Selectboard Meeting 6/1/16 Unapproved Minutes

TOWN OF PEACHAM

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES

Town Hall Meeting Room

Wednesday June 1, 2016 6:30PM

Present:

Selectboard: Annette Lorraine and David Jacobs

Clerk to the Selectboard: Melissa Laurita Kohl

Public: Road Foreman Jeremy Withers, Mike Bruton, Steve Engles, Town Clerk Tom Galinat, Jock Gill, Sharon Jones, Becky Jones, Dale Roy, Marceya Roy

The meeting was called to order by Annette Lorraine at 6:32PM.

1. Additions to Agenda
1. Under Highway Department include an update on speed limit changes and speeding through Peacham

2. Review and Approve Minutes of 5/18/16
1. Annette moves to approve the minutes as amended. David seconds. So moved. All in favor.

3. Village Pathway Final Decision
1. The Selectboard discussed this issue with the public and discussed their positions. A vote could not be taken as Tim was not present.
2. David would like to leave the path as grass but improve signage from Church St so that the public recognized it as a path. David said could have a historic marker indicating it was a historic path.
3. Annette feels differently. She feels like the staymat is safer than wet grass especially for kids riding bikes, etc. Annette doesn’t think people will be aware of it enough if just grass, especially leaf peepers.
4. The people who live along the path would like it to stay grass. Annette said that people have called her expressing the desire for staymat for safety issues. She said they are afraid to say so publicly as they do not want to anger or upset anyone. Annette believes that while there is a school, the town has an obligation to provide a safe route to school.
5. Everyone agreed that winter maintenance was a problem.
6. Steve and Jock thought the walkability of all of Peacham Pathways should be considered, not just this section.
7. Annette said that she is open to that but the agenda for this year is full with projects that had been delayed for years.
8. Melissa said that the Planning Commission could look at that issue when they work on the town plan, which should start at the end of summer/fall.
9. Jock said that Judy had engineers come look at crosswalk, driveway, etc. to the school as part of the safe routes to school program.

4. Margaret Maclean Re: Local Study Committee to study
1. Margaret needed to change the meeting to the next meeting but wanted to let the public know about the survey. It is made available around town and particularly at the Town Office (the town clerks can assist with filling it out).

5. Roller Barn Progress
1. There is a ramp and back door to put on. David will talk to Nate about it as he knows more about how the project needs to proceed. Tim will work with Ray to make sure he finishes the job soon.

6. Re-adopting Town Policies that are not signed
1. When Annette saw the policies she didn’t feel comfortable second guessing previous Selectboards. The ones that were signed by Bruce Lafferty Town Clerk and Selectboard Clerk she is comfortable with. Annette will work with Tom on the ones that she is sure with  because she was involved and then see what’s left and what his comfort level it is. SB still needs to approve one or more audit/financial policies. Would be great to have a table of contents or index.

7. Hazard mitigation plan committee suggestions
1. The Selectboard plugged it to the public. Marty Cavanaugh, Barry Lawson, Emergency People, Neil, Berwick, Jeremy, and Don Jones Wright on the committee. Need more public input. Jock Gill agreed to join as well.

8. Town Clerk Update
1. Review and approve line of credit for 2016
1. The interest rate is slightly higher.
2. Annette moves to enter into this line of credit and sign the Tax Anticipation Notice. David seconds. So moved. All in favor. The Selectboard and the clerks signed the Tax Anticipation Note for 2016.
2. Tom said that this is the slow time of year so can catch up on projects.

9. Highway Department update
1. Under Highway Department include an update on speed limit changes and speeding through Peacham
1. Steve discussed issues around speeding. He think the speed sign is malfunctioning because frequently it doesn’t even come on until your past it. Seems to be finicky. Tom said that if you drive over 45 miles an hour it doesn’t pick you up. Annette asks if we can reset it. Jeremy said that it takes it longer to pick up where it is now - could be the sign is a little high. Picks big trucks up most quickly. Because of the nature of the hill, might have to tip the sign to pick you up quicker.
2. Jeremy said the only way to stop speeding is to have the sheriff or state police every day. It’s a handy reminder for those who are law abiding.
3. David recommended having temporary speed bumps. Remove for the winter so can be plowed road easily. He said sometimes people padd 75 miler per hour past his house in east peacham. Sharon said that in south peacham they come down  to the stop sign and barely slow down and take the corner on two wheels heading down to west barnet. Coming down the hill from the village people really speed.
4. Annette said that the sheriff cannot be everywhere at once. Encouraged him to come when school was in session and they did. Last week his brother was almost run over by a man in front of his house. He called 911 and two different state troopers appeared shortly. This weekedn on sunday a coiunty sheriff pulled over a lady right in front of the house - there is some enforcement.
5. Jeremy will check with Shauna about rumble strips/speed bumps.
6. Steve said is there a possibility of buying more speed sign.
1. David said yet that we could budget it for next year.
7. Sharon said what’s wrong with Peacham being known as a speed trap place. David said that Danville a few years ago did that and gave out lots of tickets and it made a difference. The Selectboard will focus on ticketing issues when renewing contract. Haven’t received any income from ticketing for 3 years now.
8. Steve asked about hiring constable from Groton to spend time here. His car looks officious. The constable doesn’t have the jurisdiction to enforce our ordinances.
9. Annette said that they will address this in next years budget
2. Jeremy said that bids were due in today and there is not one in there. Jeremy said that he mailed them out two fridays ago and had one person contact with interest so know mail went out. Jeremy knows some are busy.
3. Annette said we will extend bidding process until 6/15. She said you could call the ones who seemed most interested to let them know.
4. Jeremy contacted Donna Hutchins who is a resident on that road. He siad that it sounds like a lot of people do not want to reclassify it - he said that it’s the only way you can get farm equipment across. Annette said we will wait to the hearing. Sharon said that bridge is used a lot by snowmobilers.
1. Jock said he was down there the other day and there was a big truck down there.
2. Annette is sure we will get a lot of testimony on July 6th.
5. We have a culvert to replace on east peacham rd on the gravel section it plugged this spring and we unplugged it but its going to need to be changed. It needs to be hired out as needs a large excavator. Can he hire a contractor or should we put it out to bid. Should be a one day project. Think it will be well under the 15,000 limit (under that amount jobs do not need to be put out to bid). The road is going to have to be closed. He will post it. Jeremy will let Melissa know so she can post online.
6. Annette said that we had a request to change the speed limit on the road. It looks like we have to have a traffic engineering study and you can have anybody do it as long as they have a radar and the form in the packet and document at least 100 cars. Can you ask Shauna, Jeremy, if you have any ideas of how that gets done.
7. Jock said that while you are adjusting speed limits - danvilles town limit is 25. 30 is pretty fast. Come into danville and it’s 25. SAnnette said that we will take this into consideration.
8. Jeremy said that they removed a lot of the material on the road tjhat Steve referred to as Peacham Village “Pond”. It looked like years and years of winter sand - about 6-8 inches of sand. He think it drains to the basin now and we will keep an eye on it and see if it comes back.
1. Annette asked David about the plan for that intersection. Going to be added to the 7/20 agenda.
9. Executive Session for private and confidential personnel issues
1. Annette moves to go into executive session for private and confidential personnel issues at 8:28PM. David seconds. So moved. All in favor.
2. Annette moves to come out of executive session at 8:52PM. David seconds. So moved. All in favor.
3. No action taken.
10. Annette often thought we need to have a lending library of tools like snowblower and woodchipper.

10. Review and approve bills
1. The Selectboard reviewed and approved bills.

11. Review correspondence
1. The Selectboard reviewed and approved correspondence.

David moves to adjourn at 9pm. Annette seconds. So moved.