Town of Pittsford, Vermont

Town of Pittsford
Select Board Minutes 12/8/04  
 DRAFT

Thomas “Hank” Pelkey opened the meeting at 6:42 PM.  Select Board members present were:  Thomas “Hank” Pelkey, Larry Pomainville, Allen Hitchcock, Dave Markowski and Joe Gagnon.  Also present were:  Marsha McMahon, Mike Balch and Helen McKinlay. 

MINUTES

The minutes of November 17, 2004 were reviewed, discussed and approved.  The minutes of December 1, 2004 were reviewed, discussed and approved with corrections.  The corrections are to add Town Office in front of the heading building fund.  The last sentence of the same paragraph the work with will be inserted in front of auditors.  .

ORDERS

The orders of December 8, 2004 were reviewed, discussed and approved M. Balch described the new bulk treated road salt to the Select Board.  The new salt is brown in color and made from a molasses derivative which makes the salt stick to the road so it’s not plowed or washed off.  The salt is 20% more expensive but allows the Highway Dept. to use 50% less.  The 50% less usage is based on the amount of salt being applied to the road.  This salt will reduce the polluting effect of the regular road salt.  The Highway Dept. has attended training on the use of the new salt and less usage is based on the actual amount of salt being applied to the road.  This new salt will save money and be good for the environment.  Nickwackett Hose has reimbursed the Town for bills as submitted for the Haunted House expenses.

TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT

• Auditors were here on Monday and will be back on Thursday to complete the FY03 Town audit.  The Town has not yet complied with GASB34 but plans to have this in place during the next fiscal year.  An un-expended highway fund balance remains in the budget.
• M. Balch informed the Select Board of a letter from USDA showing the Sewer Plant grant has a balance of $115,000 with time limits scheduled to end December 21, 2004. M. Balch to request extension of this date.
• VT Roofing has looked at the Town Office roof and reports the roof has another 3 to 4 years remaining before needing replacement.  An estimate for an architectural roof for the Town Office and of a replacement roof for the highway garage will follow.
• Mr. Bishop reported in the Rutland Daily Herald that Pittsford officials are to join in the Rutland County Recreation District.  Dorothy Terwilliger had contacted D. Markowski to ask for his help with the committee. D. Markowski will represent the Town and keep the Select Board informed on the project.  The Town will be involved up to point of the bond vote and will make a decision at that point on any Town financial obligations.
• The newsletter is at the printers and is scheduled to be mailed out on December 10^th.
• The Fire Dept. cube van was sold and the proceeds went to the depreciation account as per a Select Board vote at the 7/7/04 Select Board meeting.
• There is no answer yet as to if it is appropriate for the Town to withhold property taxes from an employee’s pay at his request and with written authorization.  M. Balch will be meeting with the auditors to discuss this tomorrow. 
• A copy of the Dog Hearing Order has been given to both Tim Giddings and Don Lajoie.  D. Lajoie also received a copy of Mike Warfle’s November 6^th police report.
• As follow up on the Craig Pelkey/ Laurie Perry dog expenses another invoice has been sent and arrangements are in process to retain a Rutland collection agency should this matter not be cleared up within the next 10 days. The collection agency fee is 30% of the amount actually collected and there are no up front fees required. 
• The Town has established a bridge repair fund to accumulate funds over the years that will be used to address the Kendall Hill Road (Truck Route) bridge.  The current balance is $25,070 not including a deposit of up to $28,000 this fiscal year.  There doesn’t seem to be a specific voter authorization for a bridge reserve.  Under VSA 19-312 the Board can establish a highway reserve, for which this would qualify, but the restriction on spending only for bridges could be changed by a future Board.
• The requested budgets from Lothrop School and Otter Valley High School annual library budgets were included in the Maclure Library presentation for informational purposes at the December 1^st meeting.
• In response to whether we plan to identify and include on the system wide sewer map with the individual services, this is not generally considered useful to include sewer connection information on a system map.
• The Highway budget/work plan to eliminate Corn Hill Road and include Stevens Road shim and overlay has been done.
• A draft false alarm policy authorizing Police Dept. fees for excessive responses to false alarms has not been addressed yet.
• Procedures for Town road weight limits were included with the Select Board packets.
• Special Appropriation supporting budget information will be included with normal correspondence as received.
• The development of funding possibilities for a garage/maintenance building at the Town Office is being researched.  M. Balch received a verbal estimate of $20,000 to $24,000 for a building of 24’ x 26’ with 9 foot overhead and 8 foot doors.  No off budget funding sources have been located. Specifications will be prepared and request for bids will be advertised on this project when appropriate.

PUBLIC COMMENT

There were no public comments this evening.

 OLD BUSINESS

FY Draft Budget

At this time the draft budget shows a $95,000difference between the revenue and expenses proposed budgets.  Any necessary cuts from the draft budget would cut programs. The Board discussed possible cuts to the Special Appropriations budget.   M. Balch recommended letters be sent out next September in advance of the budget process regarding the Select Boards intent to cut all special appropriations by 10%.  A. Hitchcock made a motion to cut all Special Appropriations by 10% this year.  Maclure Library requested increase to be included in the 10% reduction, bringing their appropriation to $9,000.  J. Gagnon seconded the motion.  The Select Board voted 4 to 1, with H. Pelkey opposed.  M. Balch noted the Rutland County Humane Society is providing additional services at the Town request with the addition of the dog kennel.  A. Hitchcock moved and H. Pelkey seconded a motion to increase the Rutland County Humane Society appropriation from $500 annually to $1000.  The motion passed unanimously.  The Rutland County tax has an increase of $8,545.  There is a total of $48,000 remaining of the Highway grant money. M. Balch noted the police collect only 30% of the total written in traffic tickets.  A percentage is taken by the State and judges sometimes reduce the traffic fines during court.  Fire Department grants were discussed and noted that grant money is received for specific equipment.   

Tax Sale

A tax sale is scheduled for Friday, December 10, 2004 at 11:00 A.M. There are eight properties remaining on the tax sale list.  M. Balch requested authorization to bid the outstanding balances on behalf of the Town at tax sale.  The Board authorized M. Balch to bid the balances on properties not receiving other bids. 

NEW BUSINESS

Pittsford First Response

Marsha McMahon represented the Pittsford First Response in their request to withdraw $13,700 from the vehicle replacement fund for the purchase of a new vehicle.  Adequate funds are available in the vehicle replacement fund for this purchase.  D. Markowski moved and J. Gagnon seconded a motion to approve the purchase of the 1999 replacement vehicle and authorize the Pittsford First Response to withdraw $13, 700.  L. Pomainville asked M. McMahon if the Pittsford First Response was aware of the Town purchasing policy which allows tires to be purchased at State bid pricing.  The pricing previously received for tires by the Pittsford First Response will be verified for the best tire pricing.  Motion unanimously passed.  M. McMahon departed at 7:05.

M. Balch informed the Select Board of a request received from R. Beyette of Proctor to allow snowmobiles permission to ride through the newly renovated Gorham Bridge.  D. Markowski made a motion for the Pittsford Select Board to approve the request for the snowmobiles to ride through Gorham Bridge.  The motion was seconded by L. Pomainville.  The motion passed unanimously.

M. Balch requested on behalf of the Town employees that the Monday following Christmas and New Years be allowed to be taken as the approved holidays.  The union contract states a holiday falling on Saturday employees would be given the proceeding Friday off.  Holidays falling on Sunday per union contract allow for Monday to be the observed holiday.  The Select Board approved allowing Monday to be the observed holiday for both Christmas and New Years this year.  Holiday pay was discussed and the decision is a holiday for full time employees will be at eight hours per day at straight time.  Part time employee’s holiday will be pro-rated based on the regular schedule worked.  M. Balch will send a memo regarding holiday pay to all employees. 

 With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:35.M.

 Respectfully submitted:

Thomas “Hank” Pelkey, Chair

Larry Pomainville, Vice-Chair   

Dave Markowski, Selectman

 W. Joseph Gagnon, Selectman

  Allen Hitchcock, Selectman

Helen McKinlay, Recording Secretary         

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