A meeting of the Hardwick Select Board was held on Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 6:00 P.M. in the 3rd floor meeting room of the Hardwick Memorial Building.

 

Members Present                                       Also Present                                              

         

M. Tod Delaricheliere- Absent                        Anne Stevens – Greensboro Hydro Project                 Marcus Brown                                                Peter Roudebush- Greensboro Hydro

Richard Brochu                                              Joe LaPorte – Police Chief                    

Shari Cornish                                                          Bob Perreault                                      

Kathleen Hemmens                                        Lavine Tucker & Wilfred Salls

                                                                   Rob Lewis – Town Manager                 

                                                                   Rosie Gillen – Executive Assistant         

                                                                    Doug Morton- NVDA

                                                                   David Saladina Resource Systems Group

                                                                   Dan Courchaine- VAST

                                                                   Charlie Volk- Trails

Eric Werner – HED General Manager

                                                                   Ross Gouin - VASA          

                                                                             Joseph Brochu – VASA

                                                                             Tom Gardner - Gazette

                                                                            

6:00 P.M.    Meeting called to order at 6:00P.M. by Select Board Chair Marcus Brown at the Hardwick Waste Water Plant.  The Select Board toured the Sewer plant with Ken LaCasse Sewer Plant Manager, also Paul Olander from the State.

 

6:45P.M.     Meeting suspended and board  went the Memorial Building for regular meeting.

 

6:55P.M.     Regular meeting resumed by board chair Marcus Brown.

 

6:58P.M.     Minutes for May 07, 2009

 

-         Motion was made by Richard to approve the minutes for May 07, 2009 as written

-         Motion was 2nd by Shari

-         Motion Passed

 

7:07P.M.     Set/Adjust Agenda

 

-         Motion was made by Richard Brochu to accept the agenda as written with the following additions/adjustments:

 

·        TM added an executive session for Legal to include the TM and Executive Assistant.

·        Marcus also added an executive session for Contract to include the board only.

 

-         Motion was 2nd by Sheri

-         Motion passed

 

 

7:15P.M.     Communication from Audience

                   

                             None

 

7:16P.M.     Town Manager’s Report

 

                   Please see attached.

 

Marcus thanked the Town Manager for all his hard work on getting the Hardwick/Woodbury trails open.

 

TM also informed the board that the total donations received to date for the Fireworks celebration was $1300.00 from local businesses and residents.       

 

7:25P.M.     Police Chief Update

 

                   Police Chief informed the board that in their packets they have a copy of the final Cops Grant that was previously discussed at the April 2, 2009 board meeting.  Joe asked the board if they would be able to hold an open hearing at the June 18, 2009 Select Board meeting for this grant.

 

                   Marcus asked Joe if he had spoken to his Police Advisory Committee regarding the spending of the funds if we receive it.  Joe let the board know that he had not spoken to his Advisory Board,  but had spoken to all his employee’s, to get their feedback and what they wanted to see happen with the money as far as training, new equipment, etc.

.

The COPS Office was appropriated $1 billion through the Recovery Act to make grants to create or save state, local and tribal law enforcement jobs.  During the CHRP solicitation period,  they received 7,272 applications.  These applications totaled $8.3 billion and request more than 39,000 sworn law enforcement positions to be funded.  Obviously, these requests far exceed the funding available under CHRP, and with no cap on officer salary or local match requirement, the feds will only be able to fund a portion of the officer and deputy positions requested.

Joe is hoping that we will be notified by September 30, 2009 if we get awarded.

 

7:26P.M.     Doug Morton – NVDA – Transportation Planner

 

                   Doug Morton from NVDA as well as David Saladino from Resource Systems Group, Inc

                   (David is contracted by NVDA) approached the board tonight to seek the boards input

                   on a report that NVDA is working on for the Town of Hardwick.  NVDA has received

                   monies from the Federal Government for what is called Annual Work program.

 

Doug asked the board what they feel is the most critical issues that NVDA should concentrate on in this report?  Doug will be looking at the following issues in the Village limits Access management, intersection safety also east & west from Glenside Ave down past Wolcott Street to around Lamoille Valley Ford area.  NVDA hopes to have this report rapped up by September 2009.  There will be public meetings during this time to seek residents and business output and thoughts on this process.

 

NVDA will also complete a capital budget for a long term planning document that the Town could use 5, 10 or 20 years down the road so the Town can pick or choose what projects they would like to do over time.  NVDA will also help us with funding sources and future studies as needed.  Also almost all of the area that NVDA will be looking at is considered a high crash area so hopefully that will also help us in securing   future funding as needed.

 

The board asked that they be involved in all future meetings regarding this issue.

 

7:50P.M.     Perrault/Salls  Waterline Issue

 

                   TM gave the board an overview of the current situation with Mr. Perrault and Mr. Salls

                   waterline issues.  Please see attached memo to the Select Board from the TM dated

                   05-15-09.

 

                   Marcus then asked Mr. Perrault if he understood everything that the TM just laid out.

 

                   Mr. Perrault at that time stated that he understood but was NOT HAPPY with the TM

and felt that the job he was doing was completely inadequate and felt that it was the TM fault for all of his water problems stemming back several years…

 

                   The board instructed the TM to continue to work with Mr. Perrault and Mr. Salls

                   to seek a conclusion on this issue.

 

Mr. Salls partner Lavine also requested that the Salls be included in all correspondence generated during the permitting process.  TM informed her that he would include them in all correspondences. 

 

                   

8:10P.M.     Greensboro Hydro Project

         

Anne Stevens & Peter Roudebush from the Greensboro Town Energy Committee Board  came to the board tonight to do a presentation on the anticipated Hydro Project at Caspian Beach in Greensboro and to seek the Towns blessing.

 

The Town of Greensboro would like to install a small (70kw) run-of-the river hydro powered turbine generator to make and distribute clean electricity to power its elementary school, town hall, library, fire station , street lights and public works.  This will help Hardwick and Greensboro reduce fossil fuel use and reduce global warming.  Hardwick and Greensboro used hydro power to power the agricultural and business communities that sustained them economically and socially for many years.  The project uses Caspian Lake and its small existing dam built in 1948 to make electricity compatible with Vermont’s historic local rural traditions, if successful, the project will ease some of the expense of peak power plaguing Greensboro and Hardwick.

 

 

The Town of Hardwick owns land in Greensboro and the land happens to border the Public Beach area where the Hydro pipe will need to be run.  So in the long run the Town of Hardwick will need to complete easements for this project as well.

 

The board asked Eric Werner General Manager for Hardwick Electric what his thoughts

were on this project.  Eric explained to the board that he is excited and this project is a good thing for everyone involved, however the project is still in the very early stages and there are still a lot of things that have to happen before this project will be ready to break ground.  Eric feels that the Town of Hardwick should support this project but, not support it financially.  Hardwick Electric is very interested in buying the electricity generated by this project at a competitive rate.

 

 

8:45P.M.     Hardwick Trail Plan

                  

The Rail Trail Management board was in attendance tonight to present the Select Board with the Hardwick Rail Trail Plan and User Agreement please see attached.

 

The Rail Trail board wanted to review the User Agreement with the Select Board and address any issues at this time prior to signing the agreement. 

 

-         Motion was made by Richard to accept the User Agreement as written

-         Shari 2nd the motion

-         Opened for discussion

 

 

Kathleen Hemmens suggested posting signs to warn walkers and other users that this trail is used by motorcycles and other motorized vehicles.  Kathy also suggested signage for walkers to let them know what is expected of the walkers while on the trail.

 

Ross Gowen informed the board that he was concerned how the Town could move so fast and get the fence and berm completed.  It was Ross understanding that they were going to seek quotes this week for the work to be completed on the fence and berm.

 

Marcus explained to Ross that it was cheaper and quicker to have the Town Highway crew complete the work.  Marcus stated that this decision was made by himself and the TM. 

 

TM stated to Ross that he was disappointed that Ross would raise this question when the Town has taken it upon themselves to get the work done.

 

Ross explained that he was just as happy as the next person to finally have the Trail open and that the Town has done a great job doing that but was just curious how the fence work is going to be funded.

 

Ross was informed that because the Town completed the labor that Vast and VASA would be billed for the cost of the supplies used.

 

-         Motion was made by Richard Brochu to accept the amended version of the user

agreement between the Town of Hardwick and the Trail Management Board.

-         Motion was 2nd by Sheri

-         Motion passed

 

Charlie Volk expressed that he was thankful that this whole trail issue finally has been

brought to a conclusion and also expressed his gratitude to everyone involved.

 

9:08P.M      Select Board Report

 

Shari wanted to let everyone know that the new granite steps for the Town House have been installed and look wonderful.                           

                  

There has been another citizen complaint regarding excessive use of ATV’s and late night usage in the Mackville area.

 

9:14P.M.     Old Business

         

                    NONE

 

                   Executive Sessions

 

9:15P.M.     -    Motion by Richard Brochu to go into Executive Session to include the TM &                                    

                         Executive Assistant for Legal reasons.

                    -    Motion by 2nd by Sheri

                   -    Motion passed

 

10:25.M.     -    Motion by Marcus Brown to come out of Executive Session at 10:25P.M.

-         Richard Brochu 2nd

-         Motion passed

 

 

10:26P.M.   -    Motion by Richard Brochu to go into Executive Session with board only to discuss

                        contracts                             

                    -    Motion by 2nd by Shari

                   -    Motion passed

 

10:30P.M.   -    Motion by Marcus Brown to come out of Executive Session at 10:30 P.M.

-         Richard Brochu 2nd

-         Motion passed

 

 

10:31         P.M.    Adjourn

 

 

 

 

 

-         Motion made by Marcus to adjourn at 10:31 P.M.

-         2nd by Richard to adjourn at 10:31P.M.

-         Motion Passed unanimously

 

 

 

 

Minutes approved by: Marcus Brown, Select Board, Chair

 

 

 

Minutes taken by: Rosie Gillen