THETFORD SELECTBOARD MINUTES
August 14, 2006
Present: Mary Spata, Mike Brown, Doug Stone, John Bacon, Marilyn Cook (clerk), Mark McMahon (7:42 PM)
Guests: Jim Lanctot- Police Chief, Peter Gregory- Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC), Scott O’Hearn- Treasure Island Manager
Agenda: Jim Lanctot- Police Business
Charles Wise- Thetford Hill Village Transportation Enhancement
Wayne Parks and Stuart Blood- Planning Commission document
Ames Byrd and Bob Walker- Biodiesel
Bob Walker- Town Lights Review
Budget Review
Unfinished Business
Mary Spata called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM.
Scott O’Hearn reviewed progress of construction and recommended additional repairs at Treasure Island residence/garage.
Scott O’Hearn left at 7:10 PM.
Chief Lanctot reviewed updated draft Traffic Speed Limit Ordinance for Selectboard to review and approve.
Chief Lanctot notified the Selectboard that the part-time officer position is vacant and that he is prepared to offer the position.
Chuck Wise (TRORC) joined the meeting at 7:13 PM.
Move to authorize Chief Jim Lanctot to hire a part-time officer (Brown/Bacon) unanimous
Chief Lanctot reviewed the incident that occurred at Merchant’s Bank that brought up some departmental needs that he is already addressing.
The Ford Explorer will be prepared for sale through sealed bids.
Mike Pomeroy joined the meeting at 7:36 PM.
Chief Lanctot reviewed traffic flow on Tucker Hill Road Bridge
Chief Lanctot will schedule the next monthly meeting through the Town Clerk.
Chief Lanctot left at 7:40 PM.
Marion Greenwood, Nancy King, Nina Strauss, Robert Hunter, and Anne Hunter arrived at 7:40 PM. Mark McMahon joined the meeting at 7:42 PM. Stuart Blood and Wayne Parks arrived at 7:48 PM.
Chuck Wise reviewed the application for Thetford Hill Village enhancement proposal for traffic calming on Thetford Hill and a walking path to Thetford Academy. The total cost of traffic calming project design and construction would be approximately $293,000, 80% of which would be covered by grant money ($58,600 provided by the town during construction in 2008)
Motion to authorize Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission to move ahead with application for transportation enhancement grant for Thetford Hill Village proposed sidewalk improvement on Vermont Route 113 (Brown/Stone) Unanimous
Residents of Academy Road have signed a petition to Selectboard to provide further design specifications to those residents and spoke about those concerns. Residents’ concerns include potential intrusion of common land, location of the path and costs of construction. Mike Pomeroy, member of Thetford hill Village Improvement Society spoke about the public meetings that have been held and notifications and invitations to be involved to all residents of Academy Road.
Selectboard will make available a written design proposal when it is complete.
Tracy Borst, Town Clerk, joined the meeting at 8:10 PM. Bob Walker and Paul Gerke joined the meeting at 8:15 PM. Chuck Wise, Peter Gregory, Marion Greenwood, Nancy King, Nina Strauss, Robert Hunter, Mike Pomeroy and Anne Hunter left at 8:23 PM.
THETFORD SELECTBOARD MINUTES
August 14, 2006
Wayne Parks and Stuart Blood, Planning Commission spoke to the selectboard about public record requirements, including e-mail communications and minutes of meetings.
Documents needed to be kept in Town Clerk’s office. The Town Clerk needs hard copies of documents that are public record such as required e-mail communications. If those communications are kept through an electronic record, that record needs to be available for public viewing at the Town Clerk’s office. Mr. Blood will talk with the town’s website manager to see if this is possible through the town website.
The Selectboard approved the planning commission to hire a clerk at $12 per hour.
Tracy Borst left the meeting at 8:44 PM. Mark McMahon, Mr. Parks and Mr. Walker left at 8:55 PM.
Selectboard signed the traffic speed ordinance
Presentation on Biodiesel-Paul Gerke and Bob Walker, Energy Committee members, and Doug Leach- Evans Motor Fuels.
Doug Leach presented advantages to using Biodiesel fuel- improves mileage, lessens need for engine service, reduces air pollutants, reduces greenhouse gases, and reduces imported petroleum.
Doug Stone, Road Foreman, and Mr. Leach will discuss a possible trial period for the town trucks.
Mr. Leach left at 9:28 PM.
Town Streetlights review-
Mr. Walker contacted additional residents of Union Village and North Thetford to survey them about turning off a specific streetlight in each of those villages.
Mary Spata will arrange for the Union Village light to be turned off and the light in North Thetford will remain on.
Mr. Walker and Mr. Gerke left the meeting at 9:46 PM.
Move to adopt Town of Thetford Traffic Ordinance (Brown/Spata) Unanimous
Move to approve Thetford Volunteer Fire Department’s Labor Day Parade and Barbeque on Sept 4, 2006 (Brown/Spata) Unanimous.
Selectboard discussed the utility pole at the recycling center. Doug Stone will assess the tree that is located near the pole to determine if road crew can take it down.
Road Department-
There is an open position on the road crew that will be posted in the Valley News.
Blueprints for Gove Hill Bridge repair were submitted and grant money was approved. Sealed bids will be requested.
Paving schedule on Academy Road has been postponed by the paving company.
Selectboard discussed a request to assist a property owner to repair a class IV road. The Selectboard reviewed the town policy for class IV roads and agreed that the town would not become involved in this request. Mr. Stone could sell some culverts that are not needed by the town to the property owner.
Motion to accept Check Warrants:
#27.1 $5,130.67
#28.1 $3,981.52
#16.4 payroll $8174.74
#15.3 $27,022.50
#14.3 $390.00
#28.2 $7,845.25 (Spata/Bacon) Unanimous
Selectboard agreed to overhead doors being installed in the garage at the Treasure Island residence.
Selectboard approved a driveway permit for Richard and Suzanne Morse located at Route 132 and Campbell Corner.
Motion to adjourn at 10:18 PM (Spata/Bacon) Unanimous
2