Selectboard Meeting 9/21/16 Unapproved Minutes

TOWN OF PEACHAM

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES

Town Hall Meeting Room

Wednesday September 21, 2016 6:30PM

UNAPPROVED

Present:

Selectboard: Chair of the Board Annette Lorraine, Tim Scott, and David Jacobs

Public: Road Foreman Jeremy Withers, Mike Bruton, Dale Roy, Town Clerk Tom Galinat, Jock Gill, Allen Thresher Jr., Brad, John Reiss

The meeting was called to order by Board Chair Annette Lorraine at 6:40 PM.

1. Additions
1. Listers
2. Roller Barn
3. Hearing on Mill Terrace is put on hold temporarily until hear a report from Tom during this meeting

2. Town Clerk Update
1. We do not have to borrow at all this year despite the paving project.

3. The meeting was called to order by Board Chair Annette Lorraine at 6:40 PM.Put the hearing on hold at 6:46pm and resumed the hearing on Mill Terrace Road, also known as Mill Trace Rd.
1. Jeremy, the public, and the Selectboard discussed the weight limit on the bridge.
2. Annette asked if anyone had anything new to add.
3. Jock did some research about Bayley Hazen Rd and where it crossed that brook (and whether it crossed at Mill Terrace Rd). His guess is that the original location was not at Mill Terrace but the crossing was moved to Mill Terrace once the two mills were there. Jock showed the Selectboard documents to support his theory.
4. John Reiss presented the Selectboard with maps supporting his theory that Mill Terrace Rd is part of the Bayley Hazen Rd. He would like the road to be properly signed as Bayley Hazen Rd.
5. Annette said that the Selectboard will put the history of the road aside as that does not factor into whether or not we maintain the road. If the Selectboard wants to change the name of the road then they would have to go through a new process.
6. Jeremy said that with some trimming of trees he can get a grader onto that road.
7. Alan and … Thresher raised the issue of the State partially funding maintenance of the road as a class 3 road and the fact that it does not look like a road that was maintained as a class 3 road. Annette said that the State has a right to object the way Peacham maintains its roads and it has never done that so she does not feel like the town has an obligation to upgrade the road.
8. Dale said that the beams underneath that bridge would support 150,000 pounds, which would allow a fire truck to go over it.
9. John said that class 3 roads only have to be maintained adequately to support the amount of traffic it receives in 24 hours.
10. Tim is not comfortable saying that the bridge can definitively support a fire truck but he still feels ready to make a decision.
11. David does not think there should be two different classifications on the same road. He thinks it should be left alone or turned into a class 4 road.
12. Tim moves to keep Mill Terrace a Class 3 road. David seconds. All in favor. So moved.
13. The Selectboard adjourned the hearing at 7:16pm and began the regular Selectboard meeting.

4. Minutes
1. Annette moves to approve the 9/7/16 minutes as amended. Tim seconds. All in favor. So moved.
2. Tim moves to approve the 9/7/16 hearing minutes as amended. David seconds. All in favor. So moved.

5. Town Highway Permits
1. There are three permits submitted for approval for Washington Electric.
2. Tim moves to approve the three permits from Washington Electric. David seconds. All in favor. So moved.

6. Observatory Permit/ School Lighting
1. When the observatory received its permit a condition of that permit was to provide adequate lighting at the school.
2. Brad said that he only heard about this issue this winter. He brought a recently signed agreement for consulting services for lighting in the school lot. It looks as if she can create a design for the observatory and she has modeling software to show how light and dark it will be. The St Johnsbury Academy can do the work. If all goes well it could be resolved before the ground freezes. This should be an improvement for the school and for the observatory. There has been no financial reason for any delay, it’s just the current board was not aware of the situation.
3. Annette said that this is a zoning issue. The Selectboard does not have to be involved unless there is a violation and since the Observatory is acting to quickly resolve this, as long as there is no problem or delay that comes up, the Selectboard does not have to be involved.

7. Traffic Ordinance
1. Annette needs to do more research on this so this will have to be delayed to another meeting.

8. Planning Commission Zoning Regulations
1. The Planning Commission has a draft ready for the Selectboard.
2. The Selectboard set the hearing for November 2nd.
3. Annette will miss the 10/5 meeting and David will act as chair for that meeting.

9. Listers
1. They are sending out an RFP for a consultant to compile the data the listers collect. They are asking for bids to come in by November 1 and will bring to the Selectboard meeting on November 2 because it’s ultimately up to the Selectboard to approve the spending of funds.

10. Highway Update
1. The part time laborer started with the road crew. Jeremy said that he is doing very well. He is coming in Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday for 5-6 hours a day.

11. Roller Barn
1. Dick Hovey requested that someone mow at the roller barn before fall foliage day. Annette asked Rebecca if she and Tom could arrange this.

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

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

Annette moves to adjourn at 8:10pm. David seconds. All in favor. So moved.