Present:        Selectboard Members Larry Lackey, Norm Williams, Paco Aumand, Adam Davis, Neil Van Dyke; Town Manager Charles Safford; Susanne Gann, Asst Fin Dir; Cliff Johnson, PW Asst.; Mike Mandigo; Allan Ross; Greg Lewis

Others Present: Reporter Jesse Roman, Biddle Duke, Brittany Prouty, Nick Espey, Kacey Percy, Sam Turner, DJ Landwherle, Sam Ingraham, Kurt Hanson, Andre Blais, Willie Noyes. 

Town Manager Charles Safford called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm and Selectboard Orders were signed.

Mr. Safford asked for nominations from the Board for the election of Chair and Vice Chair.

                             -Election of Officers – Chair, Vice Chair

                             -Appt. of Selectboard Clerk

                             -Designate Regular Meeting Schedule

                             -Designate Official Newspaper

Mr. Aumand made a motion to appoint Larry Lackey as Chair and Norm Williams as Vice Chair. Mr. Davis seconded the motion. Motion carried.

On a motion by Mr. Aumand, seconded by Neil Van Dyke, the Board appointed Susan Moeck as Selectboard Clerk.

On a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Davis, the Board designated their regular meetings as the 2^nd and 4^th Monday of each month to begin at 5:30 pm.

On a motion by Mr. Aumand, seconded by Mr. Williams, the Board designated the Stowe Reporter as the Official Newspaper. 

Mr. Aumand requested that Consent Item A be removed from Consent Items. 

On a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Van Dyke, the Board approved the Agenda.

B.       Money Market Account – On a motion by Mr. Aumand, seconded by Mr. Williams, the Board authorized the Treasurer to invest with Union Bank at a rate of .90% retroactive to March 1, 2010. Mr. Van Dyke recused himself.

C.       Special Use Permit  - On a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Aumand, the Board approved the Special Use Permit for the Burt Spring Lot.

                             Liquor Consent Item(s)

1^st Class & Outside Consumption Permit – Trapps Deli & Bakery - On a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Aumand, the Board approved the permit application as presented.   Mr. Van Dyke recused himself.

The Board reviewed drafts of the FY 11 wastewater and water budgets and proposed fee schedules.By way of background, the Town undertook a significant investment in capital assets to the wastewater and water systems a number of years back. Money was collected upfront from some of the major users through connection fees for the wastewater system. This enabled the wastewater fund to establish a positive fund balance that will help the Town to pay back its debt overtime. User fees have historically been set to cover annual operating costs.

The water fund did not receive the same degree of benefit through connection fees. Nor have the user fees covered the annual operating expenses, leading to an annual operating deficit and a negative fund balance.

In FY 10 the staff developed financial models that were endorsed by the Selectboard to move the utilities towards paying their annual operating expenses and to move both utilities towards positive fund balances, while minimizing increases to user fees. These models are enclosed. In the near term, they call for a 0% increase in wastewater fees and an 8% increase in water fees each year through FY 13. In accordance with the financial models, wastewater has a proposed operating deficit for FY 11, thus using some of the surplus. At no time does the fund balance go negative. Water is also proposed to have an operating deficit, but moves further in the direction of having revenues match expenses. By FY 12 revenues are projected to exceed expenses and begin reducing the water fund deficit. By FY 18 the deficit should be eliminated.

Mr. Safford pointed out that both budgets do not reflect major changes with the exception of the elimination of the Wastewater Department Laborer position due to retirement. They include the following capital projects:

Second-Hand Truck Purchase (from the Highway Department) & Repairs: $15,000

Replacement of DO System: $13,334

Standby Generator Replacement: $42,000

Water Pump Repair to Stowe Club: $10,000

Replacement of a portion of the old waterline to Edson Hill: $33,500

After brief discussion, Mr. Aumand made a motion to warn a Public Hearing for approval of wastewater and water FY 11 budgets and proposed fee schedule for March 22, 2010 at 5:40 pm. Mr. Williams seconded. Motion carried. 

Mr. Safford stated that VTrans has decided to change the scope of the project for the reconstruction of GoldBrookBridge on Rte. 100. Instead of a detour (through Moscow, Barrows Road, Luce Hill Road and Mountain Road back to the village) they plan to maintain traffic on a two lane temporary bridge adjacent to the existing bridge.

A public hearing was held on Monday, February 22, 2010, to present the revised plan. Two of the affected property owners were present: Steward Bouchard and Kurt Pearson. The third affected property owner, Carlton Longe, was not present.

Mr. Johnson noted that VTrans made it clear that the property owners would be fairly compensated for the temporary easements and that the properties would be returned to their original condition upon the reopening of the bridge. The creamery building on the corner of RT 100 and Gold Brook Road would be completely demolished and removed from the site.

The Board reviewed a letter of support to Chris Williams, PE, the project manager for VAOT, indicating support for this revised plan to use a two-lane temporary bridge rather than a detour. This project will be fully funded by VAOT (estimated to be $2,000,000).

Mr. Williams made a motion to approve the enclosed letter supporting a temporary bridge during the construction of the new GoldBrookBridge and authorize the Town Manager to sign on their behalf, seconded by Mr. Aumand. Motion carried.  

A.       Historical Society Bldg Lead Abatement – Mr. Aumand stated that he did not have an issue with the abatement process but with the request to waive the bidding process. Mr. Aumand noted that a simplified bid process was followed and bids were received by the Clerk of the Works for staff and the request to waive was justified. He volunteered to work with the Town Manager to revise the purchasing policy by evaluating the current bid process - streamline and simplify the steps but continue to provide the full he competitive bid process when necessary. 

Mr. Aumand made a motion to waive the formal bid process and to award the proposal for the Historical Society building lead abatement to Heritage Environmental Projects for $12,460 plus the estimated cost of $800 for “third party visual and dust clearances.” Mr. Williams seconded. Motion carried.

A.       Personnel  - At 6:07 pm, the Board went into executive session with the Town Manager in attendance on a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Aumand. 

The Board came out of executive session at 7:10. 

On a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Aumand, the Board appointed Willie Noyes as Supervisor to the Lamoille Regional Solid Waste Management District.

The Board discussed upcoming meeting topics. They indicated that they would like to discuss goals for the upcoming year at a future meeting. 

There being no further business to conduct, Mr. Lackey adjourned the meeting at 7:30 pm. 

Minutes respectfully submitted by Susan Moeck.

STOWE SELECTBOARD MEETING              Monday, March 22, 2010

Present: Selectboard Members Larry Lackey, Norm Williams, Adam Davis, Neil Van Dyke; Town Manager Charles Safford; Rec Director Marge McIntosh

Others Present:       Ken Biedermann, Phil Scott, Tony Whittaker, Diann Percy, Chip Percy, Barbara Allaire, Harry Shepard, Howard Merson, Evelyn Frey, Mike Dougherty, Bud Keene, Rick Sokolof, Glenn Callahan, Sonny Davis, Jim Donovan, Reporter Jesse Roman, Holly Rochefort, Sandy & Hans Huber, Mack Bowen, Jules Gershman

Chair Lackey called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm and Selectboard Orders were signed.

On a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Davis, the Board approved the Agenda with the addition of Sewer & Water Connection applications to the Consent Items.

On a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Davis, the Board approved the Consent Items as presented. 

A.      Annual Renewals - On a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Davis, the Board approved the 2010 Annual Liquor License Applications dated March 19, 2010 as presented.

Mr. Van Dyke abstained.

Mr. Lackey presented Chip Percy with a plaque as recognition of Mr. Percy’s 14 years of service on the Lamoille Regional Solid Waste Management District board. 

Mr. Lackey opened the public hearing. After a brief discussion of water rates and no further comments from the public, Mr. Lackey closed the hearing.

On a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Van Dyke, the Board approved the FY 11 Water and Sewer Budgets as presented.

Project Consultant Jim Donovan outlined the project and how the plans have evolved over the last couple of months.   At their meeting on 2/8/2010, the Board asked the advisory committee to have further discussions with Diann Percy and Billy Adams to ensure compliance with deed restrictions. The Board also indicated at that time that they would like to see the skate board park incorporated into the plan. Mr. Donovan explained that other items in particular were reviewed for the Park which included Jackson Arena and the Gale Rec Center.   He indicated that the main concern of Percy/Adams was that the existing fields remain open without permanent structures built on them. The result was an alternate plan (5.4/5.5) which was being recommended to the Board. This plan keeps field space open and the park configuration the same except it places the skate park where the tennis courts currently exist and moves the courts to the back of the maintenance shed area adjacent to the Arena. Amenities such as improved pedestrian circulation were also added. 

Ken Biedermann said he had concerns with the direction of the planning process and questioned the Town’s conformance to the condition of the deed and requested for the Board to consider the courts interpretation of the deed condition. He was not in favor of the revised plan stating it was inferior to the Committee’s original plan. He noted safety and parking issues which were not resolved in the revised plan.

Mr. Lackey told Mr. Biedermann that his request for legal interpretation would be discussed in executive session.

Board members spoke in favor of the 5.4 plan but felt that the 5.5 future plan would require further discussion and planning.

On a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Van Dyke the Board accepted the alternate 5.4 and that a final report would be brought back at a future meeting.

There was concensus of the Board they did not accept or endorse the 5.5 future plan and that it required further planning and consideration.

At 7:23 pm, the Board went into executive session with the Town Manager in attendance on a motion by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Davis. Motion carried.

The Board came out of executive session at 7:30 pm. No action was taken.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Susan Moeck.