Pete Silverberg called meeting to order at 10am on December 2, 2023. Selectboard members present were Pete Silverberg, Patrick McAllister, Karen Christofferson, and Edee Edwards. Tristan Roberts was not in attendance. Others present or remote Stephan Chait, Mike Fournier, and Alison Crossley.
NEW BUSINESS
- FY2025 Budget Discussion
- Discussion was had regarding equipment finance schedule:
- 7696 Trucks (Lease)
- SUM FY25: $135,9984 compared to FY24 $77,535.78
- Truck #5 F550 still need to figure out how we will finance, discussion will be had at next Selectboard December 5, 2023
- Could make first payment in FY25, need to confirm
- $25,000 principal ballpark
- 7695 Interest on Lease
- Truck interest amount $18,039.84
- Truck #5 F550 interest $5,000
- 7615 Excavator (Lease)
- Schedule notes to replace excavator in year 2024
- Finance will need to be determined in a separate meeting
- Action Item: VLCT – separate article to warn in Town budget for longer finance requests
- Equipment’s schedule needs to be updated with pricing for F550, excavator, loader
- 7640 Grader (Lease)
- Will not replace during the FY25 fiscal year
- Still waiting on Truck #5 F550 7695
- Action Item: Discussion outside of budget conversation to address schedule for Grader, Loader, other dump truck
- 7696 Trucks (Lease)
- 7685 Diesel
- FY24 spent less than a quarter to date
- We pay as we go for diesel
- Proposed $90,000 for FY25 budget
- 7360 Office Cleaning & Supplies
- Need to add money for laptop, Windows, docking stations, monitor, mouse for highway supervisor.
- Proposed FY25 budget: $2,600
- 7335 Radio/Repeater/EMD
- Installing another repeater, southeast part of town not currently covered
- Proposed FY25 budget: $7,000
- 7340 Building Repairs & Maint.
- Generator service fee ballpark ~$1,500
- Proposed FY25 budget total $5000 + $1,500= $6,500
- Action Item: Follow up with Tristan to see if town has to pay percent ifgetting MERP grant.
- 7370 Trash Collection
- Proposed FY25 budget 1,800, same as FY24
- 7380 Shops Supplies
- Proposed FY25 budget $9,000 same as FY24
- 7310 Electricity
- Proposed FY25 budget $2,400, same as FY24
- 7320 Heating Oil
- Pre-bought 2000 gallons
- Proposed FY25 budget: $10,000, FY24 budget: $12,000
- 7330 Communications (Phone)
- Proposed FY25 budget $2,200, same as FY24
- 7120 Road Commissioner
- Pending selectboard discussion
- 7295 Misc Benefits (scrap metal)
- Scrap metal income should go under 6550 since its considered income against expenses.
- Highway supervisor uses this money for breakroom food
- Action Item: Need to discuss with Patty on how she is accounting this money
- 7120 Conferences/ Training
- Three more payments for CDL training, expect to pay 2 payments in FY25
- Proposed FY25 budget $2,600, same as FY24
- 7220 Health Insurance
- Patty confirmed proposed FY25 budget for $139,885
- 7230 Life Insurance
- Patty confirmed proposed FY25 budget for $603
- 7260 Retirement
- Patty confirmed proposed FY25 budget for $$23,815
- 7270 Uniforms
- $800 per person, 5 people on the team
- Proposed FY25 Budget $4000
- 7280 Hiring Costs/ Drug Tests
- Proposed FY25 budget $500, FY24 budget was $250
- 7420 Salt
- Proposed FY25 budget $32,000, FY24 budget was $26,000
- $89/ton, ~$5,000 per truck load
- 7435 Stone, Crushed & Ditched
- Proposed FY25 budget $52,500, same as FY24
- 7426 Trucking Materials needs to be deleted.
- 7440 Chloride
- Use for dust control
- Proposed FY25 budget: $25,000 budget, same as FY24
- 7450 Const. – Other (salt shed)
- Action Item: Patty please confirm what has been spent under this line item FY22,FY23,FY24?
- 7455 Mics Road Repairs
- FY2022 spent $1,500
- Proposed FY25 budget: $1,500
- 7462 Cold Patch & Culverts
- Mike recommends putting these as two different line items since Culvert cost are expensive and over budget FY24 by ~$8,000
- Cold Patch suggested budget amount $2,000
- Culverts suggested budget amount $20,000
- 800 culverts in Halifax, replace every 25 years – annually you should be replacing 32 culverts a year, 18 inch $562 per culvert need two pieces
- Proposed FY25 budget $27,000
- Mike recommends putting these as two different line items since Culvert cost are expensive and over budget FY24 by ~$8,000
- 7470 Roadside Mowing
- Need to remove line item
- 7475 Supplementary Road Assistance
- Proposed FY25 budget $190,000 for Pike Road work from July Flood
- 7480 Road Signs
- Hubbard Hill Road and Jacksonville Stage Road potential signage change: both are supposed to be Yields according to most recent ordinance, but there is nothing on Jacksonville Stage Road and a stop sign on Hubbard Hill.
- Action Item: Need to discuss separately to change designation
- Proposed FY25 budget $1,500
- 7490 Safety Gear
- Proposed FY25 budget $1,200
- 7670 Property & Casualty Insurance
- Action Item: Need to ask Patty if she has this one
- 7681 Tires
- Proposed FY25 budget $17,500
- 7682 Chains
- Proposed FY25 budget $6,000
- 7683 Plow/Grader Edges
- Proposed FY25 budget $15,000
- Need to purchase 3-5 years, need to buy plow bits and edges annually.
- 7690 need to remove, 7695 is where interest on truck financing will be tracked
- Discussion was had regarding equipment finance schedule:
HEARING OF VISITORS
- Dennis Annear, Halifax Fire Chief
- Internet services – can’t download or connect to the state info/forms
- $1,200 annual cost of Starlink
- $600 for equipment will be spent during FY24
- 6650
- Contracted ambulance services
- History: need service for pain control and seizure control: only 1 Halifax FF is certified
- Potential to contract with Colrain
- Action Item: Need contact information for Colrain Rescue Service
- 6640 (Equipment & Gear)
- $6,000 buys about 1.5 sets per year
- Standard should be 2 sets per year
- Requests proposed budget $10,000, up from FY24 $6,000
ADJOURNMENT
Patrick McAllister adjourned at 12:02pm. Second by Pete Silverberg. Passed 4-0.
Recording link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brWOeWjf3-o