MINUTES GRAFTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
DATE: November 18, 2013
SELECTMEN PRESENT: Al Sands, Noralee Hall, Bill Kearns, Gus Plummer and Peter Jeziorski.
CONVENED: 6:00 PM ADJOURN: 7:30 PM
1.
Public Comment: Melissa Belcher – introduced herself explaining she has been hired by
Meadowsend and is working with Jeremy Turner, told everyone she has a master’s degree in
Environmental Science and will be answering any questions that people may have about the possible wind project in Grafton. Her office is above Grafton Auto Service and she will hopefully be there at least Monday’s and Tuesdays, Liisa Kissell – reminded people of the meeting on November 22, 2013 at the white church on the common in Townshend about noise and health effects of industrial wind,
Sam Battiglino, Don Dougall, Kim Record, Cynthia Gibbs, Ginger Luderman, Joan Lake, Wendy Martin
– listen and Danny Taylor- Road Foreman’s report.
2.
Adopt Agenda: Sands questioned LeBlanc if she had intended to talk about the letter from VLCT, the
Personal Protective Policy, whether there had been any feedback from the letter sent regarding illegal posting signs and if SeFEDS request was all to go under “other business”, LeBlanc said that was her intent. Motion by Plummer to adopt agenda as changed. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
3.
Minutes: On minutes dated 11/04/2013 Sands said that there was a typo under item #3 and should read strike, not trike. Motion by Plummer to approve minutes dated 11/04/2013 as corrected.
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. Minutes dated 11/11/2013, Kearns said the s in Sands needed to be capitalized. Motion by Plummer to approve minutes date 11/11/2013 as changed. Sands abstained, MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
4.
Warrants: Payroll Warrant dated 11/11/2013 and Accounts Payable Warrant dated 11/15/2013 were signed.
5.
Road Foreman’s Report. a.
Hall Spillway: Taylor stated he didn’t think the board had done anymore looking into this issue and that Rob Hall had come in the office again on Friday. Taylor said he discussed the issue with him and told Hall that the town does not feel they are responsible for it; Hall was fine with the decision. b.
Carpenter Swamp: Kearns told the board he had talked with Skip Lisle and had been shown the location on a map; it is right next to the road just above where he has a deceiver on a different dam. Kearns said he has not been able to get up there when it’s been light. Kearns has shown
Taylor the location on the map and Taylor confirmed that the water is high next to the road.
Kearns suspects Lisle would do the work for $1,500 since he never charges what it really cost and that he feels something should be done because it is right next to the road. Sands said Lisle stated he is prepared to do the work but would like to get paid after the work gets done, there is nothing left in that line item this year. Jeziorski asked Gibbs if she knew of any discretionary funds, she stated there is under “other contracted services” and under “bridge maintenance”
LeBlanc stated there will be a surplus in the Health Insurance budget. Plummer suggested asking
Lisle how much this beaver deceiver would cost. Motion by Kearns to authorize to Skip Lisle up to $1,500 for installation of a beaver deceiver on the flat at the top on Hinkley Brook close to the road where the water is rising. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. Kearns will call Lisle.

c.
School Bus: Cynthia Gibbs attended the last school board meeting and Ivor Stevens brought up to the school board the lack of space at the town highway department for parking the school bus. It was also noted that the town no longer owns the bus, it belongs to the Supervisory Union and should be their responsibility. A decision where to park the bus has not been made yet. d.
Budget Worksheets: Taylor presented the board with his budget worksheet and explained he reviews what was actually spent last year if it is close to what was budgeted he leaves it the same, if not he adjusts the amount. Taylor said that when our gravel pile is gone and needs to be replaced this will increase the gravel budget a lot; it is now at $28,000 and would increase to approximately $60,000. The sand budget and salt budget will be adjusted. Sands told the board that P&L’s gravel pit is not permitted to be open during the time of year when we may want to get sand from them and thought it may be worth writing a letter to ACT 250 requesting an exception so the town can get sand. Kearns said we really need to find our own gravel pit. The budgets sheets will be reviewed and gone over at the next Select Board Meeting. e.
Wyman Hill: LeBlanc told the board she’d received the bill from the town’s attorney regarding the Wyman Hill issue and thought there may be something to report. Kearns said he does know
Robin has written a letter to Vance Dewitt’s attorney basically restating the same position, we are doing everything by the court order, and there has been no response back from Dewitt’s attorney. Sands said if this issue reoccurs again it should be stated that as far as the town is concerned the discussion is over. f.
Work Schedule: One more week of doing leaves and weather permitting the road crew will be off the week of Thanksgiving. g.
Other Highway Issues: Keith from Vtel was supposed to stop by on Monday and with a letter to the board, they originally didn’t think the wires would be replaced on Ledge Road and Wyman
Hill but because they have been Taylor requested a letter that the work would be done according to their permit. Sands said we could follow up with a letter; Taylor will stop by
LeBlanc’s office to go over what needs to be said. Taylor told the board that Nortrax arrived today to work on the backhoe; it was because of the letter they received from us. LeBlanc told the board that Taylor requested new performance evaluation sheets, the same ones have been used for years. LeBlanc emailed other towns requesting copies of what they are using and received several which will be email to the board. LeBlanc said she would invite Brud Sanderson to the December 2 nd Informational Meeting for 6:00 PM. A letter was received from VLCT confirming Wade Masure’s visit for the purpose of meeting with James Critchfield and Don
Lawrence over the recent workers comp claim. The letter requests being returning with comments as to how this can be prevented in the future and the town will then receive credit towards the claim and the possible increase in workers comp insurance. LeBlanc created a
Personal Protective Equipment Policy to be returned with the letter. The policy was discussed.
Gibbs mentioned that the CPA suggested updating our existing personnel policy. Motion by
Kearns to respond back to VLCT with the policy written by LeBlanc with the understanding that the Town’s Personnel Policy needs to be revisited. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
6.
Library: Cynthia Gibbs told the board that Fred Duplessis, the town’s professional auditor, was here and met with Michelle Dufort and Bob Donald at the library to discussion their financials. It was decided that the Town Treasurer will sign the library’s checks and everything else will stay at the library, they will continue to do their books as they have been, Duplessis is happy with that.
Duplessis was also given the reports that were requested of the library and the town auditors will

continue their annual audit. Nothing needs to be done with their legal status, Duplessis felt that they stood as a public library under the town and it is noted that the question has been settle, it is a town library, this should be documented in Sullivan Powers Management Letter.
7.
Financials: It was requested of Gibbs to come up with the town’s surplus by December 2 nd for
Informational Meeting. Gibbs stated it looks like the surplus should be around $300,000 and she suggests not using any more than that so not to leave a shortage. This does not include the $70,000 still owed to the town from Irene.
8.
Information Meeting, Voice Vote and Bond Vote update: Kearns explained after working with
Kim Record on dates that the Informational Meeting will be set for December 2 nd , 6:00 pm at the Grafton School just prior to the regular scheduled select board meeting, the Special Select
Board Meeting, voice vote, is set for December 16 th at 6:00 PM at the Grafton School requesting a 10% local match from the town on the CDBGD program which will be applied for and to explain that the second article Is a bond vote by Australian ballot and will take place the following day on December 17 th at the town hall, all day, for the relocation of the town garage.
This is the legal procedure for the process. LeBlanc presented both articles to the board for signatures. Kearns explain that at the December 16 th board meeting the select board will be asked to give itself the authority to apply for the CDBGD Grant. The close out report has been received from FEMA for 3.2 million dollars of which our share is $47,505 which is 5% that was held back, this is why the town should be receiving the $70,000. Dougall asked where the town stands on filing the grant, Kearns responded that is was just discovered that the grant application will not be accepted until the 21 st of December and that towns can only ask for up to
$2 million dollars, next year around the same date the town can apply for more. Since the town was originally only asking for $1.2 million it has not been decided what else will be applied for in addition to the town garage. Jeziorski said that what we hoped for by the Special Town Meeting we still will not know but we do know there is a surplus.
9.
Budget Worksheets: LeBlanc explained she does the same as Taylor when filling out the budget.
Health insurance will go down, our existing plan no longer exists, $18,000 of what is already budgeted will no longer be needed and the new plan will save the town $4000 between the road crew and the office. Jeziorski questioned a $2000 bill for stone work in the Village
Cemetery he also questioned the cemetery funds which were set up for the town. Record said the funds are in the form of cd’s but since the interest rates are so low now it does not cover much. The cemetery has its own budget within the town budget. Sands remembers Don ran by the stonewall fix at a past select board meeting and the money was in his budget, he plans projects and budgets accordingly. The budget was discussed. LeBlanc will put into the computer and everyone can send their changed numbers back to LeBlanc.
10.
Set Capital Budget Hearing Date: LeBlanc said she talked to Keith Hermiz and copied off his report for the board. Motion by Kearns to set the Capital Budget Hearing date for 01/06/2014 at
5:45 p.m. prior to the select board meeting. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
11.
Other Business: LeBlanc presented the Sullivan & Powers scope of services for signatures. It was decided that Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies will be invited to a meeting in January. The commercial off premise road signs were discussed and Kearns feels this is all the town should try to enforce, if the signs are not removed the town can remove them.

Jeziorski asked who is going to clean up the town green, Plummer state Vtel has a follow up crew that will clean up all the rocks. Sands told Liisa Kissell that some people in town wanted to know about her non-profit organization and the status of collecting money; it appears that perhaps her paperwork is not all in order. Kissell stated that is none of the Select Boards business, whoever is asking that question should come to her.
12.
Date of Next Meeting: December 2, 2013 at the Grafton Elementary School at 6:00 pm.
13.
Adjourn: Motion by Plummer to adjourn at 7:30 pm. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.