BUDGET WORKSHOP MINUTES
BUDGET WORKSHOP #1
November 22, 2021
Attendees:
Select Board
Mike Klopchin, Chair
Bob Bixby, Clerk
Cash Ruane
Robert Congdon
Rick Wilbur
Heidi Congdon, Treasurer
Katie Nop, Secretary
Call to Order
Chairman Klopchin called the workshop to order at 5:15PM.
Agenda additions/deletions
N/A
Budget discussion
The Board and Treasurer started the workshop by working through Revenues on the comparative budget report. They decided to lower delinquent taxes to $50,000 because external auditors recommend not to budget a large amount. Heidi hasn’t received budget requests for voted articles as of yet. The Transfer Station was budgeted to bring in $12,000 and brought in around $10,500. The Board discussed what they should set for the Transfer Station revenue but didn’t come to a conclusion. The Board then looked at Fees & Fines. Dog licenses will stay at $2,000. Liquor license fees went down, probably because the Hangar Café closed. Town Clerk fees were put in at $18,000. The Clarendon Community Center revenue was set at $6,000, a $1,000 difference than last fiscal year’s budget. State of VT grants was left at $0 because the Town does not budget for grants, in case they don’t receive them. Fire Department fuel was set at $2,000 because the price of fuel continues to climb. Sale of equipment and vehicles were left at $0.
The Board then moved onto Expenses. Selectmen’s pay was level funded at $9,000. The other salary lines for Town employees were left at $0 so Heidi can prepare more information on the cost-of-living adjustments as well as a salary comparison to other Towns. The Assistant Treasurer expenses, in the past, have been around $10,000. Heidi had continuously dropped the budget, but her current assistant is more available to help out on different project so she’s proposed a $3,000 budget. Heidi is waiting on a figure for an external audit. Under Town Hall maintenance, the Board discussed a couple different projects: one being whether to install heat pumps and/or paint the north side of the office. The Board asked Katie to get updated heat pumps quotes for them to review.
Public Comments
N/A
Recess
Selectman Congdon motioned to recess the budget workshop at 6PM and Selectman Bixby seconded. The motion passed unopposed.
The next budget workshop will be December 13 at 5PM at the Town Hall.
BUDGET WORKSHOP #2
December 13, 2021
Attendees:
Select Board
Mike Klopchin, Chair
Bob Bixby, Clerk
Robert Congdon
Cash Ruane
Rick Wilbur
Heidi Congdon, Treasurer
Katie Nop, Secretary
George Ambrose, Lister
Call to Order
Chairman Klopchin called the budget workshop to order at 5:06PM.
Agenda additions/deletions
N/A
Budget discussion
George Ambrose presented the Lister’s proposed budget for FY23. They’ve budgeted for $14,000. The Listers decided to level fund, but there is room for their compensation to grow within that budget. George explained the increase in mapmaking costs. The Listers transitioned to a new map vendor as part of the new State online map system, but it ended up being pricier than anticipated. George stated that the Listers would like to keep their compensation line the same as last fiscal year, so they can train another lister if they choose.
The Board then moved on to discuss employee salaries. There is a 5.9% increase with the cost-of-living adjustment for this next year. The Board asked Heidi to remind them what they’ve been doing in past years. The current fiscal year, there were no raises. The two fiscal years before that, they gave 3% raises. Heidi had pulled averages from across the State with similar positions and salaries. It was found that almost all Town positions were below average. The Board discussed and unanimously decided to adjust each employee’s salaries to get them closer to the State average for their respective positions.
Heidi reported that the annual external audit came back as an informal bid around $15,000. The Board left that in the budget because they are due for one. The internal auditors budget jumped a bit because of the pricing of the Town Report.
Katie received 2 bids for cemetery mowing after posting the bid for several weeks and reaching out to different contractors. The Board decided to award the bids in the Select Board meeting, following this budget meeting. She also got an updated quote from GSK for heat pumps, but was waiting for one from UFirst Plumbing & Heating. The Board will wait to look at them until they receive the quote from UFirst.
Public Comments
N/A
Recess
Selectman Congdon motioned to recess at 6:03PM. Selectman Ruane seconded, and all Board members approved.
The next budget workshop will be December 27 at 5pm.
BUDGET WORKSHOP #3
December 27, 2021
Attendees:
Select Board
Mike Klopchin, Chair
Bob Bixby, Clerk
Robert Congdon
Cash Ruane
Rick Wilbur
Heidi Congdon, Treasurer
Katie Nop, Secretary
Call To Order
Chairman Klopchin called the workshop to order at 5:02PM.
Agenda additions/deletions
N/A
Budget Discussion
Town Clerk, Gloria, submitted her budget. She has requested to level fund the assistant clerk’s budget and Town Clerk’s expenses. She’s asked for an increase in elections because there will be 3 elections next fiscal year. When the Board discussed Town Hall Maintenance, Katie let them know that she did not hear back from UFirst Plumbing and Heating, so the Board reviewed the quote from GSK. They decided to put 10k in for heat pump installation. The Board decided to level fund the Zoning Administrator budget. Under Health Insurance, Heidi explained that Blue Cross Blue Shield is based on calendar year and the Town runs on a fiscal year so she put it in at $110,000. Heidi asked if the Board wanted to true up employee contribution to an actual 4%. During Covid, the Board decided to level fund the employee deduction, even though the bill had increased. The Board will deduct an actual 4% of the health insurance bill beginning July 1 of 2022.
The Rutland County Sherriff’s Department budget request is $70,168. VLCT membership fees went down a bit to $4,133. The cemetery budget was level funded at $15,000. The Clarendon Fire Department has requested to level fund. Recreation Department is also level funding. Bailey Memorial Library has requested to increase their budget to $31,500. The Community Center has asked to level fund. Heidi asked the Board how they felt about putting Rutland County Restorative Justice Center on the ballot. They have requested $500. The Board said put it on the ballot and if it gets voted down 3 years in a row, then they will take it off.
The Board then moved onto Highway. They discussed the salt budget and left it at $95k. Winter gravel is set at $10k. Regular gravel is budgeted for $70k. Sand was level funded at $30k. The calcium chloride budget needs to be upped since the Road Crew is using it for dust control. They Board set it to $15k. The Board debated whether it was time to combine the Resurfacing Article line and the Resurfacing & Reconstruction line budgets. For now, the Resurfacing Article will be at $0 and the Resurfacing & Reconstruction will be $175,000. The Board will not be putting the resurfacing article on the ballot. The amount of $175,00 is the combination of the two-line item budgets, added together.
For Garage Utilities they level funded. Under Garage Maintenance, Cash said he would like to fix the insulation issue and upgrade the lighting in the Garage. The Board decided to put $6k in that budget to allow for the upgrades.
Katie provided the Board with quotes for standing desks. She talked to their insurance and found that a safety grant will cover the costs of buying a desk for her and Heidi. The grant does not require a match so there would be no extra cost to the Town. She brought this up to them so that when the grant needs to be signed, they would be given the “heads up.”
Going back to vehicle maintenance, they discussed how the grader just had extensive repairs done so they left the budget at $25k. Equipment maintenance, line item- fuel was left at $35k. Mechanic supplies was also left at $5k. The uniform stipend was level funded at $2k. The small highway budget was level funded as well. Highway miscellaneous was set at $5k. The Board discussed at length the equipment fund. The next piece of equipment that needs to be replaced is the grader. Heidi recommended to put 100k in the budget for FY23 and to purchase a new one over fiscal years 24 & 25 (so purchase would be over summer of ’24). Contract services, guardrails and culverts, and signs and pavement lines were all level funded. The Bridge Repair budget was set to $30k.
Adjournment
Selectman Congdon motioned to recess until January 10 at 5:30PM. Selectman Bixby seconded and the motion passed unopposed.
BUDGET WORKSHOP #4
January 10, 2022
Attendees:
Select Board
Mike Klopchin, Chair
Bob Bixby, Clerk
Cash Ruane
Robert Congdon
Rick Wilbur
Heidi Congdon, Treasurer
Katie Nop, Secretary
Call to Order
Chairman Klopchin called the workshop to order at 5:38PM.
Agenda additions/deletions
N/A
Budget discussion
Heidi announced that the final budget presented was the same as discussed, the week prior. The only difference being, Heidi increased the revenue on the delinquent tax line so that the amount that the Town is reducing from the fund balance by is a round number. Chairman Klopchin confirmed there was no resurfacing article on the ballot, and Heidi confirmed.
Public Comments
N/A
Adjournment
Selectman Congdon motioned to adjourn the budget workshops for FY23 at 5:52PM, Selectman Wilbur seconded, and the motion passed unopposed.
TOWN OF CLARENDON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING REGULAR
January 10, 2022
Minutes
Attendees
Select Board:
Mike Klopchin, Chair
Bob Bixby, Clerk
Robert Congdon
Cash Ruane
Rick Wilbur
Heidi Congdon, Treasurer
Katie Nop, Secretary
William Chmielewski, PEG-TV
Call to Order
Chairman Klopchin called the meeting to order at 6:00PM.
Agenda additions/deletions
N/A
Approval of Meeting Minutes
Selectman Congdon motioned to approve the Regular Meeting minutes from December 27, 2021; Selectman Bixby seconded and the motion passed unopposed.
Highway
Road Commissioner Report- The Road Crew has been on the roads quite frequently dressing them for ice and snow. The Road Commissioner is concerned what the tar roads will look like in the spring with the freezing and thawing.
Selectman Wilbur had a concern about a town resident that was loading public sand into his truck sander. Heidi had witnessed it at as well, but noted it wasn’t a commercial sander. Selectman Congdon said that as long as it wasn’t a commercial sander, its not too big of a deal right now. Some residents in Town have very long driveways where a hopper may be needed. The Town will just have to monitor the supply more closely and if it becomes a larger problem, then they will revisit the issue.
Approval of Select Board Warrants
Guests
N/A
Public Comments
N/A
Old Business
MRU Withdrawal discussion– Chairman Klopchin gave an overview of the situation. The Board had debated whether or not to put a nonbinding article on the ballot in March. It would ask the townspeople if they would like Clarendon to consider withdrawing from the school district. Chairman Klopchin also explained that when they attended a school board meeting in July, they discussed 3 things: better communication between the school and the town, how the merger was supposed to decrease their taxes, and perhaps placing a nonbinding article on the ballot. The process of withdrawing from a district is difficult; all the district towns have to agree for Clarendon to leave. The State then has to agree that the other schools’ district taxes are sufficient to cover the school budget, and then allow the Town to leave (in a nutshell). Chairman Klopchin said that with the current changes happening in the school board and the better lines of communication, the Select Board should not consider putting the withdrawal discussion on the ballot. Selectman Wilbur said that the voters should bring the issue before the Town if they would like to see change, but in the end the State does get the final decision.
(It started snowing during this meeting, so Road Commissioner Ruane had to leave the meeting early).
Selectman Congdon motioned to suspend the discussion about Clarendon’s possible withdrawal and move to the approval of the 2022 Election Warning before Cash Ruane had to leave. Selectman Bixby seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
New Business
Approve 2022 Election Warning – Selectman Congdon motioned to approve the 2022 Election Warning. Article 2 states: “Shall the Town of Clarendon raise by taxation the sum of $1,107, 298.45 to provide funds for General Government and Highway Expenditures for fiscal year July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, excluding separately voted articles?” Selectman Congdon reiterated that this figure does not increase taxes. There is a decrease in the fund balance, but that needed to happen anyways. Selectman Bixby seconded the motion, and it passed unopposed. Selectman Ruane stated that this is only the municipal portion of the budget, and they have no control over the education budget.
The Board then circled back to Old Business to discuss MRU Withdrawal.
Selectman Congdon motioned that there be no more pursuit of this discussion at this time. However, that’s not to say that if the citizens would like something different, they can bring it before the Select Board. The Board felt like they’ve accomplished their goals in producing change in this area. Selectman Bixby seconded Selectman Congdon’s motion. Chairman Klopchin said for the record, the motion passed unanimously (Cash Ruane was absent for the vote though).
New Business
VT Ecycle Contract Renewal– Selectman Congdon motioned that the Chairman sign the contract on behalf of the Board, Selectman Bixby seconded for discussion. He asked if the contract was still with NCER, and Katie confirmed. All of the Board members approved the motion.
DMV Record Request authorization– Selectman Congdon motioned that the Chairman sign the authorization of record requests and Selectman Bixby seconded. The motion passed 3-0. Selectman Congdon explained that it’s a letter to the DMV to allow Katie to access the Road Crew’s operating records per FMSCA regulations.
Cemetery Committee purchase approval– Katie presented this purchase request on behalf of Kevin Peck, for the Cemetery Committee. He would like to buy a heavy-duty rope for tree removal and headstone repair. Kevin had talked with the Road Commissioner to see if the Town already had something similar so he wouldn’t have to buy it, but there wasn’t. The rope would cost $173.95. Selectman Congdon motioned to approve the purchase; Selectman Wilbur seconded, all approved.
Town Officer’s Report
Treasurer, Heidi, reported that the budget process is wrapped up. The internal auditors are scheduled to meet on the 25th of this month to review the Town’s financial statements. Heidi will be processing W-2s, 1099s, and wrapping up calendar year end.
Katie, Board Secretary, reported that she had someone call in a complaint about a dog on Knipes Drive that has been running at large and damaging people’s property. She was letting the Board know so that it was on the record, in case the issue escalates, and possibly requires a hearing.
Select Board Member Concerns
Selectman Bixby thanked Heidi for her fine work during budget season.
Selectman Congdon brought up a complaint he had received regarding the confusion that Route 7b North causes for residents in the village. Specifically, a town resident was not able to receive necessary medical supplies because of delivery issues. Selectman Congdon brought this up because he had been notified so he was doing his due diligence. The Board asked Katie to look into this situation as it pertains to E911. Selectman Congdon said to ask the E911 Board if there were issues with the naming of the road, from their perspective and what their solution would be. Selectman Congdon asked Selectman Bixby if he’s heard of any concern in the village with the road name. Selectman Bixby said he had not heard issues with RT 7b North, mostly just truck drivers looking for the cabinet company.
Adjournment
Selectman Congdon motioned to adjourn at 6:30PM, Selectman Bixby seconded. The motion passed unopposed.
TOWN OF CLARENDON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
BUDGET MEETING
Notice
Monday, January 10, 2022
Clarendon Town Hall @ 5:30 PM
Agenda
Call to Order
Agenda additions/deletions
Budget discussion
Public Comments
Recess
TOWN OF CLARENDON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING REGULAR
Monday, January 10, 2022
Clarendon Town Hall @ 6:00PM
AGENDA
Call to Order
Agenda additions/deletions
Approval of Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting: December 27, 2021
Highway
Road Commissioner Report
Approval of Select Board Warrants
Guests
Public Comments
Old Business
MRU Withdrawal discussion
New Business
VT Ecycle Contract Renewal
DMV Record Request authorization
Approve 2022 Election Warning
Cemetery Committee purchase approval
Town Officer’s Report
Select Board Member Concerns
Adjournment
