City Council

To be approved at 11-14-17 Barre City Council Meeting Regular Meeting of the Barre City Council Held November 7, 2017 The Regular Meeting of the Barre City Council was called to order by Acting Mayor Lucas Herring 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 John LePage. Also present were City Manager Steven Mackenzie and Clerk/Treasurer Carolyn Dawes. Absent: Mayor Thomas Lauzon. Adjustments to the Agenda: NONE Approval of Consent Agenda: Council approved the following consent agenda items on motion of Councilor Tuper-Giles, seconded by Councilor Higby. Motion carried.  Minutes of the following meetings: o Regular meeting on October 24, 2017  City Warrants as presented: o Ratification of Week 2017-44. Warrants signed by Mayor Lauzon on October 31, 2017:  Accounts Payable: $256,520.77  Payroll (gross): $127,338.03 o Approval of Week 2017-45:  Accounts Payable: $117,919.51  Payroll (gross): $114,222.92 o Special Warrant – semi-annual bond payments to be wired to US Bank: $1,057,699.19  2017 Licenses & Permits – o Vehicle Storage Permits:  Alfred Lunde, Lunde Lane Visitors & Communications – NONE The City Clerk/Treasurer Report – Clerk Dawes reported on the following:  Second quarter property taxes are due by November 15th.  The auditors began their field work last week. They are expected back next week.  The winter parking ban goes into effect on November 15th. Overnight permits are available in the clerk’s office.  Annual business and animal license renewal applications have been mailed out. They will start coming to Council for approval in the near future.  City Hall will be closed this Friday in observance of Veteran’s Day. Approval of Building Permits – Council ratified the following building permits on motion of Councilor Boutin, seconded by Councilor Tuper-Giles. The permits were approved last week by Mayor Lauzon, acting on behalf of the Council. Motion carried. Applicant Address Diane Paulger 13 Mt. Vernon Place Global Values VT LLC 19 S. Front Street 1 To be approved at 11-14-17 Barre City Council Meeting Council approved the following building permits on motion of Councilor Tuper-Giles, seconded by Councilor Boutin. Motion carried. Applicant Address Metro Development One LLC 21 Metro Way Samantha Davis-Hiscock 12 Harrington Avenue Liquor Control – Clerk Dawes said the Civic Center Auditorium is hosting a holiday brewfest on December 9th. Council approved special event permits for 14th Star Brewing Co. of St. Albans and Eden Ice Cider Co. of Newport on motion of Councilor Batham, seconded by Councilor Tuper-Giles. Motion carried with Councilor Boutin abstaining. City Manager’s Report – Manager Mackenzie reported on the following:  Curbside yard waste pickup continues through this week.  Closed on the FEMA buyout of 87 Brook Street. Should close on the buyout of 85 Brook Street in the near future.  Attended Barre Area Development Corporation marketing interviews.  Working on the first draft of the FY19 budget.  The retired vactor truck was put out of service under the eye of the state earlier today. Decommissioning is a condition of the clean diesel grant.  The base course of asphalt was laid on Wellington Street earlier this week. The wearing course is expected to go down before the end of the week. Old Business – NONE New Business – A) Presentation of CVSWMD Budget. Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District general manager Bruce Westcott distributed information about the proposed FY19 budget. Mr. Westcott said the municipal contributions will remain the same at $1 per capita. The largest portion of revenues come from the surcharge fees received from solid waste haulers. CVSWMD recently outsourced its business organics program, so are no longer collecting, storing and hauling organics. This has freed up funding for other programs. There was discussion on the pros and cons of their current location on North Main Street in downtown Barre City, serving their outlying member towns, exploring ways to handle household organics in compliance with state law, not competing with the private sector, the growing green economy, continuing efforts to divert solids from landfills, and the interactive map on their website. B) Council Approval to Designate Limelite Settlement Funds From General Fund to Special Revenues Fund. Manager Mackenzie and Clerk Dawes recommended Council designate the Limelite settlement funds to the Civic Center Capital Improvement Fund. The settlement funds will be booked into the general fund, and then transferred into the CCCIF. Council approved the recommendation on motion of Councilor Boutin, seconded by Councilor Tuper-Giles. Motion carried. C) Preliminary Discussion of Near Term Infrastructure Funding Needs. Manager Mackenzie reviewed his matrix of possible near term infrastructure funding needs. The Manager said his intention is to be sure the conversation is included as part of the FY19 budget discussion. He also said there may be a need to place additional funding questions on the March Annual (Town) Meeting ballot. Council requested that the municipal swimming pool discussion be placed on the November 28th Council meeting agenda. 2 To be approved at 11-14-17 Barre City Council Meeting Round Table – Councilor Higby said she has received public feedback on her recent parking presentation, and she will be continuing the discussion with the Parking Committee. She encouraged people to shop local during the upcoming holiday season. Councilor Tuper-Giles thanked Cindy Duprey at Next Chapter Bookstore for a recent kindness to a local resident. He thanked all business owners that help the community. Councilor LePage mentioned the recent shootings in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and encouraged people to look out for their neighbors and family, and to be on the lookout to help people in distress. Councilor Batham thanked all those who have served and are serving in the armed forces. He said he would like a brief executive session to discuss personnel matters. Acting Mayor Herring reviewed the events scheduled for this coming Saturday’s Veteran’s Day including a 5K race and parade. He thanked City staff and emergency responders, Capstone Community Action, VT Foodbank, and Barre City Elementary & Middle School for their work and support during and following the recent wind storm. He said the City had received a press release from the Vermont Municipal Clerks & Treasurers Association announcing that City Clerk/Treasurer Carol Dawes was named Clerk of the Year at this year’s annual conference. Executive Session – Councilor Batham made the motion to find that premature general public knowledge of the personnel issue 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 Higby. Motion carried. Council went into executive session at 8:36 PM to discuss personnel issues under the provisions of 1 VSA sec. 313 on motion of Councilor Batham, seconded by Councilor Higby. Motion carried. Human Resources Director Rikk Taft was invited into the executive session. Council came out of executive session at 8:55 PM on motion of Councilor Batham, seconded by Councilor Boutin. Motion carried. No action was taken. The Council meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM on motion of Councilor Batham, 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