City Council

To be approved at 08-15-17 Barre City Council Meeting Regular Meeting of the Barre City Council Held August 8, 2017 The Regular Meeting of the Barre City Council was called to order by Mayor Thomas Lauzon at 7:00 PM at Barre City Hall. In attendance were: From Ward I, Councilors Sue Higby and Jeffrey Tuper-Giles; from Ward II, Councilors Brandon Batham and Michael Boutin; and from Ward III, Councilor Lucas Herring (arrived 7:10 PM). Also present were City Manager Steven Mackenzie and Clerk/Treasurer Carolyn Dawes. Absent: From Ward III, Councilor Anita Chadderton. Adjustments to the Agenda: Mayor Lauzon said he will move the Council priorities discussion after the new items on the agenda. Approval of Consent Agenda: Council approved the following consent agenda items on motion of Councilor Tuper-Giles, seconded by Councilor Batham. Motion carried.  Minutes of the following meetings: o Regular meeting on August 1, 2017  City Warrants as presented: o Approval of Week 2017-32:  Accounts Payable: $219,610.73  Payroll (gross): $132,974.42  2017 Licenses & Permits – o Animal Licenses:  Jennifer Hunt, 78 Woodland Drive, 3 miniature goats o Commercial Swimming Pool Licenses:  Westview Condominium Association, 122 Batchelder Street  Country Way Condominium Association, Country Way/Fecteau Circle The City Clerk/Treasurer Report – Clerk Dawes reported on the following:  First quarter property taxes are due by August 15th.  Have received a number of inquiries related to the homestead declaration & rebate reminder postcard sent last week. Have helped a number of people file their homestead declaration.  There are 8 properties scheduled for tax sale on September 7th. Approval of Building Permits – Council approved the following building permits on motion of Councilor Batham, seconded by Councilor Boutin. Motion carried. Applicant Address Claire Pignone 194 Washington Street Washington County Mental Health Services Inc 128 Bailey Street Little River Wood Products LLC 11 Averill Street Sylvain & Cheryl Metivier 11 Brooklyn Street Liquor Control – NONE City Manager’s Report – Manager Mackenzie reported on the following:  Ward designations have been added to the dais in front of each Councilor as the request of Council meeting viewers.  Phase I of the Gunner’s Brook demolitions is complete.  Open house at the auditorium on Thursday from 3-7 PM to show off the newly refinished floor.  Vermont Youth Conservation Corps work crew will be at the Aldrich library on August 15th from 5-6 PM to meet with the public and talk about this year’s projects. 1 To be approved at 08-15-17 Barre City Council Meeting  The new street sweeper/vacuum has arrived and been put into service.  August 20-26 has been designated as Clean Water Week. The Agency of Natural Resources and Governor Scott will hold a press conference at the Gunner’s Brook worksite on 8/24 at 11 AM. Visitors & Communications – NONE Councilor Herring arrived at this point in the meeting. New Business – A) Civic Center Advisory Committee Expansion. B) Civic Center Advisory Committee Appointment – Charlie Atwood. Civic Center Committee chair Brent Gagne said they are looking to expand the committee, and he introduced proposed new committee member Charlie Atwood. Mr. Atwood expressed his interest in supporting youth sports, and the Civic Center. Council appointed Mr. Atwood to the Civic Center Committee on motion of Councilor Tuper-Giles, seconded by Councilor Herring. Motion carried. C) Boy Scout Community Wide Yard & Sidewalk Sale. Pierre Couture and Steve Restelli distributed a memo about the proposed community-wide yard and sidewalk sale. Mr. Couture described the intention to have both indoor and outdoor sales along North Main Street between Elm Street and Depot Square the last weekend of the month, August 26-27. The proceeds will benefit the Boy Scout sculpture project. The event is co-sponsored by the Barre Partnership and the Barre Rotary Club. Clerk Dawes said she met last week with Mr. Couture to discuss the event, and they need to provide acknowledgement from the Barre Partnership that the event falls under its entertainment license, and a map of the sidewalk vendor locations along North Main Street. Mr. Couture said he would have that information available for next week’s meeting. There was discussion on coordinating use of the sidewalks with the store owners, closing North Main Street in future years, donation of unsold items to ReStore, and making this an annual event sponsored by the Rotary Club. This will be on next week’s agenda for review of the vendor map and approval of use of the sidewalk. D) Municipal Infrastructure Projects – Status/Schedule Update i. Pearl Street Ped-Way ii. Keith Avenue Parking Lot iii. HMGP Storm Sewer Projects Manager Mackenzie gave an update on each of the projects: 1. Pearl Street Ped-Way – going out to bid next week. Phase 1 work would be completed this fall, with Phase II scheduled for the spring. The estimated cost is $100,000 - $150,000. Funding is available through the TIF $2.2 million bond. 2. Keith Avenue parking lot – deferring until next spring to allow for completion of environmental review and corrective action plan approval. The estimated cost is $500,000 - $600,000. Funding is available through the transportation grant and TIF $2.2 million bond. There is a shortfall in funding for the combined Pearl Street/Keith Avenue projects. The Manager is researching additional funding options. 3. Storm sewer projects – bids came in much higher than anticipated. Reviewing the bids with the grantors and submitting grant increase paperwork. May not be able to get the work done this year. The recommended contractor has been contacted to see if they are willing to hold their bid until next year. The Manager will give a report on funding options by early November. 2 To be approved at 08-15-17 Barre City Council Meeting E) Resolution 2017-11 – Water and Sewage Rates Schedule. Council approved the resolution ratifying the annual 3% rate increase on motion of Councilor Herring, seconded by Councilor Tuper-Giles. Motion carried. Manager Mackenzie said he will be making recommendations for sewer rate adjustments in 3-6 months. Old Business – A) Council Priorities. Councilor Herring reviewed the list of priorities consolidated from the individual lists created by each Councilor. Mayor Lauzon said Council will hold a kick-off work session on Wednesday, August 16th at 6PM to begin prioritizing and discussing the list. Round Table – Councilors Batham and Higby reminded people of tomorrow’s final Concerts with Councilors listening opportunity during the concert in Currier Park. Councilor Batham reminded people of tomorrow evening’s Author at the Aldrich presentation. Councilor Herring said there is a meteor shower expected this evening. Councilor Tuper-Giles thanked the DPW crews for picking up piles of debris left over from cleaning up in the neighborhoods. Councilor Higby said she is finalizing the fall class schedule for Studio Place Arts and is accepting suggestions. Mayor Lauzon talked about the water loss at the municipal swimming pool, and the daily system-wide losses. The Mayor said he was grateful for the arrival of the new street sweeper. Executive Session – Councilor Boutin made the motion to find that premature general public knowledge of public safety and personnel issues to be discussed would clearly place the City of Barre at a substantial disadvantage should the discussion be public. The motion was seconded by Councilor Batham. Motion carried. Council went into executive session at 8:10 PM to discuss public safety and personnel issues under the provisions of 1 VSA sec. 313 on motion of Councilor Boutin, seconded by Councilor Batham. Motion carried. Manger Mackenzie and Human Resources Director Rikk Taft were invited into the executive session. Council came out of executive session at 8:52 PM on motion of Councilor Tuper-Giles, seconded by Councilor Batham. Motion carried. No action was taken. The Council meeting adjourned at 8:53 PM on motion of Councilor Tuper-Giles, seconded by Councilor Boutin. Motion carried. An audio recording of this meeting is available from the City Clerk. Respectfully submitted, Carolyn S. Dawes, City Clerk 3