TOWN OF CLARENDON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING REGULAR
Monday August 26, 2024
Clarendon Community Center @ 6:00PM
MINUTES
Attendees
Mike Klopchin, Chairman
George Ambrose, Clerk
Robert Congdon, Selectman
Art Menard, Selectman
Cash Ruane, Selectman/Road Commissioner
Gloria Menard, Town Clerk
Ashley Robinson, Admin Asst
Kevin Peck, Lister
Bob Underhill, Lister
David Bosch
Art Peterson
Elisabeth Kulas, Kulas Consulting
Cooper Babbitt, CEDRR
Lyle Jepson, CEDRR
Stephanie Ianni
Sarah Kumm
Ed Baker
Jimmy Austin
Harry Withington
Blaine Goad
Darlene Goad
Chris Gatti-Palance
Dan Pinkowski
Beverly Brown
Call to Order
Chairman Klopchin called the meeting to order at 6:37pm
Agenda additions/deletions
-Executive session: Personnel add to end of meeting
Selectman Ambrose motioned to approve the addition of the executive session. Selectman Ruane provided the second. The motion was approved unanimously.
Approval of Meeting Minutes
-Regular meeting August 5th 2024
Selectman Congdon motioned to approve the minutes from August 5th 2024 regular meeting. Selectman Ambrose provided the second. The motion was approved unanimously.
Highway
Road Commissioner report
-Transfer station cardboard
Commissioner Ruane requests to have another cardboard container brought to the transfer station to avoid the multiple trips with the payloader to compact, taking the road crew away from jobsites. He questioned if it was part of our contract, or if it could be added. Selectman Congdon motioned to have Ashley reach out to Casella to see if we could get another carboard bin brought to the transfer station. Selectman Ambrose provided the second. The motion was approved by all.
-Resident Harry Withington of Scenic View Drive wanted an update on the roadside mower as the area has overgrown. Eddie Baker was present at the meeting and he is the one who has been working on the machine. Eddie said that there is a rock shift valve that was split inside and that he was waiting on a part that was supposed to be coming in Tuesday. He will have more of an update after that part comes and is installed. This part effects the steering and breaks, and since this has been a problem for years, he is hopeful that once this is up and working another problem doesn’t arise. Mr. Withington is concerned for the safety while driving in town due to lack of visibility.
Mr. Withington also wanted the board to be aware that he did come a year ago to a meeting regarding the ditch work that had been done during the previous road commissioners’ employment. This ditch work has caused Mr. Withington to lose multiple trees along his property, and due to the size of the ditching there are more trees that are dying. Nothing has been done about this as of this time. Mr. Withington did mention that Road Commissioner Ruane has been great with communicating, and understands that the road crew is busy. The previous ditch was 3’ deep and now it is close to 8 feet. Selectman Congdon asks is the volume of water is the problem. Road Commissioner Ruane says the water isn’t the problem. The ditch is eroding and needs to have roughly $3-4,000 worth of rock against the bank side to stabilize it. Mr. Withington does not feel he should have to pay for this to be done. Ruane would like a site visit with the board to assess what is going on and make a decision on what they suggest. Selectman Congdon asks Ruane if the trees are in the towns right of way, and if that is something they would have to consider when the board is at the site visit. The board agrees to look at the trees as well when the meeting happens. Mr. Withington asks to notified when the meeting will happen so he can be present.
Approval of Select Board Warrants
Guests
Public Comments
Old Business
-CEDRR selectboard sign resolution to apply for VCDP Planning Grant
Selectman Congdon appreciates hearing about what is available, however was disappointed in the administrate issues on the front end that lead to problems in the town office that could have been handled better. He hopes that moving forward that the administrative side goes much smoother, and that if items are released to the public, they have to be accurate. In a state where we get a reputation of not being business friendly, he believes this is a step to be more business friendly. Selectman Congdon hopes that Clarendon as a community can be a part of fostering more business and being a part of helping that. Selectman Ambrose recalls working with CEDRR on a mobile home park in the past, and it went well. Selectman Klopchin request a motion to sign the approval for CEDRR to apply for the planning grant. Selectman Ambrose motioned the approval, Selectman Congdon provided the second. The motion was approved unanimously, and was signed by all.
-Fitzgerald Cold River plan & HMGP Grant application
Ashley speaks on Fitzgerald management plan that had previously been approved by the board to move forward with being $7-10,000. The updated contract to be signed is $15,000 however has two tasks. Task 1 being the project start-up, and task 2 being the preparation of river management plan.
Dan Pinkowski says he asked Fitzgerald for assistance on the HMGP grant application. Items on ‘Task 1’ would benefit applying for the grant. There is discussion on the payment to Fitzgerald being in one lump sum, or in phases. Ashley will look into this. Selectman Menard brings up the BRIC grant still being a possibility of payment. Selectman Menard motions to approve the Fitzgerald Proposal to be authorized with signatures. Selectman Congdon provides the second. The motion is approved unanimously.
Ashley thanks Dan Pinkowski for his help with information on the Cold River. She asks for assistance with wording on the initial pre-application for the grant. Selectman Congdon reviews the application print off that was provided. He believes we can use the road resilience project type as well as the floodplain restoration. Dan speaks on his conversation with Evan Fitzgerald, and his suggestion to use the ‘road resilience’ as a project type and protecting the Middle Road bridge. Road Commissioner/Selectman Ruane asks if the grant would also give the river more capacity and not just stabilizing the banks. There will be more of a description further in the pre-application. Ashley requested help with wording the problem to be addressed, and solution. Selectman Congdon suggests making sure to add restoring volume. After a short discussion it was decided that the main items to be added would be restoring volume, sediment buildup back to historic values, and reinforcing abutments. Dan says if we use key words, and send to board to look over prior to sending we can submit the application.
Selectman Congdon wants to make sure that what we have asked Fitzgerald for is a complete Cold River plan and not just specifically for the bridge on Middle Road. Ashley supports this being the case with a full management plan of the Cold River. Ruane is concerned that when the upper section is complete, they will open up flow with volume, that there will be problems down below the bridge on the West side.
-Kingsley bridge weight limit
Selectman Congdon reviews an email from the state with weight limits of the bridge, and he motions to re-post the bridge for 10-tons. Selectman Ambrose provides the second. Chairman Klopchin was thinking 6-tons, and the trouble with a higher limit would be the bigger higher trucks thinking they could go through. There is suggestion to looking into height bars for both sides. Selectman Congdon rescinds his motion, as does Ambrose, and wait until we look into height bars. Congdon motions now to change the weight to 6-tons, and Selectman Ambrose provides the second. The motion was approved by all. Ashley will look into the bars for the next meeting, as well as having the signs to reflect.
New Business
-Kevin Peck: Cemetery fence
Kevin Peck would like to address the fences located at the Marsh and Flatt cemeteries. Fences are supposed to be in proper working order and maintained. There is no reference anywhere that they can’t be removed. There are issues with the gates meeting the fence poles, gates that don’t function, and fencing that has not been maintained so it is bent and broken. Kevin proposes to remove portions of fencing at the cemeteries. Selectman Ambrose agrees they could be removed. Selectman Congdon wonders if there should be a boulder added where the corner of the fencing is now especially on the flats due to the snow plowing not being pushed any further than needed, and Selectman Ruane agrees. Selectman Ambrose motions to approve the suggestion of removing the sections of fences in discussion. Selectman Congdon provides the second. The motion was approved by all.
Town Officer’s & Committee Member Report
N/A
Select Board Member Concerns
Selectman Menard questions if we had any information on the guardrails being installed on the Walker Mountain bridge. Road Commissioner Ruane will look into this and advise.
Executive Session Personnel
At 7:26pm Selectman Congdon motioned to go into executive session for personnel matter. Selectman Ruane provided the second. The board approved unanimously.
The board had a conversation with an applicant for the road crew position. Contract negotiations to be determined.
Adjournment
Selectman Congdon motioned to come out of executive session and adjourn the meeting at 7:47pm. Selectman Menard provided the second. The motion was approved by all.
TOWN OF CLARENDON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING REGULAR
Monday August 26, 2024
Clarendon Community Center @ 6:00PM
AGENDA
Call to Order
Agenda additions/deletions
Approval of Meeting Minutes
-Regular meeting August 5th 2024
Highway
-Transfer station cardboard
Approval of Select Board Warrants
Guests
Public Comments
Old Business
-Fitzgerald Cold River plan
-HMGP Grant application review
-CEDRR selectboard sign resolution to apply for VCDP Planning Grant
-Kingsley bridge weight limit
New Business
-Kevin Peck: Cemetery fence
Town Officer’s & Committee Member Report
Select Board Member Concerns
Executive Session Personnel
Adjournment
