After discussion it was agreed that Gabriel would confirm the next test plans with KAS Engineering, to assure there was time for the full Board to make a decision at their first October meeting.

Executive Session

None held.

Old Business

Old Town Garage Site
Rafus said the old town garage building on Brook Road has been completely removed, cleaned up, and graded. Monitoring well pipes have also been removed, making extra parking space available in time for the September 23rd Halifax community celebration.

WSWMD
The Board has received a contract from WSWMD for the loaner recycling bins now in use here in town. Sumner made a motion to sign the WSWMD recycling bin contract. Rafus seconded the motion, which passed, 2-0. Have we gotten any credit (for paper/cardboard)?, asked Combs. Yes, replied Sumner, we get a credit on our monthly statement. This month’s was about $50, added Rafus.

Whitingham First Responders
Halifax EMS has been inactive since June 30th, and Whitingham has been covering our town for the past three months. Sumner recommended using some of the funds budgeted for emergency services to compensate Whitingham’s first responders for that coverage. After discussion, the Board agreed to pay Whitingham $750.00 for their service to date. Sumner made a motion to send Whitingham first responders $750.00 for their coverage of Halifax for the first quarter year. Rafus seconded the motion, which passed, 2-0.

Other Business

None.

Hearing of Visitors

Nothing further.

Sign Orders to the Treasurer

The Selectboard’s Order to the Treasurer was reviewed and signed. The yearly salt contract has been received and was signed. Price per ton is slightly lower than last year. Combs asked if the Town was using liquid de-icer. No, said Rafus; it is prohibitively expensive, and we don’t have and specialized equipment needed to distribute it.

Correspondence

New correspondence was reviewed. One State wastewater permit was received.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 7:34 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Robbin Gabriel
Selectboard Secretary