[0:55] Okay. 6:30
Thursday February 19th calling the
[1:01] select board to order. Are there any
additions or adjustments to the agenda
[1:04] as presented?
>> Is there an update on the teacher
[1:09] language library?
>> No, but we can talk about that under
[1:12] issues and concerns.
>> That one's on me.
[1:19] Invoices and orders are going around.
Are there any comments from the public
[1:23] or public announcements?
public comment.
[1:27] » Yeah, you got one.
>> Yeah. Supposed to be Jess. Oh, Jesse
[1:32] here or J, but I guess I'd be up here.
But um we're requesting that
[1:36] » Can you come up to the mic? Microphone.
Mic.
[1:40] » Microphone. Mic.
>> Uh we're requesting that uh Johnson Eats
[1:46] uh be the fiscal agent for a grant we're
applying for. that would allow us to
[1:51] upgrade our point of sales system and uh
accept Wick.
[2:01] » There's a grant that the store wants.
>> Yes. But we need a fiscal agent and we
[2:05] thought Johnson Eats could do it.
>> Johnson Eats can't do They're a
[2:09] committee. It would be the town, right?
>> They Yeah. I I read I read a little bit
[2:15] about the requirements. It seems like a
committee that's appointed by the select
[2:18] board could be. If it can't be, would
anyone else want to do it?
[2:24] » Well, I I got the I got an email on
that. And when I got the email, I didn't
[2:30] think I had time,
>> you know, to put something together.
[2:33] » Yeah.
>> And my recommendation was LCPC.
[2:36] » Yeah. And she reached out to LCPC and I
don't think that Pat got back to her.
[2:41] » I thought you said it has to be a
municipality. It could be a mun
[2:45] municipality. Yeah.
>> Okay.
[2:48] » What's the deadline in the grant?
>> Um
[2:53] I think it's awarded on the ETH, but the
it was already submitted, I believe with
[2:58] the hope that um they would uh allow
whoever was the fiscal agent to be
[3:04] decided after. I'm not the one writing
it. The health department's writing it.
[3:08] It was more like Johnson Eats was going
to work with Mike to go after the grant
[3:14] and apply if the SL board approves,
>> right?
[3:18] » Cuz at their meeting they just had, they
uh approved that they would work with
[3:24] mine to go after the grant.
>> Gotcha.
[3:29] I feel like I'm a step behind you. What
is the grant?
[3:31] » Me too. Um we got approached by the
Department of Health, the blogging to
[3:35] help us do this like very very last
minute. The grant is uh to um help us
[3:40] buy a point of sale system. And the new
point of sale system, because the one we
[3:44] have right now, doesn't allow us to
accept Wick because they don't work with
[3:47] the WIC program. Uh so this new point of
sale would allow us to accept WIC
[3:54] basically.
[3:59] Dan, okay, it seems the health
department is coming to you to say you
[4:03] need a new point of sale system
>> because it's the the person that is at
[4:08] the health department that approached us
is in charge of the wick program and
[4:11] we've been working on trying to get wick
for since we opened. We're on month 10
[4:15] of trying to do this.
>> So, they approached you about a grant,
[4:18] but they won't allow you to apply for it
yourself.
[4:22] » Apparently, that's what the person at
the health department says. We need a
[4:25] fiscal agent
>> allow for the funds to come to you,
[4:29] » right? They would accept the grant on
our behalf and I don't know on our
[4:33] behalf or they would accept the grant
and then pass the money to us. Yeah. All
[4:37] new to me. I have no idea what's going
on.
[4:41] » I just know we really want
>> uh that would be a pass through agent.
[4:45] » Right.
>> It did list municipality as one of being
[4:49] one of the qualified fiscal agents
>> sort of. I would think that would be a
[4:54] reference to burn it through the town of
one of Rosemary's hands.
[5:04] » Well, money comes through to
>> Yeah. Yeah.
[5:07] » Rosemary handles all the money.
[5:12] » A lot of times I think uh grants want to
run through a municipality, you know,
[5:16] because you've got that accountability.
Uh everything go through
[5:27] would oversee the funds and um if
there's any issues or concerns then they
[5:31] can come back to the town whereas if
they give the money to a private
[5:33] individual then you're not going to have
that track in
[5:36] » right so the deal is you want us to
write the grant give you the money
[5:40] » no the health department lady at the
health department's writing the grant we
[5:43] literally just need somebody to say yeah
I'll be the fiscal agent receive the
[5:47] grant if we are awarded it and then give
us the money
[5:50] » I'd like to see the grant paperwork in
the grant first before I move anything.
[5:56] » What's the source of the grant?
>> It's I believe it's a federal grant and
[6:02] it's for the health I forget the name of
it, but it's geared towards the
[6:07] health health sector.
>> That's another reason why it needs to
[6:11] come to a municipality. Federal money,
right?
[6:21] your deadline's the 8th.
>> I think it's like I I think we've
[6:24] already submitted and we'd have to make
like an adjustment to who is the fiscal
[6:30] agent or we'd have to list that after. I
really I honestly don't know what
[6:37] » what would the board like to do.
>> So, you've made a decision tonight.
[6:42] » No.
>> Okay.
[6:44] Questions here.
>> Yep. Exactly. I could I'll I'll email
[6:47] all the relevant info that I have
and can list the contact at the health
[6:55] department that's helping us. See if
they have any information.
[6:59] » Sounds good.
>> And if not, then we'll try again the
[7:02] next time and I'll try to stay on top of
it more than I think we had a six day
[7:07] notice
and I wasn't going to say no when
[7:11] somebody was trying to reach out to help
us with an issue that we've been trying
[7:14] to solve. So, I I understand this is
third, but
[7:19] » well,
>> I am as shocked as you are.
[7:21] » If if uh if for some reason like you
need us to make a decision before our
[7:27] next meeting, maybe reach out to us with
what information you can to provide and
[7:32] we can attempt to do what we can before
our meeting.
[7:36] » Okay.
>> Yeah.
[7:38] » The next meeting being March 2nd.
>> March 2nd. Okay.
[7:42] » Yeah.
>> That's our next regular meeting. next
[7:44] regular meeting. Yes. Good timing. All
right.
[7:49] » All right. Thank you, Mike.
>> Anything else from the public?
[7:54] » Hearing none. Seeing none, uh, select
board updates, issues, or concerns. I
[8:00] have one for the board. I guess I kind
of want
[8:04] thought process. Uh, we're in interlocal
kennel agreement with Hyde Park. Um, and
[8:10] I believe there's another kennel that
has offered to be that interlocal group
[8:16] kennel
with a lower fixed cost, but
[8:22] the feeding and animal care at night
have to look a little different. I don't
[8:28] see much of a choice, but
basically
[8:33] um, another town and the interlocalist
said that they don't want to go forward
[8:37] with it.
And we just need to know if we're
[8:43] willing to continue the interlocal a
reduced fixed cost, but most likely an
[8:50] increased animal care cost.
[8:54] » You can attach any kind of numbers to
that.
[8:57] » Uh the overall is a,000 bucks a month,
12,000 total. What if it's four towns?
[9:04] That's only 3,000
like fixed cost.
[9:10] Right now we pay 54 fixed cost something
in that neighborhood.
[9:16] » Yeah, it's over $1,000.
>> Is it?
[9:18] » Oh, I mean a quarter.
>> Quarter. Yeah.
[9:22] » The bill's in the pocket.
>> You want to know exactly? So there's
[9:28] » one of the towns in the current
agreement is opting not to go with this
[9:33] one. Is that
>> correct?
[9:34] » Okay.
>> Relatively small population town.
[9:38] » Mhm.
[9:42] » Does anybody have any issues? We're
required to have a kennel anyways. I
[9:45] don't see how there's much, but they
don't really have any other choice.
[9:49] » The other choice to go it alone or
>> find a different setup.
[9:55] I'll continue with that then in
>> favor.
[9:58] » Wonderful. Any other issues, updates,
concerns from the board?
[10:04] Um,
[10:07] this is not really anything we can act
on or do anything about tonight, but I'm
[10:13] concerned that I've seen a couple local
businesses close recently and uh, some
[10:20] restaurants and uh, I don't know what we
can do about that, but I just want us to
[10:25] keep in the back of our mind if any
opportunities arise to
[10:30] um,
anything in our power that we can do, we
[10:34] it if a day arises but yeah.
[10:40] » Okay.
>> Yeah. Not good news.
[10:43] » Yeah.
>> Yeah.
[10:44] » I mean, did these businesses site their
recent proposing or
[10:49] » um
I think just a lack of business maybe,
[10:53] but I don't know for sure.
>> I think I heard that moves was um it had
[10:59] to do with like landlord issues and the
condition of the building.
[11:02] » Okay. Hm.
>> Was it another one?
[11:07] » Um, well, there's been some good amount
of turnover.
[11:11] » Bubble tea.
>> The bubble tea closed. Something else
[11:13] has gone there now, which is good. But,
uh, it's been a good amount of turnover.
[11:20] Yeah,
>> restaurant industry is tough, but
[11:24] » I agree with you. There's something we
can
[11:27] » Anything else from the board?
[11:31] Okay, next up we have the consent
agenda. And for the public's
[11:35] information, the consent agenda is
approving the minutes from February 2nd
[11:39] as well as approving a liquor license
renewal for Marcala Salsa Restaurant and
[11:46] Bar LLC. M
>> Mr. Chairman, I'd like to discuss the
[11:49] minutes of February 2nd. Do you want to
have a motion first and then have
[11:54] discussion or do you want me to bring it
up before? May
[11:57] » as well make a motion, second and
further discussion.
[11:59] » Okay. move we approve the consent
agenda.
[12:02] » Okay.
>> Second.
[12:04] » Further discussion.
>> Uh I was looking under the the portion
[12:08] of the library and I made a statement at
the end and I don't seem to find it. I I
[12:15] made the statement this whole library
project has turned into a big boondogga
[12:21] and it's no hard to be found and I would
like it inserted into the minutes. I
[12:27] guess I didn't feel like that was a
super important statement, but it is.
[12:30] » It is. It is. It's turned into a bund.
>> So, you've asked
[12:33] » and I'd like it as far as the public
record.
[12:35] » Well, the board agrees to that. Sure.
>> You've asked for the minutes to be
[12:38] amended or do you just want to make sure
it's in this meeting's minutes?
[12:42] » I just I'd rather have it amended.
>> Okay. The motion and the second. Are you
[12:47] okay with that addition amendment?
>> Yes.
[12:51] » Sounds like something you would have
said. So, yeah,
[12:54] » I would feel like saying that. Okay. Uh
I guess motion or second. Yeah. Any
[13:02] further discussion?
All those
[13:06] in favor, please signify by saying I.
>> I.
[13:09] » All those opposed.
>> Thank you, board. Appreciate it.
[13:11] » The eyes have it.
>> Rosemary. Anything for us?
[13:15] » I just have a question for the board.
Now that you've changed the holidays
[13:20] regarding town meeting, it's no longer a
holiday. If you want the office to be
[13:25] open,
[13:28] » you're not Susan and I will be at town
meeting.
[13:33] » So will John.
>> I I think we should The office should be
[13:38] closed.
>> But the village employees will be here.
[13:42] » I had a village employee ask me if we be
closed.
[13:46] » I can
[13:50] It should be open. I agree.
[13:55] » What are you two agreeing for now? This
is new.
[13:59] » There's not you.
>> No, I think we I think we should be
[14:03] close cuz uh one of the workers is a
town employee, so she won't be able to
[14:08] come to town meeting day.
>> Well, it's there's plenty of vacation
[14:14] time.
>> Huh. There's we do have a pretty
[14:18] generous combined time off policy if
somebody I don't think we're allowed to
[14:23] deny somebody that wants to take
vacation on town meeting day to
[14:27] » it should be
>> but
[14:31] » we thought if we want the employee to be
a town meeting that's sort of their work
[14:35] for the day.
>> Yeah.
[14:37] » So even though the office they can be
else is
[14:41] » yes but we can't leave the office
without any workers in it. It'd be a
[14:46] village worker, right?
[14:50] » There will definitely
>> unless they take time off.
[14:54] » At the very least, there'll be two
village employees.
[14:56] » Yes.
[15:00] » Well, there's only
be one
[15:04] left in the office that's a town
employee, then one eligible.
[15:12] Traditionally in Vermont, has hasn't it
been the tradition to encourage
[15:19] uh
operations to be closed to boost
[15:24] attendance in town decision making?
>> Well, we have one
[15:31] » employee that does not live in Johnson.
>> We have a few.
[15:36] » Yeah. But um
>> they they should they should be part of
[15:43] their town meeting in their town then.
>> So are you saying that instead of giving
[15:47] 13 holidays we should have given 14?
>> I don't think it should be a holiday. I
[15:52] think that
>> it was a holiday.
[15:54] » Well yeah. Yeah. I'm not saying adding
another holiday. I'm saying that worker
[15:58] work at town meeting day
>> like actually accomplishing work or just
[16:03] attending town meeting day as another
paid day while they're not doing
[16:07] » I think working town meeting day because
Rosemary is not going to be here so I
[16:11] think we should have other employees
learning the process for when she won't
[16:16] be here anymore.
[16:19] » Why' you have to put this question in
front of us? If I got asked it, I have
[16:23] said
>> show of hands. Who would like the office
[16:27] to stay open on town meeting day being
that it is not a holiday?
[16:35] Okay. Who would like it closed?
Okay.
[16:40] » I mean, it could stay open if the
village wants to keep it open.
[16:45] » Well, the village will follow suit with
whatever the town does, I'm sure.
[16:51] Guess it stays open
>> unless everybody takes vacation
[16:56] if they want to value going to town
meeting. I have to take a vacation day
[17:00] to go to town meeting.
Yeah.
[17:09] » Guess if everybody takes the vacation
day, it had to be closed. Nobody here,
[17:14] » right?
>> Huh?
[17:15] » Can I write a letter to your company
encourage them to give you the day off?
[17:19] You can waste your time if you
[17:25] Okay.
Any other zingers, Rosemary?
[17:28] » No, I think enough one a meeting is
enough.
[17:32] » Okay.
>> And I want to thank the board for the
[17:34] dedication with the town report.
>> The board wants to thank you for
[17:37] everything you've done.
[17:45] » I'll save that for later. Uh, next up,
Carl Hoty.
[17:51] How are you?
>> Good. You
[17:54] » good? Still here. Did
>> we do the uh
[17:59] » We did
>> under the consent agenda. Okay.
[18:04] » All right. I guess I'll start with going
through the SDS report. I put a copy in
[18:13] here.
[18:16] uh sort of hit some of the highlights
for people that are here and people that
[18:23] might be watching the meeting.
So first um the NBRC grant in the
[18:30] industrial park the quarterly report u
was submitted on time on January 28th
[18:40] from our bi-weekly team meetings. Uh the
last meeting it was reported that we're
[18:46] still waiting on four state permits, the
same four that have been listed in the
[18:53] report in prior months. And just this
evening about 5:30, I got an email from
[18:59] the state
saying that there was some activity on
[19:02] the storm water operation report at the
last team meeting. The engineers
[19:10] reported they have been in conversation
with the people reviewing that permit
[19:15] and a question that the state had about
the source protection area for drinking
[19:21] water. Um that's been addressed and um
so it looks like maybe that um operation
[19:29] permit for storm water is moving ahead.
Um,
[19:35] I did send out the letter to the owners
of the property that have a shed that is
[19:40] crosses over the property line and is
partly on the town's industrial park
[19:45] property.
Had a conversation with one of the
[19:50] owners and he doesn't have any issue
with with the letter and um and is glad
[19:57] to hear that town's moving ahead with
the industrial park.
[20:01] Um he sees it as an opportunity perhaps
he could get that house that he has
[20:06] there connected to the the village sewer
system using that new sewer line. And
[20:12] also if possible he might build another
house on the other side of that existing
[20:19] one and that would also you would try to
tie that into the line in your new road.
[20:27] And today uh a letter went out to the
other the butters. So that was a letter
[20:32] just to notify them that the town has
applied for permits and I we sent them
[20:37] an aerial photo showing the location of
the industrial park and their property
[20:43] and invited them to contact us and come
to the office and see the plans if they
[20:47] have any questions.
[20:51] um you had received two memos from me um
for your packet and then also an email
[20:58] on I think Tuesday. We'll go over those
um after the says report.
[21:06] Um the building communities grant
recreation the welcome center
[21:12] um the improvements except the painting
have been completed.
[21:17] The lease agreement that you approved at
your last meeting in January was
[21:26] submitted to the rail I'm sorry you
approved that on February 2nd meeting
[21:32] and that was submitted to the rail trail
office at BR.
[21:37] We have not um heard back from them yet.
>> That's another project Mr. chairman
[21:44] started up small has turned into a big
[21:51] I'm relaying a message here from the
rail trail committee. It seems that um
[21:57] their membership is down to six out of
nine um authorized members
[22:04] and um I don't Do you recall did the
select board accept Peggy Williams
[22:10] resignation back in the fall? We did.
>> I believe we did.
[22:16] » All right. Well, that's um I do recall
from the chairman
[22:23] about her um resigning because she moved
away, I think. But he would like to see
[22:30] if and some advertising could be done to
solicit additional members. He said
[22:36] they're finding it hard to conduct
business because with only six members
[22:40] now, if two people happen to be absent
from the meeting that they don't have a
[22:46] quorum to officially conduct business.
>> Yes. Uh John, could you work with Lydia
[22:51] to post
all um vacant seats for all the
[22:57] committees and commissions?
She should have a spreadsheet of active
[23:02] members that's hopefully uploaded.
Right.
[23:09] Thank you.
Um the the Voric uh grant what funded
[23:17] the rail trail connector scoping study.
Um town did receive the reimbursement of
[23:23] that. You were rewarded $27,700
and your expenses came to $27,669.99.
[23:33] And apparently that's what was paid to
the town.
[23:38] The recreation economy for rural
communities grant, that's the um
[23:44] EPA technical assistance grant.
It's been a lot of activity.
[23:52] Uh so on January 29th, the EPA's
planning assistance team held their
[23:59] introductory call for online meeting
with the Johnson steering committee.
[24:06] And then on February 5th, that planning
assistance team held its peer convening,
[24:11] which was a nationwide meeting. All the
25 grantees were um invited to have
[24:20] several people attend and um it was a
4-hour meeting and during that meeting
[24:27] they had uh presentations by prior year
grantees to talk about their um work
[24:35] that they did and what success they're
starting to see.
[24:40] Uh so that was held on um February 5th
and
[24:51] back in December I was asked to submit a
EPA called the scheduler.
[24:58] Um it was uh like a poll to see what um
poss what meeting dates might be good
[25:05] for EPA's assistance team to come here
and conduct the community workshop
[25:12] which is like the key point in this um
process.
[25:18] Uh so we submitted that and then EPA got
back to us and uh asked how about the
[25:26] sometime during the week of August 24 to
28, 2026.
[25:31] I pulled the Johnson Steering Committee
members to find out what two days would
[25:36] be best. And turns out it was Thursday
and Friday the 27th 28th. We submitted
[25:42] that to EPA and they've confirmed that.
Um, so mark your calendars. These are
[25:51] two important dates, Thursday the 27th
and Friday the 28th of August.
[25:57] Um it's so the first day the steering
committee um will take the planning
[26:08] assistance team around the various sites
in town to help that team sort of
[26:12] conceptualize what Johnson has or what
challenges they might face with various
[26:19] recreation um facilities. And then the
next day will be a full day of meetings
[26:28] where the general public is invited but
also the steering committee is supposed
[26:33] to make an attempt to invite specific u
interested and uh re resources to the
[26:40] meeting. So that might be where somebody
like Jackie Casino from the rail trail
[26:46] program comes to um meet with everybody.
[26:52] And um very recently like just this week
um I received an email um about um that
[27:01] planning assistance team wanting to
schedule the first three online meetings
[27:07] with the steering committee. And so this
evening um before coming up here, I got
[27:13] an email out to your steering committee
members and asked them about what nights
[27:18] they um would want to meet. And I
suggested that they start they plan to
[27:24] start meeting every two weeks
u because um that there is some
[27:30] significant work that needs to be done
between those three calls with the
[27:34] planning assistance team.
>> Sorry, what does PAT stand for?
[27:38] » Planning assistance team. Okay.
[27:42] » All right. Uh the Vermont Community
Foundation grants, uh the playground
[27:47] money, uh is got tied to the Legion
Field, um
[27:53] study or analysis, um because it was
determined that
[27:58] using that money for the playground at
Legion Field would be the best use.
[28:03] um or the second Legion Field meeting.
Isabelle Sullivan did provide some good
[28:09] information
uh for everybody to see. She from a
[28:14] vendor. She had actual di pictures of
playground equipment complete with
[28:20] dimensions so that you could see if you
bought this product, you need to have an
[28:25] area 30 feet by 23 feet, for example.
Um, and it was products that were g
[28:34] geared towards the younger children uh
rather than say the 5 to 12 year old
[28:39] cohort
because apparently that's um a feeling
[28:45] that that's the need here in Johnson
that Old Mill Park you do have equipment
[28:50] already for older kids.
Uh the skate park uh money $3,300. Um, I
[28:58] have a question for you. Maybe, you
know, you have a discussion tonight
[29:03] about um the skate park RFP.
Is that
[29:08] um planning to use this $3,300 or is
that something completely different?
[29:14] » It's the uh
[29:19] DR4720
reimbursement FEMA money.
[29:23] » Oh, so that's you're you're looking at
using the Puma money. what you're
[29:27] talking about tonight.
[29:31] » Maybe that gets looped in with it. I
don't know.
[29:33] » No, this I think is probably spent.
>> Now, my question is if the bids come in
[29:38] higher than the FEMA money, uh Carl, do
you think that 3,300 could be used
[29:44] as part of that project?
[29:49] Well, I would think so, but it's been um
about seven months since I spoke with
[29:56] somebody from VCF about what that $3,300
was intended for. And off the top of my
[30:02] head, I I can't say if there was a
specific use or or some conditions that
[30:08] would prohibit combining it with the
FEMA money. So, we can check on that.
[30:12] John, thank you.
All right. Uh the Legion Field, um the
[30:20] second meeting was held on February 4th
and it um I think was a another good
[30:28] meeting with the public. Um the um
there was very um thoughtful um input
[30:39] provided and uh I think it was just a
showed that you get some people together
[30:45] who um have an open mind and respectful
you you have a good product. So I was I
[30:52] was pretty encouraged by um by that
meeting. So the next step is for Dubo
[30:58] and King to prepare a another layout um
based on the comments received and that
[31:04] would that layout would be presented to
you and then the select board needs to
[31:10] um then say okay this is our final plan
and we need that so that we know what
[31:18] improvements are to be made
at Legion Field. So once you make that
[31:25] decision, then somebody's going to need
to look at that and say, "Okay,
[31:30] you need to do this first, this second.
You can't do number three because four
[31:37] one and two because then you'll be
disturbing three when you go back to do
[31:41] step one."
>> Is there a deadline for using those
[31:44] funds? That
>> those deadlines have passed. Okay.
[31:48] » We're we're getting by on BCF's legal
seat right now. Okay.
[31:53] » But I think that if they asked and or
they would see what's going into this, I
[32:00] think they would be very pleased.
>> Okay. Maybe we could send them the final
[32:05] draft once it's finished. Okay.
>> All right. And Holmes Meadow, uh, the
[32:12] first construction invoice from Boulder
was submitted two days ago.
[32:17] On se on January 30th, there was a site
inspection. John and I attended with
[32:24] people from SLR Boulder and LCPC.
We visited both Homes Meadow and then
[32:30] went over to the the gravel pit so that
um SLR could point things out and we
[32:37] could ask questions. So everything um
seemed to be good there. And then later
[32:43] SLR submitted their last inspection
report for the winter. And so that um in
[32:50] summary read that the excavating and the
hauling of sediment from the meadow was
[32:55] completed and at that time the final
grading was underway.
[33:00] the hauling the necessary sediment to
the landfill was completed
[33:06] and Boulder was hauling fill to the
library which I think we knew but um
[33:13] there was a question about who was
working with it there and it turns out
[33:18] it was Boulder. They apparently
volunteered to to do something there
[33:23] probably so that they could
start hauling Phil over there or
[33:29] complete the hauling of Phil there.
>> Uh there is a a change order uh number
[33:36] four that's been presented.
Um there were some questions raised.
[33:42] Evan asked to be sure that the the grant
was going to cover the additional
[33:48] expense and I just learned late this
afternoon that Vermont Emergency
[33:54] Management has okayed that grant
amendment or adjustment but the agency
[34:00] of administration still has to sign off
on it and that has not come through yet.
[34:05] So I would ask that you you know based
on what Edmond's
[34:10] position was that you um defer postpone
action on that and probably have it on
[34:15] the next agenda.
>> What was the reason for that change
[34:19] order?
>> That's u for the um extra extraction and
[34:25] hauling of gravel out of the pit.
>> Would you say the engineer should be
[34:31] responsible for that? They were the ones
that were supposedly figuring out how
[34:37] much material was over there. Correct.
>> I don't know that. I don't know how it
[34:43] was determined how many cubic yards
of gravel were in the pit to be hauled
[34:50] out. The LCPC staff did tell me that
um experience with other cells within
[35:00] the pit was taken into consideration,
but as it turns out, the the um the
[35:06] ledge was not at the same depth um in
the area where they did all this
[35:12] extraction as it was in other parts of
of the pit. So the the sand and gravel
[35:19] or just gravel, I'm not sure what you
have there, just ran deeper than
[35:23] » Well, I got a whole pile of bills
engineers.
[35:27] U you would think with the amount of
money we were spending with these
[35:31] engineers that we might have a little
bit better product.
[35:37] » I don't know if did they do any test
borings. You know,
[35:41] » another question uh this engineering
stuff, this is all a pass through,
[35:45] right? Is the town paying for all of
this?
[35:48] » Okay. Well, I've got a question a little
bit later on some of these bills from
[35:54] the engineer and from the county
planning commission. It looks like we
[35:58] paid one of them twice,
but I'll take that up later.
[36:06] » Okay.
>> All right. And um also um on March 2nd,
[36:11] you probably will be asked to take um a
couple of actions regarding a second
[36:17] grant
for the Homes Meadow Project.
[36:22] And
um it's a $130,000
[36:27] grant called a clean water service
provider grant from the Agency of
[36:32] Natural Resources.
Do does the board know
[36:38] about this. It's
>> not ringing a bell for me at all.
[36:40] » I think LCPC had mentioned that before.
>> Right. Well, that's that would make
[36:45] sense because the grant is actually
awarded to LCPC
[36:50] on the town's behalf for this project.
So, one of the documents that you will
[36:58] be asked to approve is something called
a site access license.
[37:03] And basically you're the property owner
and you're agreeing that people from
[37:07] LCPC and the state can go on the
property to to do certain maintenance
[37:12] work and inspections.
And then the other document is a grant
[37:17] agreement like a subgrant agreement with
LCPC.
[37:23] No, I think that that's um going to be
presented to you on March 2nd.
[37:33] So that's
the highlights of the written report
[37:39] that I gave you. Any questions?
[37:43] » Oh, um
for the Borak uh rail trail connector
[37:50] scoping study, was this this money just
for the scoping study or are you are you
[37:56] saying like we have this money to spend
on improvements? No, the 27,700
[38:03] was just to conduct the scoping study.
>> Okay. Okay.
[38:08] » So now if you want to work on
improvements,
[38:11] » okay,
>> you'd have to seek other funding and and
[38:14] in the report that EHB provided, they
did um list some grant funding
[38:20] opportunities.
>> Okay. Just making sure. Um
[38:26] you're going to be done at the end of
the month, right?
[38:29] I've said before that I would be done at
the end of March, but I have told John
[38:34] that if
>> you still don't have somebody and you
[38:38] want me to stay around, I I will. Um
I've been trying to make some
[38:43] adjustments so that this works better
for me. I'm not driving up here quite as
[38:48] often because in the winter time it's at
least an hour and 15 minute drive one
[38:53] way.
>> Yeah. Yeah. And um so far also working
[38:58] online
has been working out to attend meetings.
[39:02] » Okay.
>> Um I I just asked that cuz I'm wondering
[39:06] if you think you'd be able to um submit
the act 250 permit for the granite
[39:12] stairs before that that date.
>> I would really like to Okay. get back to
[39:17] that so that we get that permit uh right
away and then could
[39:22] » get some quotes for doing.
>> Yeah, it's just
[39:26] » Yeah, it's taking me about 30 times
longer to do the act 250 permit than
[39:30] it'll take the contractor to do the
work.
[39:32] » It's ridiculous.
>> Okay. Um
[39:37] and for these uh two library grants,
do you know when those uh they received
[39:44] those or received the notification of
award?
[39:49] » I don't recall.
>> Okay. It's been a while though maybe.
[39:52] » Oh yes. All those have been
>> were um issued quite some time ago.
[39:58] » Okay. Okay.
Got it.
[40:02] » Mr. Chairman.
>> Yes. Uh I have a question for Carl and
[40:08] and null sitting.
[40:12] » What's that?
[40:16] » This has to do with the mumlay's
engineering for the industrial park. Uh
[40:24] daylands surveying flagging staking for
tree clearing. Were you with them when
[40:30] they did that?
How long do you think it would take to
[40:34] do that?
>> Can't estimate the entries. They were
[40:38] looking at
>> $2500 seems like a lot of money.
[40:42] » So, what they were actually doing is
marking the ride of way
[40:50] uh for the road and the utilities on
those two roads
[40:54] and also the outline of the storm water
lot. days
[41:01] of surveying didn't actually mark trees.
Uh the Vermont Land Trust came in and
[41:06] marked trees that that they are
interested in.
[41:11] » But on the invoice, it does say dayland
surveying with an invoice flagging
[41:16] staking for tree clearing $2,500.
>> Right. They were That's right. They were
[41:22] They're getting that
um
[41:24] » in the area it's going to be cleared.
>> Right. I get it.
[41:28] Seeing you kind of qualified it to at
first blush looking at this it looks
[41:34] like a tremendous they were trees taking
some trees.
[41:38] » Yeah.
>> Okay.
[41:41] » Thank you.
>> So do we have anything for Homes Meadow
[41:45] or are we on to the industrial park?
We're holding on change order four. I
[41:49] think we're good with Homes Meadow.
>> Yes.
[41:52] » There's no action tonight, Mr. Chairman.
>> On the industrial park. I think there
[41:56] may be
>> right.
[42:01] So on um the industrial park um let's
deal with Lumley's
[42:08] contract first.
[42:12] That's um
[42:17] what did I do? Was it I
[42:23] » so Mumley's contract there are two
matters.
[42:28] Um
first is the approval of the extension
[42:36] for a revision to their original
contract. It was background. The first
[42:42] contract with Mumley was done in 2023,
I think actually to help the town get
[42:48] the NBRC grant
uh prepared and then to start the
[42:56] engineering of the project there.
Then in about October of 24,
[43:03] it was decided that revisions needed to
be made and meetings were being held.
[43:08] And then on December 16th
of 24, it was presented to the select
[43:15] board and the um select board voted to
approve the revisions and authorized
[43:25] somebody to sign it. I forget right now
what the Venet said if it was town
[43:29] administrator and chairman or just the
town administrator.
[43:32] But apparently that document never got
passed around and got fully signed. I'
[43:38] I've searched everywhere. I've talked to
people. Nobody seems to have a complete
[43:43] signature. So our request tonight is
that the the board vote to affirm that
[43:49] action from December 16th of 2024
to approve the revision dated December
[43:56] 11th, 2024.
[44:01] And then the second item regarding
Mumley's contract is a change order
[44:07] for the work done on the
Highland Heights
[44:16] sewer pump station.
[44:19] So waste water from the industrial park
will go under Route 15 and go to the
[44:27] pump station at Highland Heights. Mhm.
>> It was concern about its capacity to
[44:32] handle the additional flow that might
come from the industrial park.
[44:38] Going back to those um originals
December 1624 meeting minutes
[44:44] um it was reported that there was a
meeting that day of of staff people
[44:50] where this was among other things with
having to do with the village's
[44:55] utilities was discussed and it those
minutes mentioned that one of the
[45:00] possibilities was there was going to
need to be a $50,000
[45:04] emergency power generator located there.
Um,
[45:11] Mumley started working on the analysis
of that pump station and your January
[45:19] 20th, 2025 select board minutes
mentioned that they were um, Mumley was
[45:25] working on that and then shortly after
Mumley submitted two invoices
[45:30] which the select board voted to approve
on April 21st.
[45:35] But at that time it was noted that that
work was beyond the scope of services
[45:39] which it is that original
um scope of services that I mentioned
[45:45] before specifically excludes from the
amount of money being charged to work on
[45:53] water and the sewer systems.
Um,
[45:58] so you did receive two invoices and you
voted to have them paid and they were
[46:04] paid and Mumley held the third invoice
for $585. They've never submitted that
[46:09] yet.
So the total the three invoices together
[46:14] would come to $1,965.
And it I would suggest that you approve
[46:20] a change order with Mumley in that
amount for those three invoices for the
[46:24] work they did analyzing that pump
station and then recommending a solution
[46:31] which the village has accepted and it's
what the the plans are being based on
[46:37] right now. So, their work was very costb
[46:44] $45,000,
>> give or take.
[46:47] » Give or take.
>> You want to make a motion?
[46:51] » Be happy to make a motion. Um, you want
two separate motions.
[46:57] » Pretty much just need to approve a
change order, right? Uh, one motion to
[47:02] approve the change order and then one
motion, if you would please, to affirm
[47:06] your
board decision from December 1624.
[47:11] I'll take them in order. Uh, move to
reaffirm the select board's vote on
[47:16] December 16, 2024 to approve the Mumley
Engineering Industrial Park engineering
[47:22] services agreement revision dated
December 11th, 2024.
[47:27] I have to authorize the county
administrator or John Ser.
[47:32] » I'll second.
>> Motion second. Further discussion.
[47:36] » All those in favor signify by saying I.
>> I.
[47:39] » I.
>> All those opposed.
[47:41] » The eyes have it.
>> Um,
[47:45] » who wants the second one?
>> You're on a roll.
[47:48] » I'm on a roll. Okay.
>> She doesn't want to steal. Uh move to
[47:53] approve a change order in the amount of
$1,965
[47:58] to cover Mumley's analysis of the pump
station and suggestion to address the
[48:04] concern about its capacity.
So
[48:08] » second
>> motion a second. Further discussion
[48:13] all those in favor signify by saying I.
I.
[48:16] » All those opposed. And
>> the eyes have it.
[48:21] I don't know what you're looking
>> that's from an agenda packet you're
[48:25] you're reading that from.
>> Uh, yep.
[48:27] » Okay.
>> It's right here.
[48:31] » Then um I also sent you an email. I'm
sorry, a memo regarding the industrial
[48:36] park. Yeah. With some documents and
>> this has to do with the ease gates.
[48:42] » You're looking for the motion for the
easements,
[48:44] » right? So, um, there's a conservation
easement for the deer wintering area
[48:52] over the Prindle lot
and work on that conservation easement
[48:59] is still in progress, although in the
copy that I did receive from David Brew,
[49:07] the attorney working on it now, um, does
show me that, um, they've made some
[49:13] changes it um since the original was
sent out by Fish and Wildlife.
[49:19] Um but it's still not complete. But to
get things moving along, he suggests
[49:26] that you adopt that motion to authorize
the advertising
[49:32] of the um conveyance of that
conservation easement.
[49:38] and I provided you with or I sent you an
email uh with his suggested motion cut
[49:45] and pasted into that email. You should
have that. There's actually two of them.
[49:50] » Yes, there actually is. There's a motion
for each of the two notices, one for the
[49:55] deer wintering and one for the prime
soils.
[49:58] » There are two different town lots. Who
wants to take this one?
[50:04] Uh
well I don't have the language from
[50:08] » I move to approve the notice of sale of
municipal real estate and conveyance of
[50:13] grant
of a grant of development rights and
[50:18] conservation restrictions to the state
agency of natural resources on the
[50:23] town's 25.1 acre so-called fender lot
subject to final review and approval by
[50:29] the town's attorney to mitigate the
impact of the town's industrial park
[50:33] project on deer wintering habitat as
part of act 250 permit for said project
[50:39] and to authorize this is where it gets
weird select for chair Eban patch or
[50:44] town administrator John Sutherland to
execute the notice
[50:48] grant and any other instruments
necessary
[50:53] or advisable for issuance of the act 50
permit and closing on the grant
[51:02] Did an attorney write that or what?
>> That's a motion.
[51:07] » Second.
>> All right.
[51:11] Anybody else want to make a comment?
We're not actually selling the lot for
[51:15] anybody that's listening to this. All
those in favor signify by saying I.
[51:20] » I.
>> All those opposed.
[51:22] The eyes have it.
>> The next one is in regards to the go
[51:28] lot. um in regard prime a soils and
so just um
[51:37] this week I learned some things that I
need to explain to you um make sure that
[51:44] you're aware of it. So on the second
page of that memo from February 13th
[51:53] um towards the top I say that Johnson
would need to set aside 5.2 2 acres of
[51:59] prime egg soils. Um however um
setting aside 5.2 acres on the goal lot
[52:07] would require an expensive survey and
previously the board had said let's
[52:12] avoid the cost of the survey. It'd be
cheaper to pay the mitigation fee of the
[52:17] balance needed 85 of an acre.
[52:22] Until this week, nothing had really been
said to me about 6.1 acres. I just
[52:29] assumed that when they were talking
about there's the
[52:34] 4.35 acres there that are easily
identifiable, that was all the area
[52:39] between the road and the stream and the
pond. As it turns out, that's not the
[52:43] case. There's 6.1 acres between the road
and the stream and the pond which are
[52:50] easily describable and you don't need a
survey to describe.
[52:57] And apparently between this the state a
a agency of agriculture and the attorney
[53:04] they've concluded that
they're going to have to ex have you
[53:12] issue that declaration of covenant on
the entire 6.1 acres
[53:17] and you still avoid having to do a
survey.
[53:23] And
considering what the purpose of the goal
[53:27] lot is, I don't know that makes any
difference. I don't know you have any
[53:31] plans to go develop any part of that
property there. So I don't think it
[53:36] makes any any difference.
>> 4 acres of
[53:39] » especially not point4 acres of it.
That's the difference.
[53:42] » So do we not have to pay the difference?
Now,
[53:44] » you still have to pay the difference
because that difference between the 4.35
[53:49] that you needed or that's there in Prime
soils and the 6.1 that they're not prime
[53:54] soil. So, you still have to pay that
mitigation fee of roughly $3,200.
[54:01] » You want to make the mot
>> Oh, yeah. It's a
[54:05] » It's a bad That's what it is.
>> You want to make the motion, somebody?
[54:10] Sure. Sure. This never ends.
[54:15] You ready to do it? You're going to do
it.
[54:17] » Go ahead, Paul.
>> Motion to approve the notice of sale of
[54:22] municipal real estate and conveyance of
a declaration of restrictive covenant in
[54:26] favor of the Vermont Agency of
Agriculture and Vermont Land Use Review
[54:30] Board on a 4.35
>> 6.1.
[54:37] » Um, no, I think he wrote that the way
that he wants it. Okay.
[54:44] So, it says 4.35, not 6.1 acres.
[54:50] » Okay. Let's say 6.1. That way, it's
covered. If it turns out to be less than
[54:54] » Yeah. when
so on a plus or minus 6.1 acre portion
[55:00] of the town's so-called GMA lot subject
to final review and approval by the
[55:04] town's attorney to mitigate the impact
of the town's industrial park project
[55:08] and development of the plus or minus 2.6
six acres of prime agricultural soils
[55:14] and to authorize the select board chair
Evan Patch or town administrator Don
[55:20] Sland to execute the notice declaration
and any other instruments necessary or
[55:24] advisable for issuance of the act 250
permit and reporting of the declaration.
[55:30] » There's a motion. Is there a second?
>> Yes.
[55:34] » Further discussion? Uh
>> couple questions.
[55:39] Um,
[55:42] it talks about uh making sure it's paid
and brushhoged every two years. How do
[55:50] how do we keep track of that and know
that somebody needs to do it and who
[55:55] does it?
[56:00] » Okay. Um, and what does it mean right to
farm? A right to farm covenants.
[56:08] Um,
I think that that's something that um
[56:12] needs to be indeed so that future owners
know that that's the case and including
[56:19] if you did subdivide that there could be
farming activity on the other parcel
[56:25] where this prime soil is in the
covenant.
[56:29] So it means that some subsequent owner
the current owner or subsequent owner
[56:36] has a right to farm that and right and
that the neighbors if if you were to
[56:42] let's say subdivide the goal lot
>> and the part that's not subject to the
[56:51] declaration of covenant that those
people would be aware that there could
[56:55] be farming activity
>> on the part that's the cup and an auto.
[57:01] » Good.
>> Thank you.
[57:03] » All those in favor signify by saying I.
>> I.
[57:05] » I.
>> All those opposed.
[57:08] » The eyes have it.
>> And last issues for the industrial park,
[57:13] the tree removal.
So our deadline for getting the trees
[57:20] down is April 14th.
And
[57:26] during the winter
um we were um in
[57:35] contacted by the agency of
transportation and their uh partner in
[57:40] the project of the Vermont Land Trust
about their need for some I'll call them
[57:47] whole trees. So, a
length of about 25 ft of tree trunk with
[57:52] the root ball attached.
Uh, they have seemed to be interested in
[57:58] this as I indicated before. They've gone
so far as to go out there and bark trees
[58:06] that they want. And uh they told me that
there was 113 trees and about 75% of
[58:15] that number are in the town's work area.
So the area the town needs to get
[58:21] cleared
um so that you can do the road and
[58:26] utility work and and put in the storm
water treatment area.
[58:33] um a local contractor logger is
interested in doing that work for the
[58:39] town and has been helpful providing some
insights and kind of cost estimate
[58:46] just so everybody gets an idea what this
is might cost.
[58:51] Um
I have been providing the information to
[58:56] AOT and BLT that they've asked for. I
con I sent an email today to ask if
[59:01] they've got any reaction, anything that
I could relay tonight and hear back from
[59:07] them.
So my questions for the select board um
[59:13] are first um shall we continue the
discussions with AOT and and Vermont
[59:20] Land Trust or do you just want to try
doing this on our own?
[59:27] Second question is
um do you approve of the idea of not
[59:35] planning to have this work reimbursed by
the NBRC grant? And as stated in the
[59:42] memo,
um those bidding in contracting
[59:49] requirements can be ownorous
and they would take would take more time
[59:54] to prepare the specifications.
if the the target audience, you know,
[1:00:01] the contractors that we think would be
interested in doing that kind of work
[1:00:06] saw that red tape, they might they might
not even want to bid.
[1:00:13] Um, that's my feeling. And then Pat
Ripley um agreed and I provided a a
[1:00:19] statement from the email he sent in the
memo there that he agrees that the town
[1:00:24] would be better served avoiding the NBCR
NBRC procurement requirements in this
[1:00:30] case.
Um and so I want to know if you are okay
[1:00:34] with that. And then third
is about um proceeding with the bidding.
[1:00:43] Um, we could start writing bidding
specifications
[1:00:50] with two options. Option one being
contractor is going to provide a price
[1:00:56] just to clear the area that the town
needs to have cleared for the road and
[1:01:00] the utilities and the storm water pond.
And then the other option would be to
[1:01:07] pull or harvest the trees marked by
Vermont Land Trust and give three
[1:01:12] prices.
A price for pulling the trees that are
[1:01:17] marked in the town's road and storm
water area.
[1:01:21] Then a price for cutting or removing all
the remaining trees.
[1:01:28] And then the third price would be for
pulling the roughly 30 trees or so that
[1:01:32] are on building lots.
That way we would have a breakdown. So
[1:01:37] we could say to the state, this is what
you owe the town for this. And my
[1:01:42] example that they would have the state
would owe the town for the price for
[1:01:48] work A and C.
[1:01:53] So by using the two options approach, we
could get this going and if AOT that
[1:02:01] says, "Oh, you know, we're not
interested or you don't like the prices
[1:02:04] that come in with option two, we could
just go with option one at least." And
[1:02:09] then you would have the the prices.
>> Would you have three options instead of
[1:02:13] just two or just have trees regardless
of where they are in that cutting?
[1:02:18] Yeah, I I was thinking to break it down
by the area that the town needs to have
[1:02:26] cleared. So, and what trees would be
pulled or harvested from
[1:02:32] » state's going to pay for it anyway.
>> But if they're pulling, the state's
[1:02:36] going to pay for it.
>> State's going to pay for it. That's why
[1:02:37] that would be the pulling of those trees
would be one item and then cutting
[1:02:42] everything else would be the second item
which the town would pay for. And then
[1:02:47] the third was pulling roughly 30 trees
or so that are on the building lots.
[1:02:54] » That's why one and three aren't
together.
[1:02:57] » Um just in case. But we do we need to
have those trees in the work area
[1:03:05] removed. So maybe the state says, um,
well, we'll just have those pulled in
[1:03:10] your work area and forget those others.
>> Okay. Got it.
[1:03:14] And then if that's the case and the town
doesn't care, the town doesn't need to
[1:03:18] have those trees removed.
>> Okay, that makes sense. Thank you.
[1:03:22] » It's remarkable that anything is done in
this thing. Really, it is maddening.
[1:03:30] Years ago, they had just gone in there
and clearcut the place and built a
[1:03:34] place. We have been working on this for
like 15 years, this whole project. And
[1:03:41] it just goes on and on and on.
It is just wears you down.
[1:03:48] » Yes, sir.
>> It's just crazy.
[1:03:51] » Is the board okay with Carl's
recommended bidding approach? Do you
[1:03:56] need a motion for that?
>> I don't need a motion, I guess. Um,
[1:04:00] » I have a question, Carl. Your first
question was, shall we proceed with
[1:04:04] conversations with AOT and PLT? Is there
any reason not to?
[1:04:11] At some point we have to tell them we've
got to move. We've we've got to get this
[1:04:17] out to bid, which we could do still
without having a clear answer from them.
[1:04:22] But some point we're going to have to
say this is that we've got to award a
[1:04:26] contract or somebody so that the
contractor can start work and get the
[1:04:29] trees down by the 14th of April.
>> Yep.
[1:04:34] » I would tell them we need an answer
pretty soon.
[1:04:38] and we've talked about that. They have
they've acknowledged time is of the
[1:04:44] essence. Um
so I I gather now since the information
[1:04:50] that I've been supplying that they're
trying to figure out if this is a
[1:04:56] a from a cost standpoint a good way for
them to proceed with getting the trees
[1:05:00] that they need.
[1:05:04] » Okay.
Do we all want to proceed with
[1:05:10] Vermont land trust in AOT if it works
out? If not,
[1:05:15] well, or just cut everything down.
>> Don't need to pull a thing then.
[1:05:22] » I'll second that one. Stinking tree
down. Act like
[1:05:26] » and you're okay with doing it, as I
said, on the town's dime and not seeking
[1:05:32] the grant reimbursement
>> for not pulling them. That' be a lot
[1:05:35] cheaper, right?
Oh yes. Yes.
[1:05:38] » I don't think timewise we have enough
time personally to
[1:05:45] » Okay.
>> Are you good with that?
[1:05:47] » Get it over with the quickest way we
can.
[1:05:50] » Sounds like you got a yes from all five.
>> Okay, then. Um I'll get started on
[1:05:56] drafting the bidding specifications.
>> Okay. Thank you for reading through all
[1:06:02] these and making it so clear. H
>> thank you for waiting through all this
[1:06:06] stuff and making it so clear.
>> Somebody asked if they made it so
[1:06:12] difficult on purp
[1:06:18] initial these copies of notice for your
information. Um
[1:06:24] » sorry if I initial it's the notices that
the board
[1:06:27] » Yeah. But where would I initial?
>> Oh by your name down there sign.
[1:06:33] I have to initial
>> the S means uh sign by epic patch.
[1:06:40] So that's what I'll send
>> to the newspaper tomorrow.
[1:06:45] » Yeah, but I need this, right?
>> Just
[1:06:51] for the record.
>> You're going to make the newspaper. Uh
[1:06:58] » so yeah I'll send these to the newspaper
tomorrow for publication next
[1:07:04] posted in three places at sound and that
is in the process it will be completed.
[1:07:11] » Okay.
>> Thank you very much.
[1:07:15] Next up, beautifification.
>> Question for Carla
[1:07:21] » related to item 15 on the agenda, job
description for community economic
[1:07:27] development specialist. Have you seen
the draft?
[1:07:31] » Carl,
>> he has not.
[1:07:33] » No, he has not.
>> No.
[1:07:34] » Um,
present it to the board, get their input
[1:07:40] on it, review.
>> Okay. I'll be interested.
[1:07:43] » Today's the first time I've seen Carl in
a while and even it was really busy.
[1:07:47] » Yeah, that's that's fine. I'll be
interested in in your thoughts.
[1:07:53] » Okay. Yeah, let me
>> Okay. All right.
[1:07:57] » Thank you.
>> Beautif
[1:08:02] us.
>> What
[1:08:05] is what really us?
I mean, the way I read it was
[1:08:09] » it's for um letting the beautifification
committee apply for the grant.
[1:08:14] » Oh, but it's not on a town property,
>> right?
[1:08:17] » It's just a town committee.
>> Yep.
[1:08:19] » Yeah. I got a
>> what?
[1:08:22] » Um for doing a mosaic project at the
village Cold Spring.
[1:08:28] » Well, the V village hasn't approved it
yet.
[1:08:30] » They have.
>> They've approved it the other night.
[1:08:34] » Yeah.
The beautifification committee does a
[1:08:38] great job at communicating the village.
I think they're just asking for I Oh, I
[1:08:43] was looking for the paper
and the amount is $15,000
[1:08:49] with no match from the town.
>> Yep.
[1:08:52] » They may use some of their budget to
fund a small part of it.
[1:08:58] » So, they got the whatever they put on
that and they approved it.
[1:09:01] » What? What' you say? Last I knew, they
were waiting to see what was going to
[1:09:07] actually go on it and it was
>> they met with the artist and the artist
[1:09:11] showed examples of what it will be and
they approved it.
[1:09:18] » It's from the Vermont Arts Council. The
name of the grant is the animating
[1:09:23] infrastructures.
>> How's the board feel?
[1:09:29] » I think it's a wonderful idea and
totally behind it.
[1:09:34] Motion to uh support the
beautifification committee on their
[1:09:38] grant application.
>> Motion to support the beautifification
[1:09:42] committee on their grant application for
a mosaic at the whole spring
[1:09:52] » pending village approval that they
already
[1:09:57] » Yeah, they approved it.
>> All right, there's a motion. Is there a
[1:10:00] second? Second
>> further discussion.
[1:10:03] » Yeah, I had one
comment. I can't find where it was.
[1:10:08] Somewhere in this
um
[1:10:14] it describes a cold spring as a source
of drinking water. I don't think we
[1:10:17] should say that because it's not
>> Oh, it does a
[1:10:21] » approved drinking water. So,
>> where do you see that?
[1:10:24] » I don't know. Yeah.
>> Under project summary, the Johnson Cold
[1:10:28] Spring, the ritual in institution that
provides drinking and non-drinking water
[1:10:32] for Johnson residents in surrounding
communities.
[1:10:34] » Should not say drinking.
>> Okay, I'll have them struck just
[1:10:38] non-drinking water.
>> I'll have them take that out. I think
[1:10:40] the Yeah, we hope we'll take that out.
>> Okay, thank you.
[1:10:48] » All those in favor signify by saying I.
>> I Good question. So, the villages
[1:10:54] approved what it's going to look like
already or has it just been approved and
[1:10:58] » Well, no. What what they what they
agreed to was that it's okay for the
[1:11:03] beautifification committee to go ahead
and apply for the grant and they're okay
[1:11:07] with it in concept, but they want to get
more information about what it actually
[1:11:13] is going to look like before they
actually give permission to go and put
[1:11:16] the thing there.
>> Okay, good. That's what I thought. I
[1:11:19] read that in the minutes and you were
saying something Well, I thought they
[1:11:22] gave like stipulations on what they
don't want there.
[1:11:25] » They they talked some about what they
didn't want, but but they they I think
[1:11:28] they made it pretty clear that they're
saying, "Yeah, go ahead and apply for
[1:11:31] the grant. We're okay as a concept, but
we're not giving final approval until we
[1:11:36] have more information about what
>> Yeah, I think that will what I was
[1:11:41] relayed at the last beautifification
committee meeting was that it's going to
[1:11:44] be mostly u abstract art and um
community members will come and like
[1:11:50] bring like plates or tiles or things and
it'll be like interactive.
[1:11:54] » Yeah. and and it sounds like they're
fine with that. That's really what it
[1:11:58] is. But
>> what they they just want to be more
[1:12:02] authority or they actually and and
they're concerned about um how it's
[1:12:07] going to be applied. A couple of the
board members are are concerned about
[1:12:10] that. They want more information about
the plans for is it going to be applied
[1:12:14] directly to the concrete or is it going
to be on some kind of backing?
[1:12:17] » I think the artist said it would be on a
backing, right? That's what I was
[1:12:20] » She was open to that. I sounded like she
wanted to get to the side first and and
[1:12:26] work with the village on figuring out
exactly what's going
[1:12:30] » there was some questions about whether
people could get cut or something on the
[1:12:35] shards or something that would be used
for the art as I recall. But thank you
[1:12:40] very much governor for clarifying that
it hasn't been engraved in stone what
[1:12:44] it's going to be.
>> But I don't think there's going to be
[1:12:46] Well, I don't know
>> what the minute said.
[1:12:50] » Sure. They should be fine with
>> I don't think there's going to I might
[1:12:53] be wrong, but I don't think that there's
going to be like a set design. I think
[1:12:57] it's going to be like created there like
in the moment, but I could be wrong.
[1:13:03] » Yeah. But but but they they haven't they
haven't actually drawn some bars to say,
[1:13:07] "Yeah, go out there and whenever you're
ready, put the thing up. You know, we've
[1:13:10] given you final permission before we get
to that stage." They're going to want to
[1:13:14] hear more about
>> Yeah.
[1:13:15] » what it's going to look like and what
the plan is.
[1:13:18] » Oh, cool.
Hey, I apologize. Yeah, what Donna said,
[1:13:22] this is Sorry, this is BJ. What Donna
says is exactly what happened during our
[1:13:27] meeting.
>> Okay.
[1:13:30] » Either way, we just need to approve the
grant so money can flow.
[1:13:34] » I didn't even say that. We're approving.
>> It's not happening on our property.
[1:13:38] We're approving Rosemary receiving money
and writing the check to wherever it
[1:13:44] goes.
>> Okay.
[1:13:48] » Whatever. I mean the village problem.
>> All those in favor signify by saying I.
[1:13:55] » I. I.
>> All those opposed. The eyes have it.
[1:13:58] Okay.
Clear as mud. Review and consider
[1:14:05] the skate park RFP. I would assume
that's what Casey's here for.
[1:14:11] » Casey and I have been working on a uh um
RFP for Escape Park improvements. Um
[1:14:18] we've worked back and forth. We have a
uh concept there that u we'd like to put
[1:14:24] out and move forward and go out to bid
uh for the project.
[1:14:32] Now, did you find out if we need the act
250?
[1:14:35] » I haven't heard back.
>> Heard back. Okay. So, she's working on
[1:14:38] that. We got a couple sketches
for what what the design's going to be.
[1:14:51] And the sketches
Casey,
[1:15:00] » the sketches were provided by
>> Pierre Hall of uh science. I was biased
[1:15:08] to come up here.
um
[1:15:12] uh Vermont skate park advocates uh did
the design while we were working with
[1:15:18] FEMA
[1:15:22] board
>> and with a lot of um community input I
[1:15:26] would say too
>> do any board members
[1:15:29] » a lot for a lot for us
>> questions about the RFP
[1:15:35] things they'd like amended or no further
questions
[1:15:39] Page one, item two, concrete site work
and whatnot. Uh, two three, third
[1:15:45] paragraph. Material for BMS can be
harvested from the central meadow. Do we
[1:15:51] want to say must be would you want? We
don't want material provided.
[1:15:55] » I'm not I'm sorry I don't understand the
question.
[1:15:58] » Sorry.
>> That's okay. I the performing the
[1:16:01] humming of the lights. Third paragraph
says material for burns can be harvested
[1:16:06] from the central metal located within
the park.
[1:16:10] » Right?
>> Do we want to say must be or should be?
[1:16:15] We don't want material brought in from
elsewhere.
[1:16:17] » If if it's available and there why I
mean
[1:16:22] » point being we don't want material
brought in from elsewhere into the flood
[1:16:24] plane.
So we want to harvest material that's
[1:16:28] there and just move it around.
Paul's saying, should we change the
[1:16:33] language to must be instead of leaving
it up to their discretion?
[1:16:39] » I mean,
>> where else somewhere else is to put
[1:16:42] material should not be brought into the
flood lane.
[1:16:45] » Um,
>> without offsetting it.
[1:16:47] » I see I'm hearing it. I'm understanding
this two ways. So, I guess bear with me.
[1:16:53] Um the central meadow is where we sort
of want to remove material anyway as I
[1:16:59] understand it with sort of long-term
flood resilience plans anyway. So that's
[1:17:06] the deal. That's ideal.
>> Um
[1:17:09] » this says can be harvested from there.
I'm saying it should say must be
[1:17:14] » take it from there. That's where we want
him to take it from.
[1:17:16] » I I I What do you think? I No problem. I
guess
[1:17:20] » I got an issue. I mean, not knowing what
the material on site is, uh,
[1:17:27] you know, there's if there was
if the material wasn't uh uh usable for
[1:17:34] the project, then the contractor would
have the idea would have the option to
[1:17:39] bring in,
>> right? My concern would be if they bring
[1:17:40] in material from elsewhere, you're
bringing material into the flood plane,
[1:17:43] then you got to offset that. That's just
>> so
[1:17:48] here's what I think might be the
solution is that um yeah say you know
[1:17:54] that okay they want to use that material
uh for the BMS so it has to be
[1:18:00] compactable and da da if kind of
following your thought if you start a
[1:18:07] digging and it's like oh this is too
sandy or oh we're running in now we're
[1:18:13] running old uh weird weird buried things
from the former homes.
[1:18:19] » I I don't I I guess I wouldn't want to
lock the contractor into only using the
[1:18:25] meadow if they found that they had to
get material from somewhere else for
[1:18:32] reasons that we can't
anticipate right now. Um and but this
[1:18:37] the more important thing is is um I
would imagine the contractor
[1:18:43] uh would be amendable to working with us
if we had to move away from gathering
[1:18:50] everything from the from the meadow. I
mean that's the most economical thing
[1:18:54] for them. They would want
>> Yeah, I'm not quite that. It would be,
[1:18:58] but I
>> Yeah, I guess. So, I I guess I wouldn't
[1:19:01] want to lock them in to say it must only
be from the meadow.
[1:19:06] » I'm saying paragraph be added somewhere
that says if you bring a, you know,
[1:19:11] material into this site, some material
needs to be moved from the central
[1:19:16] meadow to offset cubic yard for cubic
yard.
[1:19:20] » Yeah.
>> Sure.
[1:19:21] » Yeah, we can make that change.
>> All right. Well, yeah, but that's that's
[1:19:23] part of would be part of the terms of
the flood permit anyway,
[1:19:27] » but it
>> Yeah,
[1:19:28] » I think Paul was just asking if they can
be part of the RFP so it's clear up
[1:19:32] front.
>> Any other questions, Paul?
[1:19:36] » That was an excellent question.
>> The only other question I had is with
[1:19:39] insurance and we're asking for
I don't know certificate of insurance,
[1:19:44] joint liability. Are we asking for any
specific limits?
[1:19:48] whatever they whatever they have is good
enough for us.
[1:19:52] » Well, usually your your contractor would
have,
[1:19:55] » you know, whatever amounts uh they're
comfortable working with. Um, you know,
[1:19:59] if the board wanted uh to set those
terms, that would be up to the board.
[1:20:04] But I mean, just making sure that
they've got general liability insurance
[1:20:07] to cover in case something happens.
>> Yes.
[1:20:11] » Million dollars.
>> What have we had in other contracts? Is
[1:20:13] it is it customary just leave it blank?
Like you have liability. We don't care
[1:20:17] how much it is. Seems kind of weak.
[1:20:24] » We could force them to bond.
>> Not in favor of that.
[1:20:28] library bond.
[1:20:32] » That's a bigger project, too.
>> That meets state of Vermont standards.
[1:20:38] » This does.
>> Okay.
[1:20:41] » That works. Do is it normal for past
contracts to not specify liability
[1:20:48] insurance amounts?
>> Think so.
[1:20:55] » Okay. I think that agreement, but I'm if
that's our norm, I'm okay with it.
[1:21:03] Um
I I just looked up the RFP for the
[1:21:07] library foundation.
It said maintain general liability
[1:21:11] insurance
>> but no specified amount.
[1:21:14] » No specified amount.
[1:21:20] » Okay.
[1:21:24] » So being that we asked for an audition,
is the board okay approving with the
[1:21:30] audition?
[1:21:34] Okay. You know, as amen discussed
tonight,
[1:21:39] » basically the only addition is clearly
stating if you bring material in, you
[1:21:43] bring the same amount out.
>> Yes.
[1:21:46] » And I you might want to talk to Jason's
able to use the old town pit as
[1:21:52] location for the out.
>> Yeah, that doesn't mean here. Okay.
[1:21:57] Probably not.
>> Um I had one question for the permitting
[1:22:02] bullet point. The sentence says, "If
required for town and county flood
[1:22:07] resilience planning, the contractor will
track track as built information on
[1:22:13] volumes of dirt moved and concrete
poured."
[1:22:17] Um, if required for town like like our
planning commission or like what does
[1:22:23] that mean?
>> Flood plane building regulation.
[1:22:26] » Yes.
>> Oh, okay. Okay.
[1:22:29] » That's another thing we didn't think
about. You're bringing in yardage of
[1:22:31] concrete anyways.
>> Yeah. Well, I'm glad you mentioned that
[1:22:35] cuz I wrote this should be required. I
think we should have them
[1:22:39] track asbuilt information
>> to have what permission.
[1:22:43] » I think we should have the contractor
track asbuilt information on the volumes
[1:22:47] of dirt move.
>> Oh yeah, I I I do too.
[1:22:51] » It says in here if I think and I agree.
I think it should just say
[1:22:56] » it's required
>> if this is at top of
[1:23:00] » right above 3.0. Oh, okay.
3.0.
[1:23:06] » I got a motion.
[1:23:10] » Yeah, apparently not.
>> I think that's a good one. Thanks,
[1:23:14] Adrian.
>> Yeah, I thought they would.
[1:23:19] Okay,
[1:23:24] » I'll make I make a motion to
approve the skate park improvements and
[1:23:30] renovation project RFP
um with the
[1:23:36] the amendments we discussed after that.
Yeah,
[1:23:42] » that's solid. Move in a second. Further
discussion.
[1:23:46] All those fa in favor signify by saying
I.
[1:23:49] » I.
>> All those opposed and the eyes have it.
[1:23:53] Can I take a quick poll of the audience?
Is anybody here to talk about town
[1:23:57] meeting planning?
>> Probably not.
[1:24:00] » Is the board okay if we kind of shift
our only things down towards the bottom.
[1:24:06] Mhm.
>> You know, town meeting planning
[1:24:10] can go towards the bottom,
which would leave our next item up as
[1:24:18] » huh.
>> I would leave our next item as emerald
[1:24:22] ashbor
trunk injection treatment.
[1:24:30] » Don, you want to take this one?
Somebody?
[1:24:32] » Yeah. Sue Lubin came in. um brought me
an an invoice and I talked to Rosemary
[1:24:38] about it. She said, "This is something
that we do every year
[1:24:42] and I asked her for a little more
information and she sent me a follow-up
[1:24:46] that there are eight ash trees in the
old mill park and they're the only trees
[1:24:50] there. That field is composed of a cap
over tailings from the former telm mill.
[1:24:54] The state forbids breaking the ground
there, so we can't plant any more trees.
[1:24:58] That being the case, the tree board
feels it's important that we save those
[1:25:02] ash trees from the emerald ash boore
which has been found in Belvverier and
[1:25:05] Stow. The rule of thumb with the ashbor
is that trees to be saved within 15 mi
[1:25:10] of an infestation should be
systematically treated. Waiting until
[1:25:14] the tree is already infested is almost
always too late. Treatment is done every
[1:25:17] two years and is priced by the diameter
of the tree. Sadly, it's a matter of
[1:25:22] time before the EAB gets to Johnson. The
good news is Johnson has no ash in the
[1:25:27] village rightaways and the road crew has
been proactive removing it on some town
[1:25:31] roads. For your information, I volunteer
with the urban committee and forest
[1:25:34] street as a forest pest first detector.
So anyone wanting info on the emerald
[1:25:39] ashbor Asian longhorn etc can call me. I
won't be at the select board meeting on
[1:25:44] the 19th as I have conservation. Thank
you. So she's requesting
[1:25:48] » she's here.
>> Just said she wasn't going to be here.
[1:25:54] Uh, does the board want to approve the
expense that's in front of us, which is
[1:26:01] four
$1,026.
[1:26:07] » There's a discount.
>> 975.
[1:26:09] » 974. Yeah, but I think we're after the
period of the discount.
[1:26:12] » Oh, man.
>> Oh, it's a prepaid discount
[1:26:15] » by four days.
>> What the heck?
[1:26:19] » Where? What? What? Why am I missing
that?
[1:26:21] » Discount. I've got a question for Sue.
>> No, I suppose I guess it's the office.
[1:26:26] But
>> Mr. Chairman,
[1:26:28] » sure.
>> This the only type of treatment they can
[1:26:31] use. I I look at this stuff. It's called
a drench.
[1:26:35] It appears that if you can pour at the
base of the tree,
[1:26:39] » very ineffective.
>> Ineffective.
[1:26:42] » You really want to save tree without
touching is injected.
[1:26:48] And it can only be done by licensed
pesticide. Yeah, we talked about this
[1:26:52] before. Uh, and did you ever get back to
me on that class so I could go do it
[1:26:59] myself?
>> I did. I saw the email I sent you the
[1:27:02] other day.
>> Well, when does it have to be done?
[1:27:06] » The treatment to the tree,
>> right?
[1:27:10] » It has to be done before the tree is
infested.
[1:27:13] » Yes, I understand that. But when are you
looking to have it done?
[1:27:17] » June. June to July.
So there's no reason I could get
[1:27:21] trained. So we don't have to spend over
a thousand bucks to do this.
[1:27:25] » You'd be real happy with that because
there's another five at the
[1:27:30] » another five over there. Okay.
>> The ones at the arium were created two
[1:27:35] years ago by a grant that the grant
people weren't supposed to give us. They
[1:27:40] made a mistake and they did. So they
said, "Okay, we're going to let you have
[1:27:43] it this time, but we won't do that." So,
um,
[1:27:47] » why don't you let me get that glass, get
that under my belt, and then, uh, you
[1:27:52] can go around, show me all the ones you
want done, and we'll we'll inject them.
[1:27:57] How's that?
>> Sounds good to me. You could go into
[1:28:00] business.
>> Well, I guess you get that kind of money
[1:28:03] for five trees. I mean, for eight trees
and then
[1:28:08] » another five.
>> Another five.
[1:28:10] » It was $860
years ago. Is the board okay with seeing
[1:28:16] if Mike can get his tree squirting
certification?
[1:28:19] » Don't even say it.
>> I already said it.
[1:28:21] » Don't say it out loud.
>> I said tree squirting certification.
[1:28:30] » I knew that was coming.
>> I did too.
[1:28:34] » Yeah.
>> Do we know how much the training is?
[1:28:36] » I don't think it can be that difficult.
>> Tell you the truth. I don't know about
[1:28:40] right now, but last year it was $25.
And I think the way they went was if you
[1:28:45] flung the course, you had to pay and if
you didn't, you didn't.
[1:28:49] » Well, most online courses are a piece of
cadence.
[1:28:53] » Maybe some other treeboard members would
be interested in going too.
[1:28:57] » We're already too busy.
>> Okay.
[1:29:00] » All right. So, are we just is the board
cool with tableabling this and getting a
[1:29:04] report from Mike and Sue? Please, if
this gets lost,
[1:29:08] » when I get back from
>> Plus in June, you could put that on your
[1:29:11] calendar.
>> Probably.
[1:29:13] » Are we going to miss another discount?
>> Probably.
[1:29:17] » Just can't anymore.
>> Well, you don't even know what I'm going
[1:29:21] to charge. Yeah.
[1:29:24] » Last time we had it done, they actually
I don't know why, but they charge $200
[1:29:28] less than actual
>> $300 less.
[1:29:31] » Yeah. I didn't question it.
Oh, good.
[1:29:36] » Yeah.
[1:29:40] » Do you have any idea how much of this
particular price? Not Mike's price, but
[1:29:46] this one um is uh the substance the
chemical
[1:29:54] » I don't know. Uh most people
who are reputable come from Waterberry
[1:30:02] and part of it maybe the traffic
[1:30:06] Okay.
Okay.
[1:30:11] Our next item up, I guess we're
tableabling this. Next item up is
[1:30:15] discuss town revenue. Can we bump that
for the audience?
[1:30:21] Uh, next item up is review and consider
signing uh certificate of highway
[1:30:26] mileage for year ending February
10, 2026.
[1:30:32] I believe this is accurate. We could
probably hit this one out of the park,
[1:30:35] but we're not doing great on that. I
>> Well, I got the notice of public hearing
[1:30:42] and site visits from Rosemary, and I
read down through and it showed that uh
[1:30:47] there was three roads uh that were uh
reduced from class 4 to legal trails.
[1:30:52] So, on the certificate of highway
mileage, I showed that subtraction,
[1:30:57] updated the math, and what I need
tonight is for the board to approve it
[1:31:01] and sign it. Uh, also I need to turn in
a set of signed minutes. And uh, going
[1:31:08] through uh, the previous minutes, it
wasn't until November 3rd, 2025 that the
[1:31:13] board acted and approved the uh,
changes.
[1:31:17] » Well,
I mean, we we acted and approved
[1:31:23] before, but it didn't make it. There was
a audio visual error and then we
[1:31:29] reaffirmed it again. But those minutes
will be
[1:31:34] » Yes. So what I'm asking is that the
board sign this so I can turn it in and
[1:31:40] uh approve reapprove these minutes. I
need uh signed minutes that I turn in
[1:31:44] the application.
>> Signed minutes.
[1:31:46] » Signed minutes
tomorrow. Can you get the watermark
[1:31:50] rule?
>> We already approved those.
[1:31:53] » Yeah.
>> They got to be signed according to the
[1:31:56] » All right. And if you need me to send
you a version that doesn't have the
[1:31:59] watermark, you don't have that.
>> If you can do that and you can add
[1:32:03] signature lines to them, then we can
just e- sign.
[1:32:06] » Okay.
>> Uh, can I get a motion to approve the
[1:32:09] highway mileage certificate?
>> Moved. You want second? Sign this one
[1:32:13] tonight.
>> Yeah. Motion and a second. Further
[1:32:15] discussion? All those in favor signify
by saying I. I. I. Opposed. The eyes
[1:32:21] have it.
Okay.
[1:32:35] Um,
[1:32:39] town highway grant program can wait.
Discussion regarding the future of low
[1:32:43] lecture hall town hall.
Peter,
[1:32:49] John, somebody.
>> Yeah. So, I put this on the agenda. Oh,
[1:32:53] » I need everybody to sound cover.
>> Yeah, I put this on the agenda um
[1:32:59] to kind of get the what the board was
thinking. I went back and I looked and I
[1:33:04] saw that they had a public meeting and
they had some ideas uh that we generated
[1:33:09] at the time. Uh I looked at the
survey that uh Peter handed out. U the
[1:33:17] building itself does need a lot of work.
Um, and I know I think you and I talked
[1:33:22] that this would be a topic for after
town meeting. Um, and I just kind of
[1:33:27] wanted to get some idea from uh, the
board, you know, did they have any
[1:33:31] ideas, you know, what were some plans
that could be considered? Um, ideally,
[1:33:36] you know, when the snow melts and the
sale goes through, I'd like to go in the
[1:33:40] bucket.
I know there's some uh, grant money
[1:33:44] that's out there for historic
preservation. Um, but I mean most of
[1:33:48] those grants require some kind of plan
for the building afterwards.
[1:33:54] » Um, and I just wanted to initiate the
the discussion from the board and get
[1:33:58] their feedback.
[1:34:01] » I think high level there's no
defined plan. There's been quite a few
[1:34:07] ideas and they trying not to misspeak
for anybody here but I think we're
[1:34:13] pretty clear in our special town meeting
that once the building was it's almost
[1:34:20] » recording stopped
[1:34:24] » recording in progress
>> because of that 250 because the studio
[1:34:31] center owned the building.
So,
[1:34:35] » is that going to transfer to us, the
town of Johnson, act 250 on this
[1:34:41] building? Because if it is, I think
people in the town are going to maybe
[1:34:46] want to revisit whether they want to buy
it or not because you know what we go
[1:34:51] through just for this industrial part to
get anything done through Act 250. You
[1:34:57] know, you spend more money going through
Act 250 than you do actually getting
[1:35:02] something done.
I don't know what the question is. Is
[1:35:06] the question are we exempt from act 250?
>> Are we exempt or do we follow act 250 on
[1:35:11] this bill?
>> Well, when we do the down
[1:35:13] » recording stopped
recording in progress
[1:35:18] » 26 if you have your town report with you
>> and that's basically kind of a
[1:35:26] maintenance.
it's that's not addressing some of the
[1:35:32] significant work that needs to be done.
We want we want to address that pretty
[1:35:37] carefully, I think. And I think that's
one one of my goals I had that putting
[1:35:41] it on the agenda to talk to the board
because when you start looking for grant
[1:35:45] funding, uh, one of the things that they
want to hear is that there's a plan for
[1:35:49] the reuse of the building. And I wanted
to, you know, educate myself, uh, talk
[1:35:55] to the board and see, you know, what
their plan was. And I put a note in the
[1:36:00] packet there from a previous meeting
some of the topics that were discussed.
[1:36:04] Um, and it's going to be a process going
forward
[1:36:08] carefully.
[1:36:11] » Are your questions getting answered,
Pat?
[1:36:13] » Yes.
>> And the direct the direct answer to most
[1:36:19] of them is no
>> or it's in process.
[1:36:26] » I just see
[1:36:31] a lot of problems.
You know, I'm just worried about the
[1:36:35] building deteriorating as we move
forward. Is it a year project, two-year
[1:36:39] project, three-year project? So, I want
to I would like to see a prioritized
[1:36:43] list and what is the most important
thing to do? Is it the roof? Is it the
[1:36:47] foundation?
And
[1:36:53] » yeah,
>> in two years I don't see a we need
[1:36:58] $80,000
to go on the taxes to
[1:37:03] fix something because it's in dire
straits now.
[1:37:08] » That could be cheap.
>> Well,
[1:37:12] yes.
>> Thank you very much. Are there any other
[1:37:17] questions on Mo lecture hall?
Oh yeah. Could Mike take a course on how
[1:37:24] you say
>> so? Could you take a course on how to
[1:37:26] fix it all?
>> I'll fix it all.
[1:37:29] » You going to inject it?
>> Did you have any comments?
[1:37:32] » Okay.
>> I was just here to tell.
[1:37:34] » Okay.
>> I I agree with you, Pat. I see problems
[1:37:39] on this whole thing, too.
especially if you've had neighboring
[1:37:44] properties that have been encroaching on
it for years and not been told they
[1:37:49] couldn't
>> put them on not and we we had
[1:37:51] conversations with their uh with their
attorneys that or the neighbors land
[1:37:55] owners had support.
>> Okay. So, you think that's all worked
[1:37:58] out?
>> Yeah. Yeah. We actually um we blocked
[1:38:01] Well, we had locked off so people
wouldn't park like cuz the way it works
[1:38:04] is that little house that's right next
to it, people are parking right there.
[1:38:08] So, we didn't want them to park there.
So they have a drive through our lawyer.
[1:38:12] There's no like adverse whatever say
that's not happening with us because
[1:38:17] we're a nonprofit. So it's not you can't
do that. So um so we already have our
[1:38:21] attorneys talk to their neighbors get
stuff. So
[1:38:26] » so that goes pretty close to the parts
place.
[1:38:29] » It's like right up
>> right up tight to it and they've been
[1:38:32] using that for parking for years.
>> Just the handicap spa I think. Okay. Um
[1:38:37] is really close to there on the other
side. So, I believe there's there's
[1:38:41] defin
>> And the other side it goes right tight
[1:38:44] to the to that building. It's in.
>> So, you could cut those trees down and
[1:38:48] have diagonal parking right in through
there.
[1:38:51] » You could. Yes.
>> Yeah.
[1:38:55] » Those precious trees.
>> Somebody might want to hug before we cut
[1:39:01] them down.
>> All right, let's move on from trees.
[1:39:06] » No, it's not.
>> No, you have the people. Yeah, I know.
[1:39:09] That's why that's why I said it.
[1:39:14] » Wonderful. All right, I think we're back
up to our regular stuff,
[1:39:21] right?
>> Thank you for answering those questions.
[1:39:25] I appreciate it.
>> I can also like on our second day that I
[1:39:31] know it's pretty. We has we didn't
trigger act 250 when we purchased it on
[1:39:37] these books.
But you would have if we took to
[1:39:40] weather. Yeah, absolutely.
>> John, maybe we can have our attorney
[1:39:44] talk to their attorney about the adverse
possession issue. We just make sure
[1:39:48] that's clear for us as well.
>> Yes.
[1:39:59] » Perfect. Great. Thank you.
>> Thanks, Melanie.
[1:40:04] One more.
>> Sure. The library.
[1:40:10] We're okay if you're going on that.
>> We're working with and supporting the
[1:40:16] library trustee board as things evolve.
They have made commitments to
[1:40:23] come up with the shortfall in funding.
And the last conversation with the
[1:40:28] library that was in here was they were
going to work on a grant amendment and
[1:40:34] potentially a contract amendment
[1:40:40] to see if we could get more money
>> and didn't have to finish.
[1:40:44] » The short version is
[1:40:48] » their grant got amended. So they don't
have to build the whole thing which is
[1:40:51] what they originally thought. They just
have to open the old building and they
[1:40:55] can use the grant money for the old
building.
[1:40:58] So they can do that by the end of this
year and meet the grant requirements and
[1:41:03] then do whatever else they need to do as
money allows.
[1:41:09] So we got some really good news from the
funding agency
[1:41:13] » without the town being responsible.
>> Pardon me. without the town being
[1:41:18] responsible.
>> But we're still ultimately responsible.
[1:41:22] » We still the works. It's watching things
being done around that building and at
[1:41:27] that building.
>> No,
[1:41:29] » that's a rub, too.
Well, so they were digging up around the
[1:41:33] foundation when it was 10 below or
whatever and then plopping big chunks of
[1:41:41] frozen earth, then running an excavator
over the top of it and going up against
[1:41:45] the foundation. If anybody seen that,
thought what was going on when they were
[1:41:50] digging putting dirt in.
>> Yeah. Smashed up a bunch of the extruded
[1:41:55] polystyrene that was against the
building.
[1:41:59] » Oh. So I am
[1:42:04] » understood.
That was from homes metal.
[1:42:08] » Yeah.
>> Material.
[1:42:11] » So to move forward a word
with a clerk of the works before any
[1:42:17] more work is being done. Does it go
through the clerk of the works that goes
[1:42:22] through the town or not?
>> We do not have a clerk of the works for
[1:42:25] that project.
We need one badly.
[1:42:31] » John, I think you were going to reach
out to Mumley and see what they would
[1:42:34] charge for that. We talked about that in
our last meeting. Is that on your list
[1:42:38] somewhere?
>> It's on my list. It didn't get down.
[1:42:41] » Thank you.
>> We talked about that. We're aware we
[1:42:45] don't have one. It wasn't in the budget.
I don't want to be a naysayer here, but
[1:42:49] I was under the assumption that these
projects were were moving forward and we
[1:42:54] had our ducks in a row for them to move
forward and the funding say and you know
[1:42:59] the rumor on the streets is with the
library that
[1:43:04] there's just no money there. Was there
any money there to begin with?
[1:43:10] » There's money there. Um the library
after the grant and some funding from
[1:43:16] the library kicking in has you know
round numbers $1.9 million for the
[1:43:23] project.
[1:43:26] Round numbers it's going to cost give or
take 2.4 to complete the project. It's
[1:43:32] only the delta. And
the architect as well as the engineers
[1:43:39] were all surprised at how high the
project came in based on their,
[1:43:43] you know, preliminary numbers for the
grant application.
[1:43:49] » To answer your question, I took pictures
of that and I gave it to the board.
[1:43:56] They need 500,000 more to complete it.
And work is going to keep going with the
[1:44:03] money they have. So nothing is stopping
or pausing. It's going to keep going
[1:44:09] until the money is spent, I suppose.
>> And the rumors on the street are pretty
[1:44:15] lacking in fact.
>> Yeah. But they're there.
[1:44:18] » They're there. Yeah. I don't know how
>> I don't know how we get people to
[1:44:23] listen.
>> Well, when you see a GoFundMe page
[1:44:26] looking for all kinds of money, of
course, it's not
[1:44:29] » Mike.
Mike,
[1:44:33] » the town is not on the hook.
>> I understand.
[1:44:38] » There is a short fall on that and there
is a gunding and you
[1:44:43] fired up.
>> The library was not on our agenda. I did
[1:44:47] this as a favor for Pat to talk about
it. I think we're getting back to our
[1:44:50] agenda.
>> Okay, Dad. Fair enough.
[1:44:53] » Thanks, Pat.
>> Yeah,
[1:44:55] » not about the librarians.
>> I have I did uh do some research this
[1:44:59] week on uh some uh CDBG grant
opportunities and uh under the public
[1:45:05] facilities program, they do list
libraries. So, I want to explore that
[1:45:08] thing.
>> Thank you. Town meeting day. Planning
[1:45:12] » planning. Town meeting day. What do we
need?
[1:45:17] What's John kind of had this one on the
agenda and it's a good time to have it.
[1:45:23] » Uh
we got uh the historical society is
[1:45:28] going to be selling pies. Um
>> but they're free to select board
[1:45:32] members.
>> That's billions.
[1:45:35] » They changed me double last year.
>> Talk about sharks.
[1:45:40] » $5 a slice. I gave him a 10 and left
with a piece of pot.
[1:45:44] You just go all the
>> Jenny Urus is going to be doing uh tea
[1:45:49] and coffee and
>> food shelf.
[1:45:53] » For the food. Yes. And for pizza, it's
>> Mark Woodward.
[1:45:57] » Mark Woodward.
>> Doesn't R usually do the the coffee?
[1:46:01] » Not this year.
>> Mark Woodward's doing the pizza.
[1:46:05] » Well,
>> organizing it.
[1:46:07] » Okay.
>> Johnson eats
[1:46:10] » because I'm on the pizza committee, but
I haven't heard anything yet.
[1:46:14] Mark goes in at 2:00 in the morning to
start that thing to get it all hot.
[1:46:19] » And I got to
>> Kyle has arranged daycare.
[1:46:22] » Yeah,
>> which is great.
[1:46:24] » That one still concerns me a little bit.
But
[1:46:27] » what
>> they've been doing daycare for
[1:46:32] five, six years now.
>> I know
[1:46:33] » the parents stay on site. They have to
stay on site still.
[1:46:40] Um, but Kyle said that we need to reach
out to the
[1:46:48] elementary school or what did she say?
>> Yeah, for the room.
[1:46:54] » It says contact Dunton Elementary School
to reserve the classroom for the
[1:46:59] kindergarten the kindergarten room. Uh
let this community service let let the
[1:47:07] community know this service will be
available to them at town meeting. Um
[1:47:12] create and put up signs and arrows
directing parents to the classroom.
[1:47:16] Create sign in sheet for parents that
include phone number. Day before confirm
[1:47:21] with the school that the room will be
unlocked and baby sitters submit hours
[1:47:26] and get paid minimum wage.
[1:47:30] » Mr. Mr. Chairman, what was your concern
about the day?
[1:47:35] » It's a lot of liability on the town.
>> It is. And uh
[1:47:39] » I mean, we can't hire, no offense, you
were
[1:47:45] to anybody, we can't hire an employee
without a background check
[1:47:51] in any other capacity. And what happens
if the kids get hurt?
[1:47:56] Who is responsible?
>> There is some kind of a course. I think
[1:48:00] it's I don't know if the proper name is
like a assessing the risk or some dumb
[1:48:06] thing that you can course you can take
that would protect the town if something
[1:48:11] happened.
That's what you're thinking about.
[1:48:16] » I'm thinking that if we were to provide
babysitters, they should have horses in
[1:48:21] babysitting, CPR training, stop bleed
training, background checks. If we're
[1:48:26] really going to do it,
>> they
[1:48:29] » they might have those. I don't know. I
don't know.
[1:48:33] » Possibly.
>> Yeah.
[1:48:35] » Why don't you just let me die with
saying I'm skeptical?
[1:48:41] » No, but I mean, you do have a good point
that uh the town is on the hook if
[1:48:46] something happens.
[1:48:51] » As always,
>> we're always on the hook.
[1:48:56] Now that we moved on from that
Casey
[1:49:01] » question
have there been uh discussion with other
[1:49:07] committees about you know there are
presentation tables and stuff is that
[1:49:13] come into focus yet? I think anybody
that wants a presentation table can just
[1:49:18] email John. kind of a pretty good reason
the library board to have a
[1:49:25] table at
>> you know
[1:49:28] » maybe John could you send it email to
committee and commission chairs
[1:49:33] » offering that
>> in years past the skate park committees
[1:49:37] often used have table we we could use
use a small table
[1:49:42] » and show people what our projects
included
[1:49:45] » yeah maybe um ask them to have a signup
sheet too basic.
[1:49:53] » Could she be some kind of release?
>> Ditto town hall.
[1:49:58] No, that's we don't know what
[1:50:02] » great idea.
>> Okay. It's not a good idea.
[1:50:04] » You know what I'm saying? Because people
lack facts and not it's a way of
[1:50:10] helping.
>> Yep.
[1:50:12] » Great idea. We could ask chairs of
committees if they want to be there. All
[1:50:16] the committees that love being there
have already said they're going to be
[1:50:18] there. But
[1:50:22] the money,
>> do I get a freebie piece this year?
[1:50:30] » Don't.
But um I do want to mention that I do
[1:50:35] remember from last year that there was a
shortage of tables that were easy to
[1:50:39] work from for the groups because the
tables that are available are the ones
[1:50:45] that have the seats.
>> Oh yeah, they only have about maybe
[1:50:49] four. Maybe Rosemary sent some over last
year or the year.
[1:50:54] » I think I've always told people to bring
your own people
[1:50:58] » because the school doesn't have a lot of
papers, right?
[1:51:03] Yeah, maybe that can be part of the
email chair. So, if you want to set
[1:51:06] something up
by Yo,
[1:51:10] » B.
>> So, now that we're back to school type
[1:51:15] things,
uh,
[1:51:18] you've been in communication with the
school.
[1:51:21] » Yes.
>> Gotten the Wi-Fi password.
[1:51:23] » Yeah.
>> Mountain Access Pision had some
[1:51:26] questions. Are you running with theirs?
[1:51:31] They wanted to know if the school was
setting up the school's AV equipment,
[1:51:37] the Wi-Fi password,
[1:51:42] some other things,
but those would be if you have a
[1:51:48] contact at the school. Yeah. Uh
that
[1:51:54] » they wanted to know if it's still going
to be headed held at John. Yeah, I'll
[1:51:57] just forward it the whole thing.
>> Yeah. uh Rosemary, Susan and I, we went
[1:52:01] over and had a meeting with the
principal and the staffs and uh we had a
[1:52:06] chance to talk to them and request what
we needed.
[1:52:11] » I know Wi-Fi password was difficult or
Wi-Fi access was difficult.
[1:52:15] » I guess there's a guess that there is no
password to it.
[1:52:19] » Okay.
Are we going to set up on the stage this
[1:52:22] year?
>> E.
[1:52:28] Only if we're at the old town hall.
>> Are we going to wear matching outfits?
[1:52:35] » Would you like outfits?
>> Yeah, but can I
[1:52:38] » Nobody's getting off board this year.
Nobody has it.
[1:52:43] » Bunny suits.
>> You want to pick that? I will gladly
[1:52:47] carry it in with me.
[1:52:52] » I'll send some idea. Um,
what else? The local boy scout troop
[1:53:00] used to present the colors.
>> They have not for the last few years.
[1:53:04] » They haven't for the last couple years.
But
[1:53:06] » the scout masters,
>> I don't, but Dick Sees, I think, is
[1:53:10] still connected enough.
>> Dick is connected, but I don't believe
[1:53:14] that that there are any scouts left.
the last two
[1:53:21] and build bridge.
>> Wow.
[1:53:25] » Project.
>> Maybe the last two.
[1:53:27] » Reach out to Tom Carney and see if
there's a bunch of veterans that would
[1:53:31] be willing to do it.
>> I did it last year.
[1:53:34] » Well, you stood up and started the
pledge of allegiance. But, you know, if
[1:53:38] there was a
>> getting back to what just a second ago
[1:53:42] you said, what are we going to wear? You
know, we did Johnson Wool. If
[1:53:46] everybody's got a Vermont flannel shirt,
you know, we could all wear Vermont a
[1:53:52] different Vermont flannel shirt.
I'll wear one.
[1:53:59] And if you don't want to spend a hundred
bucks, you can find them on eBay real
[1:54:02] cheap.
>> Okay.
[1:54:05] » I have one Vermont flannel. Yeah.
>> Is coordinational wardrobe the most
[1:54:10] important thing?
>> No. But she said we're gonna all kind of
[1:54:13] wear. We're not going to have the same
one on
[1:54:17] » final insurance.
>> That might be something we can discuss
[1:54:20] by email.
>> No,
[1:54:22] » what we wear could probably be discussed
by
[1:54:24] » Yeah,
>> we had a select board member buy all
[1:54:28] those last year.
>> But he got done.
[1:54:29] » Oh, Paul,
>> you want to buy me?
[1:54:34] » Well, technically speaking, I think you
took over that select member.
[1:54:41] Um, we can figure out wardrobe, but I
don't I don't know. Are there any other
[1:54:46] ideas for pledge of allegiance
presenting
[1:54:49] flags?
>> A great idea.
[1:54:52] » If they're interested in doing it,
>> they're interested.
[1:54:54] » I think is Tom the one the runner of
that circle.
[1:54:58] » Yeah, Tom.
>> Yeah. Any contact Rosemary's got contact
[1:55:02] info for Tom Carney.
>> Okay.
[1:55:07] » With the veterans.
Yeah, just to see if they if there's no
[1:55:12] scouts.
>> Maybe Girl Scouts.
[1:55:14] » That'd be fine.
>> They sell Girl Scout cookies, but I
[1:55:17] don't know who it is.
>> That'll be fine. They never done that
[1:55:21] before.
>> How do we find out who it is?
[1:55:24] » Yeah,
>> maybe Kyle does.
[1:55:29] » Ask her.
>> You don't mind?
[1:55:32] » You can sell cookies, too. Yeah,
>> they used to they have it for
[1:55:36] » bodies.
>> Anything else? They used the Girl Scouts
[1:55:38] used to sell.
>> Yes. No. Maybe.
[1:55:40] » Is there like an elementary like band or
choir or anything like that to include?
[1:55:48] » I don't know.
>> Okay.
[1:55:49] » No, I just um I had it on the agenda. I
know you and I talked about it uh to try
[1:55:54] to uh see what we need for that meeting.
That's coming up quick.
[1:55:59] » So, anybody else have any wants, wishes?
I think my mother-in-law usually does a
[1:56:03] couple things with flowers.
>> You folks aren't riveted anymore.
[1:56:06] Fantastic.
I'll keep being a little bit.
[1:56:11] One of the things I just thought up with
your fing
[1:56:16] uh so babysitters,
maybe if you could find an EMT
[1:56:22] or a nurse that would be in the area
with the kids or
[1:56:30] speaking from some experience as ski
patroller,
[1:56:35] » they all would have the necessary
first aid background should an emergency
[1:56:40] arise.
And maybe you can set it up where
[1:56:43] they're in like a 2-hour shift or
something like that so you're not
[1:56:47] burdening them like the whole day, but
that would give you some adult
[1:56:52] supervision that's medically trained.
Um just a just a thought. I'm not trying
[1:56:58] to stir the pot here.
>> No.
[1:57:01] » But the resources may be available
locally.
[1:57:04] » Yeah.
um to get you a little bit better
[1:57:08] confidence, but you are exposing
yourself
[1:57:11] ski for 40 years with a car district and
the uh the liability is huge should
[1:57:18] something
go the wrong way.
[1:57:22] » That's a great idea. Thank you.
>> Yeah,
[1:57:24] » thank you very much.
>> What What did I just think of? Go.
[1:57:28] » Like I said, I could reach out to Tammy.
Uh she's looking at starting a job if
[1:57:33] she's available. She's a former teacher,
so she's had her background check and
[1:57:36] she's a former EMT.
>> How about that?
[1:57:40] » Might as well ask the question.
>> I know when this program first started,
[1:57:45] the the babysitters did take a certified
babysitting course.
[1:57:51] » Red Cross offers one. Yeah,
>> I think that's what they took.
[1:57:54] » And that would be a good idea.
Kyle sent me the Girl Scout leaders
[1:58:01] contact info, so I'll forward that to
you guys.
[1:58:07] » Tech, uh, Green Mountain Tech Center,
wellness, uh,
[1:58:13] early nursing or whatever programs they
have up there, any of those kids might
[1:58:18] be resuscitated. Would they would they
be or they, you know, not certified
[1:58:22] enough? Maybe,
maybe we're getting too deep in the
[1:58:27] weeds on that one.
Um,
[1:58:29] » you started it.
>> Yeah, I did.
[1:58:33] » Charles Ski Patroller,
>> huh?
[1:58:35] » Charles Flam.
>> Yeah, there we go.
[1:58:38] » You started it with us.
>> Have any of the local reps reached out
[1:58:44] to you to see if I may be here?
>> No.
[1:58:49] » I can email them tomorrow. They're
usually
[1:58:53] wanting to come after lunch. We all
done.
[1:58:57] » You think?
>> Yeah.
[1:58:59] » Yeah.
>> I hope
[1:59:02] » we lose so many people like after they
leave.
[1:59:07] » All right, I'll just copy you on that.
>> It should be pretty short town meeting.
[1:59:12] I feel like
>> Well, that's how long we talk about the
[1:59:16] library and the town hall.
>> That's not on the agenda. I know, but
[1:59:21] it's still
>> like I said, we've condemned
[1:59:23] administration.
>> Yeah, it's still on the agenda is going
[1:59:25] to be pretty painless.
>> It's only a
[1:59:29] weather.
[1:59:33] » Anything else? We're good.
Um, I mean, should we have Jason there
[1:59:39] for public works or he hasn't he hasn't
been there since he's been the
[1:59:43] supervisor,
>> but if he wants to come,
[1:59:48] he has
>> supposedly working
[1:59:51] » time. Yeah, he's supposed to be working.
>> You could ask Isabella if she wanted to
[1:59:57] give any recreation.
>> Isabelle, she can't be there. Okay.
[2:00:00] » I'm assuming that I'm assuming she can't
because usually they make a pile of
[2:00:04] money on coffee.
Oh, okay. Uhhuh.
[2:00:08] » What was I just thinking about?
[2:00:14] » Oh, I will get together a list of
potential topics and
[2:00:20] experts and we can talk about that at
our next meeting.
[2:00:24] » Okay.
>> Usually it's like
[2:00:27] know if we get a question about ATVs,
just Mike can be our topic expert.
[2:00:32] » My guess is
Low lecture hall library
[2:00:39] maybe.
>> Oh, what fun. Um, yeah,
[2:00:42] » in all honesty, you answered better than
I did.
[2:00:46] » Sure, I'll give it a shot.
>> We can bounce it back and forth.
[2:00:51] » Long as Mike agrees to be my wardrobe
consultant.
[2:00:54] Neil, listen.
[2:01:00] » Can we uh move on on this one?
Yep.
[2:01:04] » Do we want to talk about creating town
revenue?
[2:01:11] » That is who's uh who's contacting the
school to the room or daycare?
[2:01:16] » Huh?
>> Who's contacting the school to reserve
[2:01:18] the room for daycare?
>> I can do that.
[2:01:21] » Yeah. He's got to talk to the school
about for the GMAT TV stuff. The There's
[2:01:25] a couple of items.
[2:01:34] Everything okay?
>> Donna
[2:01:36] free extensions for like this.
[2:01:44] » You raising money, right?
[2:01:48] » The floor.
>> Yeah. Um,
[2:01:51] » so I just thought it'd be good to like
talk about how we could increase town
[2:01:55] revenue. There's a lot of different
avenues. Uh there's a sheet that has
[2:02:03] different like buckets of ideas, but
property the main ones are like property
[2:02:08] taxes, local fees and charges, state
aid, revolutionary, enterprise funds,
[2:02:15] uh local option taxes,
grants, external funding, funds,
[2:02:20] penalties,
asset based revenue, economic
[2:02:24] development, uh donations, endowments,
Um but uh
[2:02:31] » but I just generally wanted to see if
anyone had any ideas that we wanted to
[2:02:38] try out to increase our revenue um and
open the floor to that.
[2:02:44] » I did attach some research on local
option tax. I know there's some
[2:02:48] communities that have used it
successfully. It does require town
[2:02:53] meeting approval. Um, and I added that
to the back of just more to consider.
[2:03:00] I've heard uh a lot of communities are
talking about that and I, you know, as I
[2:03:06] was looking at this today, I was
thinking, I sure would like to hear from
[2:03:13] businesses in town that depend on
tourist business,
[2:03:20] how they would feel about a local option
tax. Because the last thing we want to
[2:03:24] do is
um
[2:03:30] reduce economic activity.
>> Mhm.
[2:03:38] » Well,
>> well put Yeah.
[2:03:42] » Well, I'm going to mention something
here. People are probably going to block
[2:03:47] at it. At least we have discussed it
before and uh we know it is going to be
[2:03:52] a long process but we could save quite a
lot of money if we didn't have to allow
[2:03:58] and maintain all these single family
drive.
[2:04:03] I just drove by Mchuan Heights the other
day and you know I know that it's paved
[2:04:09] and so when that road needs to be paved
again the town has to pay for it
[2:04:16] you know and we do have a lot of farms I
mean they were old farms years ago and
[2:04:22] we all know that the reason why is that
they farmers had milk they had to pick
[2:04:28] them up and so that's why the road was
there it was maintained and everything
[2:04:32] else. But we have they're not farms
anymore. They're single family homes.
[2:04:38] And so, you know, we discussed that a
while back about some of them don't give
[2:04:43] us room to turn around in. And we were
going to try to find a way that to say
[2:04:48] that if they didn't allow us to turn
around that we weren't going to take
[2:04:52] care of them. And then we find out from
the state that we can't say that, we
[2:04:56] can't do that. But we need to start the
process of uh getting away from this.
[2:05:03] And I don't know how much we would save
in the long run, but you know, because
[2:05:07] there's no real breakdown of it, but I
would imagine in a year's time it would
[2:05:11] make such a wild amount of money. I
mean, you just look at 100 C of that
[2:05:15] bridge that goes to one house that had
to be replaced years ago for two houses
[2:05:20] and one of them belongs to the college
which is no longer
[2:05:26] take it. It's it's vacant now. Okay. And
so no nobody lives there. So they
[2:05:31] there's only one house across that and
unless there's other buildings or
[2:05:36] something further up to support that
someday that bridge will have to be
[2:05:40] replaced and who knows how much money
and the town is going to have to foot
[2:05:45] the bill for them. So some of these
places ought to be done away with
[2:05:49] really. Uh, so I've got 3 years provided
nobody runs against me and beats me. So
[2:05:58] the next three years I'm going to be
pushing that and we need to look into
[2:06:03] this and to try to be saving us money,
you know, and plowing them out and
[2:06:08] maintaining them and grading them and
hauling gravel into them. I mean, this
[2:06:14] just goes on and on and on. And I think
Morsville is getting rid of a whole
[2:06:19] bunch of them and uh we need to look
into what the process they went through
[2:06:25] to do it.
>> We just did that last year. I think we
[2:06:30] can all agree there are places to save
money. This is about bringing money in.
[2:06:34] » I understand. Uh but if you don't spend
as much money, you don't have to bring
[2:06:39] as much money in. So that's my point
with that.
[2:06:43] » Dollar saved, dollar earned. That's
right. I have a question about re
[2:06:49] reappraisals.
So, uh does not create new money, just
[2:06:53] redistributes.
Um
[2:06:57] if
if somebody has made improvements to
[2:07:02] their property,
um wouldn't their assessment go up?
[2:07:11] A reappraisal would redistribute the
money because you have your approved
[2:07:18] budget. We prepare a budget,
>> the taxpayers accept it or deny it.
[2:07:23] » Mhm.
>> And then we use the grand list to
[2:07:26] determine the tax rate.
So if a property depreciates, they just
[2:07:31] pay less in taxes. If a property
appreciates,
[2:07:34] they just pay more in taxes. But if
everything in an ideal world, your grand
[2:07:40] list would grow at the same rate that
your expenses grow and your tax rate
[2:07:42] would never change.
>> But typically when you do a reappraisal,
[2:07:46] when everybody gets reappraised, the tax
rate goes down,
[2:07:50] » right?
>> Because grandma's figure, it's
[2:07:51] » not like you keep your tax rate there.
>> Okay. So
[2:07:58] » also, you know, during the means, we
went through a tax abatement program
[2:08:04] with people that were flooded. It was a
big eye openener for me and I know it
[2:08:08] was for a lot of the other participants
that you had a lot of these um apartment
[2:08:14] houses that were in for basically a
fitness and they had like four
[2:08:19] apartments with you know $12,400 a
month. It it's not based on income for
[2:08:25] these taxes. It's based upon the
appraised value of the house. And so you
[2:08:30] listen to the the assessor and he talks
about a room here and a room there and
[2:08:36] fixtures here and fixtures there and
next thing you know uh they have a house
[2:08:40] that's uh generating a tremendous amount
of income that's only in for like
[2:08:45] $150,000.
So I mean they're not actually paying
[2:08:49] their fair share of the amount of income
that they are producing out of these
[2:08:54] apartments. So, I mean, the whole thing
has to be possibly revamped
[2:09:00] down the road and make some of these
people with the ability to pay more
[2:09:04] taxes pay that.
>> The majority of the businesses in our
[2:09:10] town are not assessed on a business
model.
[2:09:14] » That's right.
>> They're assessed on a property model.
[2:09:19] » Right.
Um, I guess one thing I was interested
[2:09:25] to see if we had any land to be able to
do this with, um, was leasing town land
[2:09:31] or buildings. Um, and maybe leasing land
for like cell towers or solar arrays on
[2:09:38] municipal property.
I don't know if we have any areas that
[2:09:42] would be good fit for that.
>> You'd certainly have a lot of people
[2:09:46] yell at you if you did. Well, the cell
the the cell tower is up at the college
[2:09:52] and the college is in the states
generating revenue from that.
[2:09:58] » So,
>> there could be a penance of money for
[2:10:04] certain things, but it's worth looking
at. I don't want to even think about the
[2:10:08] local options tax myself.
>> No,
[2:10:13] » I don't think it fits our town. Town
like Willist, sure, because people go
[2:10:17] there and shop a lot. Town like Sto,
sure, fail room and board alcohol sales.
[2:10:23] » Here it would just be a tax on the local
residents for the most part.
[2:10:28] » So they wouldn't see it in their
property taxes. And unfortunately,
[2:10:34] we only get to keep like 75%.
I thought it was 60% corrected me. We
[2:10:40] get to keep 75% of that 1% of the sales
tax.
[2:10:43] » State gets to keep the other 25. I mean,
fund it
[2:10:48] » the pilot.
>> The pilot program.
[2:10:49] » Adrian, you mentioned cell towers.
>> One time we had a piece of property that
[2:10:54] they were thinking of putting a cell
tower on uh and they were going to pay
[2:10:57] us $25,000 a year for a 30-year
contract.
[2:11:01] » Okay. But they ended up going someplace
else.
[2:11:04] » I think they actually going to college
instead.
[2:11:08] » Yeah. But I certainly would have not
laid $25,000 a year just to have a cell
[2:11:13] tower on my property.
>> Mhm.
[2:11:16] » And I wouldn't be dropping calls if they
had done that.
[2:11:19] » You're probably right.
>> Yeah.
[2:11:27] » And I mean, I know we don't have like
parking tickets, but
[2:11:32] is that an option?
>> Who would enforce it?
[2:11:39] the sheriff's department.
>> Mhm.
[2:11:42] » And they won't
issued one ticket last month.
[2:11:48] » One
[2:11:52] that's huge.
>> I do
[2:11:55] » generate a lot of revenue.
We're saying Jay up here
[2:12:02] » for what
>> Danielle people get picked up all the
[2:12:05] time.
I do think our
[2:12:09] paid for services should go up.
>> Our paid for services.
[2:12:16] » Well, maybe that goes under fees or
local fees and charges, but I said that
[2:12:22] about wreck when we were budgeting.
>> And I think I also said I'd like to see
[2:12:27] a lot more donations and
empower committees to get donations.
[2:12:34] » Yeah.
Um, and then like with form based code,
[2:12:39] could we like charge
for violations
[2:12:43] for that?
>> Do we even have a fee structure?
[2:12:47] » I believe there is one for that.
>> What it is?
[2:12:50] » We don't even enforce what we've done.
>> We certainly could.
[2:12:55] » What was your question? Sorry.
>> Uh, violations with formbbased code.
[2:12:58] » Violations.
[2:13:02] Although there's no fee structure if you
don't fill out an application
[2:13:06] before you start work. Correct.
Why I have to reate?
[2:13:11] » We've only had one feed.
>> No, there's been two. It's just from the
[2:13:18] same person.
[2:13:21] » I think
the garage
[2:13:28] » best kept secret for the last eight
years. Mhm. Mhm.
[2:13:33] » Got a lot of attention on it past
hard imagine people don't know
[2:13:40] but certainly the administration of it
has been pretty quiet.
[2:13:45] » Yeah.
>> Well, one of your board members was very
[2:13:47] outspoken
commission. One thing that would bring
[2:13:53] in a tremendous swing in our budget
would be getting the state to recognize
[2:13:59] the calculation error in our pilot
payment and correct it.
[2:14:06] That would change our
tax rate by 4%.
[2:14:11] Give or take.
>> Yeah.
[2:14:13] » Well, how can we do that? Now, if you
can get the state of Vermont
[2:14:18] to uh admit to their error and correct
it,
[2:14:25] uh then we probably still wouldn't get
the full payment because they're short
[2:14:30] changing every town except for Chester
right now.
[2:14:34] But we'd get a lot more.
>> Can we sue them?
[2:14:39] » Maybe.
Well, the state's just about ready to go
[2:14:42] belly up anyway. So,
really,
[2:14:47] » but that is not funded through income
taxes for them.
[2:14:52] » Yeah,
that would be a big swing. I know there
[2:14:56] was a huge push, was that two years ago?
Another big push last year, and
[2:15:01] nothing's changed.
>> Big push
[2:15:07] from here or statewide?
>> From us?
[2:15:09] » From us? I don't think a lot of towns
know how formula even works.
[2:15:16] » State budgets will raise billion.
>> Well, doesn't matter.
[2:15:26] I think one of the areas that might be
considered is um having support from our
[2:15:35] administrator and our community economic
development with grants to the various
[2:15:41] committees. I I don't know if something
comes up in the mask, you can get help,
[2:15:46] but when we we had the time when Lyn
Fleer was here and was actually
[2:15:55] um a part of so many committees just
because she was here and she would come
[2:16:00] back with ideas
and then get something generated and
[2:16:06] then the committee became the leg of
getting some of the work done. But she
[2:16:10] actually was the person who did the
writing and dotted the eyes and crossed
[2:16:16] the teas and got it sent in the way it
needed to be done because they're always
[2:16:21] changing. Some grants are real easy to
do. But some of them are just almost
[2:16:26] impossible for
for the lay person or somebody who
[2:16:30] hasn't written a grant in 25 years.
So
[2:16:33] » yeah,
>> just keeping that in mind as we're
[2:16:36] writing the community um economic bills
and job description.
[2:16:41] » To me, that's a good place for it
because I think that administrator has
[2:16:45] to do but I think the two together
really help volunteers could get more
[2:16:52] money,
>> right?
[2:16:54] Definitely.
[2:16:58] » Should we pick this up again?
Yeah, this can be an ongoing topic, but
[2:17:04] um then we can move on to the CD.
>> We could we could add that to old
[2:17:07] business, too, so we can kind of talk
about it on any meeting.
[2:17:10] » Sure.
>> And we can we can take off TSSA on old
[2:17:13] business as well.
>> Are there any of those other ones here
[2:17:16] that we can take off?
[2:17:25] » You said the capital budget and plan is
being worked on by the planning
[2:17:28] commission. Um, they're working on
getting a grant. So, hopefully I'll
[2:17:33] follow that on.
>> Okay. So, do we need that on our our old
[2:17:37] business if they're working on it?
>> I keep it there for keep track of it.
[2:17:44] » We're going to really need to like come
to us. Yeah.
[2:17:50] » Louis,
>> town highway grant program. Anything for
[2:17:54] that, John?
>> I talked to Jason Jason. He said they
[2:17:58] applied for it last year and they
weren't successful. Uh he was hoping to
[2:18:01] do Wilson Road. I reached out to a guy
uh with Transport uh Steve Sally and he
[2:18:08] told me that the grants were up to
200,000. Jason said that's what they
[2:18:12] applied for last year. Uh he said he can
use uh town equipment and town labor as
[2:18:17] part of the match. Uh he said he'd like
to uh see us apply for the same amount
[2:18:23] uh for this year and dedicate those
funds for Wilson Road.
[2:18:27] Everybody cool with that?
>> Mhm.
[2:18:29] » Y
>> deal.
[2:18:33] Rosemary wants a road off a Wilson road.
>> Yeah, we can go down a tenth of a mile.
[2:18:38] » Tenth of a mile.
>> Yeah.
[2:18:42] Ask Jason if he'll fit it in.
>> We'll see everybody on town.
[2:18:45] » Have a good one, Mike.
>> Have a good trip, Mike. Thank you.
[2:18:49] » Where are you going?
>> Clearly,
[2:18:51] » huh?
>> Oh, wow.
[2:18:54] » I fought the day before filming today.
when you go to you.
[2:18:58] » Oh,
>> nice.
[2:19:00] » Thank you.
>> Voage.
[2:19:02] » Yeah.
>> Have fun.
[2:19:03] » Gonna go to Venice. Gonna go to Rome.
Going to go take a train to some little
[2:19:07] town and we're going to end up in
Venice.
[2:19:10] » Ah,
couple Olympic events. Are you there?
[2:19:14] » Do a couple Olympic events. Are you
there?
[2:19:15] » Yeah, probably. I'll get right on that.
[2:19:20] » Okay.
Is that
[2:19:24] » community economic development
coordinator job description?
[2:19:27] » I did get a
>> specialist. Sorry,
[2:19:29] » feedback back from uh
Adrian on her thoughts on the position.
[2:19:35] Uh one of the questions she asked was
having the this individual, you know,
[2:19:41] work with the individual committees.
Um, I didn't know if the board wanted to
[2:19:48] um identify certain committees who
wanted this this individual to work with
[2:19:52] or as a whole because I mean that would
give them a lot of hours. I wasn't sure
[2:19:56] what our budget was going to be, but
>> um well, I was thinking they would work
[2:20:01] with all the committees, but
like like we would set kind of a some
[2:20:08] kind of amount of committee meetings
that they would go to each month, like
[2:20:11] maybe two meetings a month and like
rotate with the different committees.
[2:20:15] » Okay.
>> Um that's what I thought was
[2:20:20] » I think one of the things Lois just
brought up is sort of interesting. Like
[2:20:23] are we looking for this person to just
do work with somebody point to math or
[2:20:26] are we looking for this person to be the
spark the identifier the hey let's do
[2:20:32] this you know there's the idea there's
identifying grants that's one part and
[2:20:36] then there's also identifying the ideas
of the projects and then there's putting
[2:20:40] the two together making it happen and is
this person
[2:20:45] the idea generator or is this person the
do what the committes come up with
[2:20:51] person
>> I think I feel like they should be an
[2:20:53] aid for the committees but also offer
insights and ideas as well if they'd
[2:21:00] like.
>> Both.
[2:21:01] » Both. Yeah, I think so. But mainly
support for committees and for the
[2:21:07] select board for writing grants and
getting
[2:21:10] » Do we know what we want to budget for
the position?
[2:21:13] » Uh it's budgeted.
>> Yeah, that was uh what 20 hours? I think
[2:21:20] it was 24.
>> 24 $24.
[2:21:23] » Yeah, it's in the spreadsheet.
>> So, we can't increase the hours because
[2:21:27] we already put that in the budget. Oh,
>> you certainly can. Um, you know,
[2:21:33] select board can spend all they want.
[2:21:38] » Once a budget's approved,
>> what towns can't do is deficit spent.
[2:21:45] Correct. you have to retire your debts
of your overall budget within the first
[2:21:49] year. I mean,
>> we didn't budget $100,000 for the
[2:21:53] Porman's truck last year. Still spent
it. It came out of a reserve fund, but
[2:21:58] » Mhm.
>> Um,
[2:22:01] we're tied to the amount that's raised
by taxes, but how that's actually spent.
[2:22:07] » Yeah,
I would like it increased to as close to
[2:22:11] 40 as we can. I mean, it's very valuable
position for bringing in money.
[2:22:17] To answer your initial question,
what do we want? I think Adrian and I
[2:22:22] have always disagreed a little on this.
I agree
[2:22:26] on committee support, but I always, you
know, in essence, there's two ways to
[2:22:32] tackle projects and grants like high
level.
[2:22:36] There's a grant that's out there and you
just build a project for it and do it.
[2:22:40] And then there's the long-term plan
where you build a project and go find
[2:22:43] the money for it. And I feel as though
Johnson has been in a very
[2:22:50] reactive cycle instead of a proactive
cycle. Oh crap, there's money. Let's
[2:22:54] build a project. You know, the
industrial park is
[2:22:58] » proactive. The library
meadow I guess was somewhat proactive,
[2:23:05] but Len Way Lane, all these other
projects
[2:23:08] are very reactive.
And I would like a community and
[2:23:13] economic development specialist to
build the long-term things and then find
[2:23:20] the money. Um I believe when Leia was
doing it, Rosemary could correct me, but
[2:23:27] there was a lot of time, effort, and
planning that went into the main street
[2:23:31] project
that was a shelf ready project. And
[2:23:35] there was congressionally directed
spending. I believe that
[2:23:38] » yes
>> they said
[2:23:39] » shelf ready
>> do you have a a value added project for
[2:23:44] your community that's shelf ready if you
will I think there was a big scramble to
[2:23:48] update numbers a little bit
>> but when you have the project
[2:23:53] here's the plan here's the design here's
the preliminary numbers in 2013 or
[2:23:57] whatever and you get you know Peter
Welch's office that calls and says I
[2:24:02] want to do something for Johnson in 2018
you're updating numbers you're
[2:24:07] redesigning everything or building a
whole project from scratch.
[2:24:12] That's what community economic
development
[2:24:16] specialist is to me. And that was a huge
driver, I think, in the Reimagine
[2:24:23] Johnson process was identifying
long-term
[2:24:27] community.
When it first kicked off, that's what it
[2:24:31] was, long-term community goals. It
evolved a little bit as all community
[2:24:37] processes do,
but that's what I want.
[2:24:46] » I do think it's changed a little bit
with the advent of the reimagine Johnson
[2:24:49] thing and now the CPA grant that may go
into forming those long-term plans that
[2:24:55] we can then build projects for and seek
money for. Um,
[2:24:59] » the RC one for sure. Yeah. um you know
the rail trail connection connector
[2:25:05] sculping study that identified funding
sources in a generalized project right
[2:25:11] » do any of us like that
>> no oh I don't
[2:25:16] » um
yeah maybe we didn't
[2:25:19] » well I do what's wrong with it
>> we need to get people off the rails rail
[2:25:25] under Johnson somehow
>> maybe we'd still get that
[2:25:27] » idea of it
>> yeah the idea is great but maybe a
[2:25:31] community econ economic development
specialist if we task them with a trails
[2:25:35] plan.
[2:25:38] Good work. You know, the rail trail
connection committee has done a great
[2:25:43] job at identifying, but maybe there's
conversations with people where one or
[2:25:48] two rightaways could do a whole another
path and that could link up to
[2:25:54] Beard Recreation Park that could have a
path to Legion Field that could have a
[2:25:58] path to
uh the arburetum and maybe the long-term
[2:26:04] plan could be a bridge across the Union
Bank parking lot so you have a loop
[2:26:09] because we're going to own that
but that's a longterm plan that has to
[2:26:14] have a lot of layout and thought
>> then go find fun.
[2:26:19] » I think we need both for sure.
>> Yeah. I just I fear that when we
[2:26:25] structure and say we want you to go to
committees, we want you to support
[2:26:29] committees, it's the perfect storm for
just getting rled up in that, oh well,
[2:26:36] we want this. Okay,
scramble build a project. Oh, well, this
[2:26:41] this grant's available. Let's scramble
build a project.
[2:26:43] » Yeah.
>> Just it puts that person.
[2:26:46] » But I think grants kind of work like
that. So though like some smaller grants
[2:26:50] I think kind of work like that though
like you don't know until it's released
[2:26:54] that it's an option you know
>> smaller ones sure but I mean if you have
[2:27:01] like an overall like a fiveyear plan and
said okay you know this is what we
[2:27:05] vision for Johnson and then okay well
there's a a grant that come out well it
[2:27:09] can be part of this or it can be part of
this but I mean that overall plan needs
[2:27:14] » in place instead of Yeah. Yeah. instead
of chasing stuff and just kind of
[2:27:18] lumping it in a pile and said, "Well,
this is what we have."
[2:27:21] » Mhm.
>> I also am guilty of this myself, but
[2:27:26] pretty much all we talk about is grants
with a community economic development
[2:27:30] coordinator, right?
If we just want a grant writer, why
[2:27:35] don't we just put out a job description
for a grant writer?
[2:27:40] You'll get a different interested
person. Well, what's the economic
[2:27:44] development part?
>> Well, what what's the economic
[2:27:49] development? Is it writing grants for
committees?
[2:27:52] » No, not economic development wouldn't
be.
[2:27:57] Yeah, I I think it would be great for
committees to have
[2:28:03] some support around pursuing grants, but
and I don't want to minimize anybody's
[2:28:10] work, but we're talking about relatively
small grants
[2:28:16] um that when there's a lot of them, they
take a lot of time.
[2:28:23] And how much of this person's time do we
want directed toward relatively small
[2:28:31] grants
[2:28:36] versus
things that make bigger impact?
[2:28:40] » What are some bigger impact things that
we could get with a economic development
[2:28:45] specialist? Like what are we wanting?
>> We got a shovel ready project. we could
[2:28:51] end up with $7 million in
congressionally directed spending that's
[2:28:55] spent in the village. But it did look
pretty.
[2:29:00] » So just so just like infrastructure
projects.
[2:29:03] » I mean like they were handling the
industrial part.
[2:29:08] » Yeah.
>> Um I mean you know where the shopping
[2:29:10] center was. I mean,
>> you know, would we have a vision that,
[2:29:14] you know, we'd want a set of buildings
with a store and, you know, some retail
[2:29:18] space outside the flood zone?
>> Mhm.
[2:29:21] » Where would that be?
>> You know, what would be the plan to
[2:29:24] acquire the property, acquire the funds,
>> identify that? Um, if we had
[2:29:31] a full-time SS position and we said, and
the community identified low lecture
[2:29:36] hall as wanting to be a business
incubator, get more business.
[2:29:41] Uh,
I know the previous full-time
[2:29:47] SS employee we had was working with the
nonprofit that's spun up.
[2:29:53] » Yeah.
>> To try to help get information about the
[2:29:57] town out there.
I mean, do we have areas where maybe we
[2:30:01] could uh locate a business and you know,
we got the the light industrial park,
[2:30:07] but I mean, you know, what if you know,
how would we attract a larger business
[2:30:12] and what kind of business would that be
for employment opportunities?
[2:30:19] » Infrastructure.
>> Can the economic development specialist
[2:30:23] help with housing?
Yeah, I mean to me that would be part of
[2:30:28] it because I mean you're looking to
increase the grand list. Uh you're
[2:30:31] looking to increase viability.
Um you know where you know if we had
[2:30:37] land you know and somebody was
interested in the subdivision.
[2:30:40] » You know where would where would we put
it? Where would that be? And then would
[2:30:44] we need the infrastructure the telephone
poles the water and the sewer
[2:30:47] connections to that property?
>> And then what kind of money is available
[2:30:51] for that?
>> Yeah.
[2:30:56] I did that.
[2:31:00] None answer your question.
>> I did sit in on a uh um training today
[2:31:06] through uh Vermont League of Cities and
Towns on the CHIP program.
[2:31:11] » Okay.
>> Yeah, got some information on that.
[2:31:14] » Yeah, they could do a Could we be
eligible for a TIFF?
[2:31:19] » You had a big enough project? No,
>> that had to be a big one. Well, they got
[2:31:23] that new chip uh program and uh that's
where it's kind of like a tip, but it's
[2:31:29] for infrastructure where if you wanted
to had somebody come in with a housing
[2:31:33] development, um you know, you would
apply for the CHIP program and you know,
[2:31:38] you could get some of the deferred tax
money up front to help out with the
[2:31:41] infrastructure.
[2:31:45] » All that to say,
I don't know if we agree on what we
[2:31:50] really want.
That's probably the hardest thing. I
[2:31:55] think the job description that's in
front of us is fine if that's what we
[2:32:00] want. If we want a grant writer, let's
just hire a grant writer on as needed
[2:32:04] basis. LCPC does a full grant
administration for us. They get paid the
[2:32:10] grant. Well, I think we'd need both
because when we just when we had the
[2:32:16] previous CEDS,
there was an issue of of like smaller
[2:32:21] grants, them feeling like they shouldn't
be writing those smaller grants because
[2:32:25] it's not a hugger project like that, but
we still need that at the same time.
[2:32:34] » Definitely needs to be supported.
>> Yeah.
[2:32:38] What's funny listening to you, Evan?
Sounds like what I heard from Adrian for
[2:32:42] several years on the planning commission
is we need a planner.
[2:32:46] » We need a planner. We need a fiveyear
plan. We need to lay out the the road
[2:32:52] map and build all those elements and
then go find the money and the projects.
[2:33:00] » Seems like we need both because you
can't make a five-year plan overnight.
[2:33:05] We can't expect our committee not to do
anything and be done. Mhm.
[2:33:08] » So, we've got to support him in some
passion, whether it's
[2:33:12] John's help with the CDS or
big borrow and steal help from LCPC. I
[2:33:19] don't know. But you still have to write
minor grants in the meantime.
[2:33:22] » What if we hire a grant writer and the
first grant they look for is hiring or a
[2:33:28] grant for a health planner?
like that's the only focus and then they
[2:33:33] move on to other grants.
>> Works great for the first year.
[2:33:44] » What do you mean by that? I don't think
it works at all in the first year. If
[2:33:47] you don't get any grants in a year, all
you do is spend money.
[2:33:50] » Well, when you get the grant to hire a
SS position, I don't know of any grants
[2:33:55] for hiring people that are in
perpetuity.
[2:33:58] » Yeah. So that you know you might get
lucky and find one that's 100% 75% 50%
[2:34:04] 25% but you're still adding cost to the
taxpayers. You're just stretching it
[2:34:11] out. if there was even a grant like
that.
[2:34:19] It's not like a yearly grant program
where they say
[2:34:23] sense
now a 40hour a week in a local community
[2:34:30] economic development specialist I could
get super behind.
[2:34:36] » Have they shown interest in that? as who
>> the inter local
[2:34:42] » uh I mean never asked I don't think
we have an interlocal assessor
[2:34:50] or talking about interlocal caneling
agreements
[2:34:54] » I want our person to be just focused on
us
[2:34:59] » that's fair
>> I just worried we'd be
[2:35:01] » if we have a part-time employee
[2:35:06] are the odds pretty high that they're
only focused on us or the odds somewhat
[2:35:10] there that they have another job as
well.
[2:35:12] » Well, I also don't I want them to be
full-time. So,
[2:35:15] » fair enough
>> with benefits.
[2:35:24] » Sounds like we're not going to approve
this tonight.
[2:35:26] » Um
[2:35:29] it
[2:35:32] » Well, I know uh I I got the uh
request from Adrian there. She have some
[2:35:38] language, you know, that she wanted
changed and I just wanted to hear from
[2:35:42] the board if there was any other
[2:35:46] » right, wrong or indifferent. I don't
feel like we provided any
[2:35:49] straightforward directive.
>> No.
[2:35:51] » If if three members can get behind
something, I would recommend providing
[2:35:56] some straight directive.
>> Mhm.
[2:35:59] » Now, was there ever a five-year plan
done for Johnson as far as what the
[2:36:03] people wanted to see? I mean, I did read
a little bit about Imagine Johnson and
[2:36:07] some other um programs, but I mean,
>> I mean, we have our town plan.
[2:36:16] » Paul wrote that.
>> We have a town plan. You've seen that? I
[2:36:20] think so.
Um, that's on the website.
[2:36:29] » Isn't that done every eight years?
>> I think.
[2:36:31] » Yeah, he's six. No, it's eight. Our town
plan isn't really a plan though. I mean,
[2:36:37] it's kind of just like it lists out some
goals, but it's not like a plan.
[2:36:42] » No, it's not a plan. It's a bunch of
different chapters on different topics
[2:36:45] and they all have recommendations and so
forth in it.
[2:36:48] » Yeah.
>> A plan could be assembled from it.
[2:36:50] » Yeah.
>> But you have to do a lot of
[2:36:52] prioritization because there's a
thousand ideas in there.
[2:36:55] » I mean, do we have any options?
um you know if there's a a piece of
[2:37:00] property in town that if a business
wanted to locate to Johnson that we
[2:37:03] could work with then that it would have
you know water sewer three-phase power
[2:37:09] um something that's you know the town
could offer
[2:37:14] » we're hoping to
>> right
[2:37:16] » this construction season.
>> What about the T property? I mean is
[2:37:20] there anything up there that could be
reused? We only own 50% of it that
[2:37:26] that's a brown field,
right? The state where is not where the
[2:37:32] 180 acres is.
>> Yeah, but that's
[2:37:36] a
>> hill steel.
[2:37:39] » There might be some portion around the
snowmobile
[2:37:45] clubs
there that's somewhat flat. I don't
[2:37:49] know.
Well, we were talking to the college
[2:37:52] before about buying some land from them
for housing or any kind of development.
[2:37:58] Um, but those talks have kind of just
>> Well, didn't I hear that the college is
[2:38:04] working on
>> senior housing?
[2:38:08] » Some kind of housing project up there
and some housing.
[2:38:10] » Yeah, they're turning one of their
buildings into senior housing
[2:38:14] » and giving it over to a nonprofit.
>> I don't know. Yeah, it's down street.
[2:38:20] » Oh,
>> yeah.
[2:38:22] » Down street would be the owner, not the
college.
[2:38:24] » Okay.
>> Yeah. But then the college is also
[2:38:28] talking about doing
some housing
[2:38:32] in the parking lot of the uh art
studio. Uh
[2:38:40] » soccer field parking
field.
[2:38:43] » Yeah.
>> Yeah.
[2:38:44] » You're going to build a new building.
>> Uhhuh.
[2:38:47] So, you know, at the in the idea stage
anyway,
[2:38:52] » that was in their presentation
to the community talked about tulip too.
[2:38:58] » Mhm.
>> Oh, man. All the empty buildings they
[2:39:02] have up there.
>> Huh.
[2:39:03] » I forgotten that with all the empty
buildings they have up there. Lot
[2:39:06] » of them need to be torn to the ground.
>> Amazing. Yeah.
[2:39:09] » I don't know.
>> How do we get aligned on the CDS role? a
[2:39:14] question in moving in that direction.
Um,
[2:39:19] who's going to market
the site in the industrial park?
[2:39:27] » Loyal Economic Development Corporation
as well as I I mean I don't know. I
[2:39:33] haven't gotten there yet. I would say if
they're subdivided and sellable
[2:39:38] may be able to hire. It must be
municipal real estate firm
[2:39:44] » that I guess what I'm wondering is if if
the CEDs has any role in that if that
[2:39:51] needs to be factored into
their workload,
[2:39:59] you know, going out
meeting with potential businesses and
[2:40:05] encouraging you to come. I I don't know
>> potentially. Yeah.
[2:40:13] » Obviously, if we sell it, we don't have
to pay the real estate agent, but they
[2:40:16] might sell quicker if you have the local
representatives u in a state house for
[2:40:22] our area. I mean, you know, if a
business
[2:40:25] » if a business is talking about expanding
or talking about relocating to Vermont
[2:40:29] and you know, who could be somebody in
Montpillier that would say, "Hey, come
[2:40:33] to Johnson. This is what we have."
>> Rich Westman.
[2:40:36] » Okay.
>> Yeah. Richie's blessed in the Senate.
[2:40:38] » Yeah, state senator representative
Richard Bailey.
[2:40:43] » Bailey in the house.
>> Once once we get the industrial fire
[2:40:47] topping going or if we've identified
another piece of property, you know, it
[2:40:50] might be worth having a conversation
with them. And you know, does the state
[2:40:54] of Vermont have any kind of agency um
you know, that would work with the
[2:40:59] business?
>> I think they I think they're quite
[2:41:02] behind that project.
[2:41:08] Uh, this doesn't help us zero in on
anything, but um,
[2:41:13] » but I mean, we could read it, read it up
and mark it up and I can make
[2:41:17] adjustments and get it ready for the
next meeting. I'm um so I'm still
[2:41:23] traumatized by the by the fact that the
community economic development
[2:41:29] specialist is not working under the
direction of the county administrator.
[2:41:35] Um but I would love to see in the first
paragraph
[2:41:40] um responsible for managing grants
projects and working with municipal
[2:41:44] committees and the select board to
support business. I would love to
[2:41:50] include the town administrator in that.
>> No pressure.
[2:41:55] » And also in the next paragraph,
collaboration with the select board,
[2:42:00] nonprofits, municipal committee members
of the town administrator
[2:42:07] and that will help me deal with the
trauma.
[2:42:11] » Okay. I know when uh we talked about the
organization chart at the previous
[2:42:15] meeting, they had the position reporting
directly to the board.
[2:42:20] » So that's that's what I
>> Right.
[2:42:22] » Yeah. Yeah. And that was the decision
that was made. So I'm just I'm just
[2:42:28] putting in a little that's all.
>> No, two knife. You know, that that was
[2:42:33] my purpose of presenting it tonight was,
you know, mark it up. uh tell me what
[2:42:37] you want to see, what you don't want to
see, and we'll put together something
[2:42:40] hopefully for the next meeting the board
can approve.
[2:42:44] » Well,
sounds like we still need you on this.
[2:42:50] » Yeah,
>> unfortunately.
[2:42:54] » Well, do you have anything that you want
to I wrote a whole bunch of notes, but I
[2:42:58] didn't like any of them. Not not really
sure where to go with it because I think
[2:43:05] it seems like we really do need to focus
on a five-year plan and I don't know how
[2:43:10] this person fits into that exactly.
Seems like that's maybe more of our job.
[2:43:16] Um,
>> let's create a five-year plan.
[2:43:20] » Us create a five-year plan or what?
>> Yeah.
[2:43:24] » Oh, okay.
>> Just high level one. Mhm.
[2:43:29] » Yeah. I don't see why we couldn't.
>> Just what? Yeah. I mean, serious.
[2:43:35] » What's the vision for now?
>> What would you like to see upgraded?
[2:43:40] » I think you need that.
>> My fiveyear plan, these chairs are new.
[2:43:47] » Write that down.
>> Well, okay. So, if we do the fiveyear
[2:43:51] plan on our own, then that doesn't need
to be worked on by them. It's just a
[2:43:58] guide for them, right?
>> Yeah. It would to me it would be the
[2:44:02] guide for
>> Yeah. We can't do a fiveear plan on our
[2:44:04] own. Making a fiveear plan is townwide
effort.
[2:44:08] » We just write it then
>> I'm fine.
[2:44:12] » Back to our projects and priorities list
that we had.
[2:44:16] » Uh can we go back to it? Yeah. I think
it's something we should reevaluate each
[2:44:20] » cuz we kind of we had scored sets
things.
[2:44:24] » Mhm.
>> Oh, we did that prioritization. Yeah.
[2:44:27] » Yeah.
>> Yeah.
[2:44:31] Um,
>> do you want me to add that for the March
[2:44:33] 19th meeting?
>> I know you said the meeting before town
[2:44:37] meeting. We try to keep that schedule
light as light as possible.
[2:44:42] » After town meeting that we don't
>> orization
[2:44:50] meeting,
>> huh?
[2:44:52] » Have a meeting a day after town meeting.
>> Yes. Is it the day after the day after?
[2:44:57] » Yeah.
>> Oh, yeah.
[2:45:00] Is that
>> now? We won't have a quorum of the
[2:45:02] board. We
>> won't be here. But what when?
[2:45:07] » I guess you'll swear them in
cuz there only be two returning members.
[2:45:12] » Who's not coming back?
>> Well, they all knew. It's just the same
[2:45:17] person.
[2:45:21] » What are you talking about? Well,
technically speaking, the day after
[2:45:25] » coming back, three of us will be new.
>> Yeah.
[2:45:29] » Assuming we like this one.
>> Oh, I first said we do.
[2:45:35] » Yeah.
>> Yeah. That's the first thing we do.
[2:45:37] Yeah.
>> Be fun if we didn't do it and then we
[2:45:40] couldn't make any decisions.
>> Wouldn't that be fun now? Yeah.
[2:45:44] » So, you're thinking about should it be
just a grant writer or a CEDS? Is that
[2:45:49] what the debate is for all of us?
My larger internal debate
[2:45:55] » is do we rethink the whole thing?
>> Do we rethink the whole thing?
[2:45:59] » The whole thing.
>> Um
[2:46:01] » yeah.
>> And maybe hire
[2:46:05] an assistant to the town administrator
to deal with some other things and then
[2:46:11] plow it on top of the town administrator
if he's willing or you know some version
[2:46:17] of that. Is this what why what
>> like if there if there's just
[2:46:22] administrative tasks that are you know
busy work
[2:46:27] if there was somebody to take work off
this is just a random example here.
[2:46:32] Okay.
>> If we could take some busy work off of
[2:46:36] John's plate and he was willing to take
over some of the CEDS roles and we could
[2:46:42] hire LCPC or a grant writer on as needed
basis.
[2:46:47] I don't know if a model like that would
look better.
[2:46:52] » Sorry, I need to call you out.
>> No, I mean, and uh I know Mike talked to
[2:46:56] me about it and you and I talked about
it. Uh I did talk to Carl, you know, he
[2:47:01] said his weeks have been averaging
between 8 and 15 hours. And one of the
[2:47:05] things he noted was, you know, if I took
some of the groundwork from him and he
[2:47:09] didn't have to come up as much, uh he
might be willing to stay on a little bit
[2:47:12] longer. So, you know, I told him I'd be
willing to do that if he needed.
[2:47:20] » I mean, it's funny because the report
that um Carrie Johnson did, there are
[2:47:26] certain things that I like could not
understand her recommendation on, but
[2:47:31] this wasn't really one of them.
She
[2:47:36] » Yeah.
>> And I talked to her at length about it.
[2:47:39] She said, "You know, you're too small of
a community to need
[2:47:44] you know, an employee for community and
economic development. You need to
[2:47:48] empower some of your existing employees
to grow and do some of it and then hire
[2:47:54] grant writers or planners on that needed
needed basis.
[2:47:58] The contractual
[2:48:04] » I don't remember what her recommendation
was. Is that it or what? What did you
[2:48:09] » our re written recommendations?
>> I think she just kept the CEDS role in
[2:48:14] there because we never talked about
asked her if you should have it or not
[2:48:17] have it.
>> The majority of her written portion.
[2:48:20] Yeah. Focused around just basically
doing a town manager structure of
[2:48:26] government
[2:48:29] employee. That one.
>> Well, she didn't give any supporting
[2:48:34] evidence really.
So we have skaked around that that no at
[2:48:40] other times of
an assistant to the town administrator.
[2:48:46] » I don't really know if there's enough
busy work to I I don't
[2:48:51] it's another random idea. If we're just
going to hire for sets,
[2:48:56] I'm fine with this job description.
I understand there is a need to work
[2:49:01] with committees. My overall comment is I
don't want the work for committees to
[2:49:05] drown out some long-term growth. Both
like you're saying.
[2:49:11] » Yeah.
>> And right now we're working with 24
[2:49:15] hours a week.
>> We're working with a dollar amount. If
[2:49:20] it's less per hour, we could be working
with 40. Although
[2:49:26] I don't know.
[2:49:30] Well, we could just do 38 if we are
going to do benefits or whatever, but
[2:49:35] » no, we're required to offer benefits of
24 hours.
[2:49:37] » Oh, really?
>> And fulltime full-time benefits is
[2:49:41] prrated at 30 hours. So, really from 30
hours to 40 hours. The only additional
[2:49:48] employee cost is just their hourly wage
because we pay 100% of the benefits at
[2:49:52] 30 hours.
>> Okay. So, so just fulltime fine. Okay.
[2:50:02] Is that a state law or is that just a
here thing?
[2:50:06] » Affordable Care Act.
>> Is that what it is?
[2:50:09] » For health insurance is 30 hours.
>> Mine was 32.
[2:50:14] » Yeah.
>> But
[2:50:16] » how'd that work? Our rec coordinator one
year was 24 hours and got health
[2:50:20] insurance.
>> They paid
[2:50:22] » and assistant li Yeah. Abortion
prorated. My assistant librarian was
[2:50:28] 23.75 hours.
>> Didn't at a town meeting though
[2:50:34] the voters voted for a CEDS position
>> for sure.
[2:50:39] » Actually two.
>> Was it advisory or
[2:50:43] » No.
>> Well, it was money. So it bound the
[2:50:46] voters to pay us money to do it.
>> So aren't we bound to have this
[2:50:52] position?
>> Not at all.
[2:50:54] » Are we not bound to? No,
not
[2:51:00] there's no statutory requirement from
state. We're bound to a dollar amount at
[2:51:04] the end of the day.
>> But we are asking the voters for
[2:51:09] permission to spend x amount of dollars
on CDS position.
[2:51:12] » Certainly don't.
>> Oops.
[2:51:16] » You broke my glasses.
>> Must be getting away throwing things.
[2:51:22] » I'm not saying don't hire.
Yeah, you are. You're saying hire an
[2:51:26] assistant. I don't admit it.
>> Well,
[2:51:31] could we sum it up in saying that
I'm just trying to think if there is a
[2:51:39] way outside of the box to get the same
services with a different structure,
[2:51:43] fine. If there's not, that's fine, too.
Well, I guess no offense, John, but I
[2:51:51] think the hiring process
for a town administrator would have gone
[2:51:55] differently for me if I knew we were
hiring a grant writer, like or you know,
[2:52:00] like more of that side.
>> Fair enough.
[2:52:04] » So,
not that I don't think you could do it,
[2:52:07] but
>> Right. I mean, I've done grants before.
[2:52:10] » Yeah. Yeah, I know. Yeah.
I
[2:52:13] » think we're getting nowhere.
Rosemary agrees with me. It's
[2:52:19] » It's time to hold. All right. Some more
chew on.
[2:52:25] We all good.
>> Yeah. Come next time. Come with what you
[2:52:29] actually want.
>> Meeting at Jared at 9:30.