TOWN OF CLARENDON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING REGULAR

Monday April 14, 2025

Clarendon Town Hall @ 6:00PM

Minutes

Guests

Mike Klopchin, Chair

George Ambrose, Clerk

Cash Ruane

Robert Congdon

Don Pratt

William -PEGTV

Heidi Congdon, Treasurer

Denny Miller

Cindy Davis

Bob Bixby

Jimmy Austin

Gene Stone

Carol Geery

Kevin Peck

Horst Gebauer

Shelley Lutz

Harry Withington

John Geery

Call to Order

Chairman Klopchin called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM

 Agenda additions/deletions

  –George Ambrose would like to add the topic of the transfer station during old business. Robert Congdon makes an official motion to add it during old business. Cash Ruane provides the second. It is approved by all.

 Approval of Meeting Minutes

 –Regular Meeting Monday March 24, 2025

Clerk George Ambrose motioned to approve the minutes from the last selectboard meeting that was Monday March 24, 2025. Selectman Robert Congdon provided the second. Cash Ruane abstains from voting as he was not in attendance of the last meeting. All other board members approve.

Highway

-Road commissioner’s report

Road Commissioner Cash Ruane updates all on improving the truck bays with a cement floor to help eliminate corrosion and rust.

-Access Permit Application for Mark Davis.

Ruane performed a site visit for Mark Davis. He finds all to be in order with no culvert needed and asks that the chair sign his Access Permit Application. Robert Congdon makes the motion for the chair to sign the application. George Ambrose seconds the motion and it is approved by all.

-George asks Cash Ruane for an update on the topic of brine. Cash has met with Belden’s and learned new information about brine including an additional additive used to mix in to the brine. Clarendon does not currently have facilities and supplies set up to make brine application mixing and applying a success. It is an in-depth process and possibly another truck would be needed. Ruane feels that future grants for the equipment needed may come from the State of Vermont. Robert Congdon interjects that additional education on the subject is needed before the town invests further. Ruane then adds he would like to add a trailer that could hold new stoplights, signs and road equipment that would make transportation and set up easier.

-Jimmy Austin would like to discuss roads

Jimmy Austin says that most of his questions were answered by the road commissioner’s discussion. He reminds everyone that summer is coming and asks if our mower tractor is ready to go. Ruane assures that they will be working on it very soon and installing a new starter.

Approval of Select Board Warrants

Select board warrants are approved and signed.

 Guests

Guest Harry Withington thanks Cash and his road crew for the great work done by his house. He raises concern about Bakers Distributions trucks running all night long. He spoke with a representative from the company who says they will address the noise issue. Road Commissioner Ruane says that he has asked the company for an entrance sign.  The board will look to their administrative assistant to create a letter of concern on behalf of the select board and town outlining both concerns. A discussion ensues regarding the expense of brine and the pros and cons of sand vs. salt on the roads.

Clerk George Ambrose reaches out to guest Denny Miller to introduce himself. He describes his background and credentials as he has applied with interest to the opening on the school board. Selectman Congdon thanks him and says that the school board opening discussion will ensure shortly.

Public Comments

John Geery updates all on the healthy beaver population in town. Cash Ruane has been in touch with our contact who handles trapping and monitoring the beaver population. There was an issue of an unknown person removing a beaver dam which caused our contact to have to remove his traps. This person may need to charge the town by the hour going forward rather than per beaver. The select board will reach out to this source to discuss the matter of handling the beavers.

 New Business

–Craig Knapp with the Emergency Management Committee to speak on Emergency Preparedness via remote access

Mr. Knapp did not join the meeting.

-Shelly Lutz would like to discuss website improvements for Town of Clarendon

Shelly Lutz raises concern of the difficulty to find the agenda and minutes on the town’s website and the difficulty of getting back to the home page. Treasurer Heidi Congdon mentions that the Administrative Assistant Kim Young has met with the Town Clerk Gloria Menard with functionality upgrades which will be addressed soon.

-Town Appointment for Representative to the Rutland Regional Planning Commission Board of Commissioners. (Brownson Spencer has agreed to be reappointed)

George Ambrose motions to reappoint Brownson Spencer with Robert Congdon providing the second. Carol Geery notes that the RRPC has nominated Sara Krumm to the seat instead of Brownson. Congdon is concerned that Brownson has been on the committee for many years and confirmed interest with the boards outreach to him to continue. Don Pratt mentions that Brownson was not at the last Planning Committee meeting and may not be aware of the additional interest in the position. With two seats open both parties could be appointed to the board but conversations need to happen regarding who is first seat and who is alternate. George Ambrose withdraws his motion. Congdon motions that the appointments be tabled until another meeting. Ruane seconds the motion and it is approved by all.

-Certificate of Compliance for Road and Bridge Standards and Network Inventory to be signed by the board

Robert Congdon makes a motion for all of the board to sign the annual Certificate of Compliance. George Ambrose provides the second. It is approved and signed.

Recommendation to School Board Open Seats

There are two open seats. The selectboard has 3 letters of interest being Dave Potter, Rich Clark and Denny Miller. Carol Geery says that the school board has only two applicants. Geery feels that 2 of the applicants have followed the entire process through while 1 has not.   Geery states that she did receive Miller’s letter of interest forwarded to her by the administrative assistant but claims that there is a rule that the letters have to come directly from the applicant to the school board to be considered official. Congdon suggests a recess for 5 minutes to go over the statutes. George Ambrose motions for the board to go in to a brief recess. Congdon seconds. All Approve.

Selectman Robert Congdon following the recess, states that for the record it is found that under 16USA 731A a school board vacancy has to be applied for by interested applicants and at that point a recommendation can be made by the board from the applications they have received. Congdon motions that the board recommends both Denny Miller and Rich Clark to the Unified School Board District of Mill River. Selectman Ruane seconds the motion. It is approved by the majority and carried forward despite one nay vote from Ambrose who had expressed interest in a third applicant, David Potter. During the recess guest Denny Miller typed up an additional thorough and thoughtful letter of interest for the opening school board position to be given to the school board.

-Comcast to work with Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) via a Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Grant to fund expansion of broadband service to unserved locations in Clarendon. Comcast is looking for signatures from the board in support of the project, which will not require any funding from the Town or its residents.

Robert Congdon makes a motion for Chair Mike Klopchin and Clerk George Ambrose to sign the letter of support for Comcast’s grant application and project. Selectman Cash Ruane seconds the motion. It is approved by all and signed.

Old Business

 –Green Up dumpster location discussion

Ruane suggests the location of the dumpster to be at the transfer station this year to alleviate the extra cost of additional household dumping.  Discussion ensues regarding possible issues with the current Saturday transfer station hours and the extended hours of Green Up Day. Congdon makes a motion for the location of the Green Up Dumpster to be beside the Town Hall near the road. Ambrose provides the second. It is approved by all members.

-Denny Miller has finalized his letter of interest for the school board opening position and reads it to the meeting members. Treasurer Heidi Congdon agrees to email it for him as it was formulated on her computer.

-Transfer Station

Clerk Ambrose raises concern of cash payments being received at the transfer station. Horst Gebauer feels that the issue will be alleviated after a transition period to the new punch cards. Treasurer Heidi Congdon asks that the transfer station employees keep track of repeat offenders of those paying cash. The first meeting in May the topic will be reevaluated.

Town Officer’s & Committee Member Report

Select Board Member Concerns Cash Ruane was not at the last select board meeting and wanted to officially welcome Don Pratt to the board as the newest member. Robert Congdon asks Ruane if there would be any issues obtaining cold patch this Spring. Ruane explains that it should not be an issue. Ruane also confirms to Don Pratt that salt is still being used in conjunction with brine.

Executive Session

At 7:18 PM Selectman Robert Congdon motions for the board to enter Executive Session to discuss Personnel. George Ambrose provided the second. All approved.

The selectboard exits Executive Session at 8:22 PM of which Selectman Cash Ruane motions to end the session. George Ambrose seconds the motion. All Approve.

Statement: The board discussed multiple concerns and questions during the session and will further investigate procedures and documentation to speak to the issues presented.

Adjournment

Cash Ruane motions to adjourn the meeting. George Ambrose seconds the motion. Selectboard meeting is adjourned at 8:23 PM.

Mike Klopchin/Chair__________________________________________________

George Ambrose/Clerk/Parliamentarian________________________________________________

 

TOWN OF CLARENDON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING

REGULAR

Monday April 14, 2025

Clarendon Town Hall @ 6:00PM

AGENDA

Call to Order

Agenda additions/deletions

Approval of Meeting Minutes

-Regular Meeting Monday March 24, 2025

Highway

-Road commissioner’s report

-Access Permit Application for Mark Davis

-Jimmy Austin would like to discuss roads

Approval of Select Board Warrants

Guests

Public Comments

New Business

-Craig Knapp with the Emergency Management Committee to speak on Emergency

Preparedness via remote access

-Shelley Lutz would like to discuss website improvements for Town of Clarendon

-Town Appointment for Representative to the Rutland Regional Planning

Commission Board of Commissioners. (Bronson Spencer has agreed to be reappointed)

-Certificate of Compliance for Road and Bridge Standards and Network Inventory to

be signed by the board

-Recommendation to the School Board for open seat(s)

-Comcast to work with Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) via a

Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Grant to fund expansion of broadband

service to unserved locations in Clarendon. Comcast is looking for signatures from the board

in support of the project, which will not require any funding from the Town or its residents.Old Business

-Green Up dumpster location discussion

Town Officer’s & Committee Member Report

Select Board Member Concerns

Executive Session – Personnel

Adjournment