Selectboard Minutes, 08.14.2023

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GUILFORD SELECTBOARD MEETING
Monday, August 14, 2023, 6:30 p.m., 236 School Road, Guilford, VT

SELECTBOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Zon Eastes, Verandah Porche, Rusty Marine, Tara Cheney

STAFF/OFFICIALS PRESENT: Erika Elder (Town Administrator), Sheila Morse(Assistant Town Administrator) (via Zoom) Dan Zumbruski (Highway Commissioner)

PRESENT IN PERSON: Peter Kelliher (BCTV) Kyle Parker, Pamela Sapaulding, Jen McDuffie, Steve Lembke, Connie Burton, Jeanette Tokarz (Chair, Planning Commission), Dolores Clark

PRESENT via ZOOM: Anna Klein, Tammy Sargent, Cynthia Clark, Julie Beet, Elliot Mitchell, Barry Aleshnick, Jason Herron, Marty Ramsburg, Lyle Howe, Jody Hauser

Draft Minutes

  1. Call to Order (ESTIMATED Time) 6:30 pm
  1. Rules of Procedure (2 minutes)
  1. Welcoming of Public     Community Comment Period (10 minutes)
    1. Ruck-up charity event date request – Pamela Spaulding
      Ruck-Up is a volunteer-run 501 c3 for New England Veterans providing housing, food, clothes. Many Vets wait years for VA benefits.  Requests approval from Selectboard for Boot-Drop event Oct 14, rain date Oct. 15 on US Rt 5 between near Partridge Road.
    2. Jen McDuffie  – Jen is leaving Guilford after 2 years. Feels something in common with climate and other refugees. The town should be more welcoming – add links to website for new residents – provide guidance about getting involved; consider welcoming committee. Listen to newcomers. they may be in mourning for their former life. Leave your comfort zone and check in with new folks. 
  1. Changes to Agenda Order NONE
  1. Approval of Minutes
    1. Minutes of the regular meeting of 07.24.23
      MOTION: Verandah  moved to approve the minutes of the 7.24.23 regular meeting.    Rusty seconded. Vote was by roll call. All were in favor. None were opposed. None abstained. Motion carried. 
  1. Updates and Reports
    1. Town Administrator
      Erika: Adding answers to tax questions to the site; Professional audit is happening this week; PACIF inventory of Town Equipment; Erika will be Town Office point person for Get on Board training program; In contact with Windham County Sheriff Office to explore multi-town arrangement; IT work; Communication Plan. 
    2. Highway Commissioner
      Dan Zumbruski: Guilford Center Road rip-rap is finished. Guardrails will be up within a week. Working on culverts, stone lined ditching, Truck needs repair, Paving will start before Labor day. New Grader will be sourced through Sourcewell. Dan will get quotes.
    3. Planning Commission
      Jeanette Tokarz, Planning chair: Strategic planning got underway in March. Currently in listening phase. People are sharing ideas and love for Guilford. Next step will be a Visioning Workshop. Business breakfast residents shared information about their work and made new connections; one topic was lack of housing. Guilford will collaborate with Vernon Planning Commission. Verandah – We should plan to make people who come to live here feel welcome.  Jeanette: Other towns have tabs on website for new residents. Windham Regional Commission will give an educational presentation in Sept. on tools for shaping communities.
  1. Old Business
    1. Neighborhood Roots request for ARPA funds (5 minutes; ACTION: Motion) Zon: Michael and Zon were subcommittee. NR has solidified the lease agreement for land. Subcommittee recommends approval of request 
      MOTION: Zon moved and Verandah seconded to approve Neighborhood Roots’ ARPA request. Discussion: Neighborhood Roots has a Conflict of Interest policy which has been signed by one of the board members. The request is for land improvement – road improvement – a driveway and parking lot, filling a dangerous old cellar-hole, and addition of a frost-free hydrant. Verandah: Neighborhood Roots is doing lots of food security work with farmers. Tara: Conflict of Interest is a model for Guilford. Sheila Morse: Benefit to the Town? How much ARPA money is left after this award? Does this meet ARPA guidelines? Dolores: Will there be a building there? What is the whole project? Tara: Is there an expiration for funding? Zon: Funds must be obligated by Dec. 2024. Anna Klein, Neighborhood Roots: 20 Acre property envisioned as Guilford Food Hub, working with Guilford Central School. This ARPA request will be the first step toward other projects. Kyle Parker: How long is the lease for? What happens with the property after the lease is up? Julie Beet, Neighborhood Roots: 5-year lease automatically renewing.
      Vote was by roll call. Tara, Verandah & Zon were in favor. None were opposed. Rusty abstained. Motion carried. 
    2. Potash Rd discontinuance hearing: Sept 6, 5:30 p.m. The Selectboard will meet at the bottom of Potash Road, the Hearing at Town Office immediately following.
  2. New Business
    1. Next Capital Improvement Plan, staff meeting scheduled.
    2. Stoney Hill Road South, request to alter status
      Discussion: Zon: Belogours have asked to rename the road to clarify location for emergency and other drivers. Town’s part is .25 mi of the Road. Options are 1. SB does nothing, 2. Belogours could rename their already private part of the road, 3. Belogours could request to throw the road up. Erika: Correcting 911/Emergency Directions will change GPS data. 
    3. Public safety
      Zon: Speeding, break-ins, illegal dumping. Possible question on website – data gathering, public hearing possibility. Tara – quickest way to collect data is a hearing. State police are collecting data. Tara: Can the town apply for grants…ARPA? Verandah: Tell people to share incident info with us. Zon: Additional speed signs are in the budget.
      1. VTrans Curve Project
        Erika: Started in 2018 and ready to be implemented. VTrans identified need with TA and is ready to install safety signs on various town roads at no cost to the Town. Includes 25 MPH change approved by 2018 Selectboard. Changes were previously approved, VTrans asks for confirmation.
        MOTION: Zon moved to ratify VTrans Curves project, Rusty seconded.
        Vote was by roll call. All were in favor. None were opposed. None abstained. Motion carried. 
      2. Update Traffic Ordinance
        Erika: These previously approved changes should be added to Guilford’s Traffic Ordinance. Recommends an update.
        MOTION: Zon Moved to update the Traffic Ordinance, Tara seconded.
        Vote was by roll call. All were in favor. None were opposed. None abstained. Motion carried. 
    1.  Finance  (5 minutes; ACTION: Motion)
      1. Warrants      
    Payroll – WE 07.30.23$8,158.75
    Payroll – WE 08.06.23$8,652.38
    Payroll – WE 08.13.23$7,448.42
    Expense Warrant #2403$58,596.92
    Expense Warrant #2403V$1,334.50
    Expense Warrant #2403A$254.61
    TOTAL$84,445.58

    MOTION: Tara moved to approve the warrants as written. Verandah seconded. Vote was by roll call. All were in favor. None were opposed. None abstained. Motion carried.

    1. Other Business NONE
    1. Correspondence NONE
    1. Actions from Previous Meeting
      1. Agreed to delete duplicate item from agenda
      2. Approved Minutes of 7.10.23 meeting
      3. Approved BBCC ARPA request
      4. Set FY 24 tax rate
      5. Approved date for GVFD Auxiliary boot drop
      6. Approved Warrants
      7. Approved amendment to Personnel Policy
    1. Action Taken
      1. Approved minutes of 7.26.23 regular meeting
      2. Approved Neighborhood Roots ARPA funding request
      3. Voted to ratify VTrans Curves Project
      4. Agreed to Update Traffic Ordinance
      5. Approved Warrants
    1. Actions to be Taken
      1. Conflict of Interest Items
      2. Update Traffic Ordinance
      3. Ruck-up Event Date
    1. Adjournment
      1. MOTION: Rusty moved and Verandah seconded to adjourn the meeting.
        Vote was by roll call. All were in favor. None were opposed. None abstained. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:24