| Any
and all corrections to the following minutes will be made at the 07/15/04
Board of Selectmen's meeting and are considered unapproved until then. Corrections
will be noted in the minutes of that meeting.
MINUTES -
SPECIAL MEETING - BOARD OF SELECTMEN
JULY 8th, 2004
NEWFANE TOWN OFFICE
PRESENT:
Selectmen: Piet van Loon, Carleton Chaffee, Priscilla Cotton, and Gary
Katz.
Absent: Chris Williams
Also Present: Mark Thompson of Daniels Construction, David Clarkson, and
Doris Knechtel as Administrative Assistant.
1. CALL TO ORDER
The Special Meeting was called to order by Chairman Piet van Loon at 6:30
p.m. Chairman van Loon suggested a change in the order of the meeting
agenda to discuss the covered bridge deck before the setting of the tax
rate.
3. DISCUSSION OF
COVERED BRIDGE DECK REPAIR
Board members received a copy of the proposal from Daniels Construction
via fax transmission for them and the Road Foreman to review before the
meeting. The amount of the proposal is for $18,561. If the town wishes
to sign the detour, $500 may be deducted. The proposal also requires that
the town provide a roll off container for the decking that is to be removed
and replaced with running plank. The new plank consists of 2 X 6 pressure
treated southern yellow pine applied longitudinally, 49.5" wide at
each wheel track fastened at 24" centers staggered side to side with
two fasteners at each end of each plank. The bridge is proposed to be
closed for six days. M. Thompson did meet at the bridge site with P van
Loon, G. Katz and K. Bostrom to review the repair work needed. He also
spoke with J. Gray and he does not feel that there is enough solid material
to attach the runners to. This will be investigated. An oral proposal
was made by Renaud Bros. to put in a used glu-lam deck for a cost of between
$15 to $20 thousand dollars. R. Whitcomb from the state was not in favor
of this proposal. K. Bostrom did contact Renaud Bros about an estimate
for the same type of proposal submitted by Daniels but he did not hear
back from them. K. Bostrom reviewed the proposal submitted by Daniels
and he agreed with the project as presented with the town being responsible
for the signing of the detour.
When asked, M. Thompson indicated that the project could begin within
two to three weeks, depending on the condition of the sub-decking. The
town will need to know a week in advance of closure to provide proper
notification to the public and emergency services. The bridge will be
closed for between 6 to 10 days to replace the deck with runners.
Motion was made
by P. Cotton and seconded by C. Chaffee to accept the proposal from Daniels
Construction for the replacement of the current deck with runners depending
on checking the condition of the sub-decking. Unanimous. Funds will need
to be redirected in the budget for this necessary expense.
4. TO TRANSACT ANY
OTHER BUSINESS THAT MAY LEGALLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING
A. Board members have received the information that the Bridge #14 Ad-Hoc
Committee sent to Roger Whitcomb of VTrans. P. Van Loon indicated that
at the meeting that he, G. Katz, R.
Whitcomb and the committee had at the bridge site, he felt that the committee
understood that the bridge will be replaced and not renovated. The charge
of the committee was to make recommendations to the Selectboard for suggestions
and proposals from the deck up.
The information sent to R. Whitcomb by the Ad-Hoc Bridge #14 Committee
included suggestions for rehabilitation of the existing bridge as well
as designs for a covered bridge, a cable suspension bridge and a concrete
arch bridge. They suggested that each bridge should have a sidewalk included
in the design for people and bicycles to safely cross. They also would
like a cost breakdown of each bridge consideration.
After much discussion the Board agreed to send a letter to the committee
to indicate that the only potentially viable alternatives for Bridge #14
that the committee listed are 2 (A) and 3. The Board will discuss the
matter further with the committee at the meeting of July 15th.
2. SETTING OF THE FY 2005 TAX RATE
Materials for the setting of the FY 2005 tax rate were provided for the
Board's review and explained by the Administrative Assistant. Motion was
made by C. Chaffee and seconded by P. Cotton to set the municipal tax
rate at $0.51. Discussion: G. Katz indicated that he would rather see
the rate carried to four digits to raise the correct amount of taxes for
the town. The rate of $0.51 will raise an additional $5,000 plus dollars.
Vote on the Motion. Two in favor, two opposed. Motion fails. Motion was
made by G. Katz and seconded by P. Cotton to set the municipal tax rate
for FY 2005 at $0.5062. Vote on the motion - Three in favor, one opposed.
Motion passes.
Motion was made by G. Katz and seconded by P. Cotton to set the Homestead
Tax Rate for FY 2005 at $1.5461 and the Non-Residential Tax Rate for FY
2005 at $1.6028, as proposed by the state. Unanimous. The total Homestead
rate is $2.0523 and the total Non-Residential rate is $2.1090. Tax bills
will be sent out the week of July 12th.
4. TO TRANSACT ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT MAY LEGALLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING
- (cont.)
B. Temporary Logging Access - Motion was made by G. Katz and seconded
by P. Cotton to approve the temporary logging access submitted by Wright
Construction to clear some lots for Chris Enderle on Newfane Hill Road
(TH#20) at Lot#00D123. Unanimous.
C. K. Behan has reported to P. Cotton that Lt. Lake is still working on
the location of the Brown's dogs. K. Behan also contacted K. Barrow of
Brattleboro and there may be a possibility of assessing a fine of up to
$500 for removing the dog from the state while on quarantine status.
D. There may be a possibility of the town constructing a building to be
leased to the US Postal Service for use as the new Newfane Post Office
on the Town Office property. Motion was made by C. Chaffee and seconded
by P. Cotton to have a letter written to the U.S. Postal Service Real
Estate section in Connecticut to let them know that the town is interested
in pursuing having the new Newfane Post Office on the Town Office property.
Unanimous.
5. ADJOURNMENT
Motion was made by C. Chaffee and seconded by P. Cotton to adjourn the
Special Meeting of the Board at 8:00 p.m. Unanimous.
Doris A. Knechtel,
Administrative Assistant
Newfane Board of Selectmen
Posted: Town Clerk's
Office, Newfane Store, Williamsville General Store, and South Newfane
General Store & Deli.
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