Present: Daniel Boyer
Glenn Fisher
Norman John Arrison
Henry C. Cobb
Dave Fuller

Others Present: Larry Melen, Town Manager
Lisa Sargent, Recording Secretary
Victor J. Cuppetilli
Julia Lloyd Wright, Compass
Bonnie D. DePrey
Peter R. DuPrey Sr.
Russell Aldridge
Richard Ballantine
Rachel Frank
Maryann Allcroft
Betty Maheu
Lou Maheu
Marilyn Houghton
Pat Daniels
Edith Stillson
Mr. & Mrs. Prepost
Brad Litchfield
Dorothy L. Grover
Sonny Grover
Mark Knight
John Austin
Howard Richardson
Brenda Richardson
James Payne
Andrew C. Clark
Penny M. Clark
Grace Knight
Ray Stapleton
Carol S. Orth
Dave Lescord
Dorianne Lescord
Chief Brown
Deb Ostrum, SAPA
Others that did not sign the attendance sheet (and others that I could not read their writing)

1. Joint Meeting: Town Manager Search Committee
- Job Description: Skipped over for now

2. Call to Order: Mr. Arrison called the Weathersfield Select Board meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. at Martin Memorial Hall.

3. Comments from Citizens: Mr. Arrison said he feels there has been a misunderstanding on the Uncollected Tax Line item on the tax bill. He noted that the Board of Abatement reviews the uncollected tax abatements and each case is looked at separately. Mr. Melen said uncollected taxes and revenues include current taxes not paid by the end of the fiscal year, taxes reduced or voided by Grand List Errors and Omissions, taxes ordered abated by the State of VT and taxes reduced by status changes made by the State of VT. He also noted that the Town has mandatory payments that must be made which include but are not limited to the state education tax as billed by the state to the town, local agreement education tax in total, county tax as billed by the county to the town, appropriates in total voted by the town meeting, taxed raised for highway maintenance, taxes voted for the purpose of reserve funds and fees due to regional entities created by the Legislature. Mr. Melen said the two alternatives to a supplemental tax rate are to borrow the money or go into a deficit for the fiscal year.
Several in attendance voiced frustration over having to pay uncollected taxes for others in the Town when they are responsible for paying their own taxes in a timely manner. It was mentioned by a few that they feel if they pay tax for delinquent taxpayers that when the delinquent taxes are collected the Town should reimburse everyone the amount they had to pay.
There was general discussion as to why the Town has to collected uncollected taxes from everyone this year and it was noted it has been done for years however, it has not been spelled out on the tax bill.
Mr. Boyer noted the Town has tried to run with a level budget the last few years and we have managed to do that however the school taxes have increased and there is nothing the Select Board or Town Manager can do about that. Mr. Melen noted the School Board did lower expenditures on their budget this year.
There was discussion as to why the delinquent taxes are not printed in the Town Report and Mr. Melen said the towns people voted a few years ago at Town Meeting not to publish the list in the town report however, it is public information and available at the town office.
Mr. Fuller said it is obvious the Select Board needs to do with delinquent taxes but he feels a published list is an embarrassment and does not accomplish anything. He said it is also obvious that the line item on the tax bill was worded wrong.

Mr. Boyer made the motion to take a five minute recess. Mr. Fisher seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

Back to #1

1. Town Manager Search Committee, Job Description: Mr. Arrison said there is a sample ad available for everyone tonight and apologized it was not available before tonight. He said the Committee needs to set a time frame when they want the publish date and then when the cut off date will be for applicants.
Mr. Melen suggested revisiting the salary line; he feels it is too low. Mr. Cole said he agrees. Mr. Fisher suggested not including any information on salary at this time. The consensus of the Board and the Committee was to leave it out completely.
It was decided to hold the first Town Manager Search Committee meeting on the 26th at 7:00 at Martin Memorial Hall; this will be an Organizational meeting.
The Select Board members will review the job description and they will discuss it again on the September 3rd meeting which will be held at Ascutney Fire Station.

3. Comments from Citizens: Mr. Cobb said he, Mrs. Bearse and Mr. Melen met with Mr. Joe Aja from the Department of Buildings and General Services and now the Town needs to prepare an application for Housing & Urban Development for the Veterans monument. During the meeting, we committed to having the application completed and returned in two weeks. Mr. Aja said the grant will be available from September, 2009 - 2016 and there is not an administrative fee. Mr. Cobb asked for this to be on the agenda again for September 3, 2009.

4. Review Minutes from Previous Meetings (none to review)

5. Highway:
A. Request Removal of Stop sign on Jenness Road @ Schoolhouse Road, Carlene Rea: The consensus of the Select Board was to leave the stop sign in place. Mr. Melen will send Mrs. Rea a letter.

6. Delinquent Property Tax Issues James Newman: Mr. Melen said he has been up for tax sale but then agrees to a payment plan however, he does not end up making the payments. Mr. Melen noted the land has been transferred back and forth between family members a few times. Mr. Fuller recommended Mr. Melen send Mr. Newman a certified letter explaining that he needs to make his payments or meet with the Tax Abatement Board or his property will go up for tax sale. Mr. Melen noted no one was living in the home at this time. The consensus of the Board was to send the certified letter that Mr. Fuller recommended.

7. Martin Memorial Hall, Rules and Regulations: Mrs. Houghton said the Trustees have met and they would like to work more closely with the Select Board in the future. She noted they will have four meetings a year. Mrs. Houghton told the Board that the Trustee's pay 1/3 of the electrical bill and since the Town Office uses the downstairs on a regular basis she would like the Town Office to pay the whole electrical bill. The consensus of the Board was the Town Office would pay for all of the electricity. The Rules and Regulations the Trustee's came up with will become a policy and Mr. Melen will start the process of the three required readings.

8. Weathersfield Fire Commission
A. Ascutney Volunteer Fire Department E-1 Primer Pump: Nothing to report on this as the Board has not received the estimate from Chief Spaulding.

9. Old Business
A. Policies/Ordinance/Procedure
-Highway Access Ordinance/Third Reading: Mr. Boyer made the motion to move to the adopting and signing of the Highway access Ordinance at the next meeting. Mr. Fisher seconded the motion which passed without dissent.
-Sign Standards and Procedures to Engage Technical Review: The Select Board signed the policy for Standards and Procedures to Engage Technical Review.
B. Federal Energy Regulator Commission
-Blue Heron Hydro, L.L.C./United States Army Corps of Engineers, and Preliminary Order: Mr. Melen said the Springfield Town Manager sent him a copy of this notice and they are in the process of obtaining a permit to raise the water level 8 feet. This is for information purposes only.
10. New Business
A. 2010 Property Tax Map Maintenance Agreement, Cartographic Associates, Inc.: Mr. Boyer made the motion to sign the tax map maintenance agreement with Cartographic Associates, Inc. Mr. Fisher seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

11. Monthly Reports
-General Fund: Mr. Melen said we are front loaded on this like always because we pay a lot of up front.
-Highway Fund: Ms. Sargent asked the status of the truck that should be sold. Mr. Fuller asked Mr. Melen to check with Mr. Hazeltine on this and it was decided that surplus equipment will be on the next agenda.
-Solid Waste Fund: Mr. Melen said right on target
-Cash Flow Report: No discussion
-Police: Mr. Fuller questioned the status of the expedition. Mr. Melen said they just got all of the equipment off it this week. Mr. Cobb questioned why the report says Hartford on it, Chief Brown said Marty prints it up there and uses her Hartford password information.

12. Appointments: No new appointments. Mr. Boyer made the motion to accept the resignation of Tom Scofield from the Town Manager Search Committee. Mr. Fisher seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

13. Sign Treasurer's Warrants: Mr. Cobb made the motion to approve the Treasurer Warrants as follows:
General Fund Payroll $15,959.48
General Fund Operating Expense $23,879.55
Highway Fund Payroll $13,864.86
Highway Fund Operating Expense $ 8,019.04
Solid Waste Management Fund Payroll $ 2,795.01
Solid Waste Management Fund Operating Expense $ 14,423.95
Grants $ 2,700.00
Agency Monies $ 42.96
Reserves $ 351.00
Mr. Cobb asked how Hartford Dispatch was working out; Mr. Stapleton said the only issue is getting used to them dispatching so many other departments. Mr. Fuller asked what Ascutney Fuel was; Mr. Melen said Ascutney Fire Department gets fuel by using a fuel card. Motion carried unanimously.

14. Executive Session, Personnel & Appointees: Mr. Melen said this is not needed as the person requesting it is not present.

15. Next Meeting's Agenda Items: The next meeting will be held at Ascutney Fire Station. Ancient roads, environmental impact statement for the Veterans Memorial monument, surplus equipment disposal, town manager job description and Tenney Hill Road pond update will be discussed.

16. Adjourn: Mr. Boyer made the motion to adjourn. Mr. Fisher seconded the motion which passed without dissent. The Select Board meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lisa Sargent

Approved by the Weathersfield Select Board on September 17, 2009

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Norman John Arrison

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Dave Fuller

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Henry C. Cobb

_______________________ Daniel Boyer

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Glenn Fisher