Littleton Board of Selectmen-Meeting
Minutes-November 9, 2005
LITTLETON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING MINUTES
LITTLETON OFFICE CONFERENCE ROOM
NOVEMBER 9, 2005
Present: Chairman Bill Hight, Vice Chairman George Hicks, Selectman Burt Ingerson, Town Manager Jason Hoch, Executive Assistant Cheryl Sargent
Chairman Hight opened the work session at 3:00 pm. Cathy Conway, Don Jutton and Greg Bakkos gave the Selectmen an update of the status of the TCSP project for Main Street reconstruction. A power point presentation was given along with handouts for those present. Mr. Bakkos explained the phasing of the project and the bid process. He stated during the planning stage of the project it became apparent that the available 2.6 million dollars would not complete the entire project as planned. It was then that the project was phased. He presented charts which showed what would be involved in each phase for the project. He noted that material costs had greatly increased due to the recent hurricanes on the gulf coast. Steel prices have also increased by 40%.
Mr. Bakkos noted the project now has a written purpose “To preserve, protect and enhance downtown Littleton through responsible reconstruction and reconfiguration of the roadway, sidewalks, utility infrastructure and streetscape amenities.”
Mr. Bakkos presented anticipated project costs as well as a funding summary for the project (see attached). Mr. Bakkos stated there were several areas which slowed the project down and make it hard to bid in 2006. Incorporating heated sidewalks as evolved from the Littleton High School Project funded by an MIT Grant will require identifying a supplemental heat source. Internal rood drains will need to be separated from sanitary sewers and connected to the proposed drainage system. Each building abutting the Main Street will be inspected to determine whether the building occupies space beneath the existing sidewalks.
Advertising the project in January of 2007 would allow the Town more time to secure more funding with NHDOT and FHWA. It would also allow the Town to take advantage of the optimum time of the year to bid the work as opposed to the worse time (June 2006). It would allow more time for property owners to deal with the roof drain connections and allow more time for merchants to prepare for the construction related impacts.
Mr. Jutton stated the Selectmen must decide if they wish to: 1) Bid the project in June 2006 with bonding from the Town, 2) Further reduce the scale of the project to match the current funding, or 3) Bid the current project in 2007, with Town funding part of the shortfall, and apply for additional TCSP funds that would possibly also cover the full vision plan.
The Selectmen will digest this information and make a decision at a future Selectmen’s Meeting.
Chairman Hight closed the worksession and opened the Selectmen’s Meeting at 4:00 pm.
CITIZENS’ CONCERNS
Schuyler Sweet, Chairman of the Police Facility Committee, presented the final finding of the committee. He stated the Committee had studied cost figures of building as opposed to leasing,. The Committee found that the figures equaled out at about 24 years. He noted the Committee’s first choice would have been to building a 1-story stand alone building on property owned by the Town on West Main Street near the fire Station. The Committee’s second choice is a 10-year lease with Mr. Eustis Commons at the old hospital. The Committee does not feel the Town Building is an option for the Police Department because co-habitation of the building with the Opera House creates safety issues to the PD as well as the public.
Chairman Hight thanked Schuyler and the Committee on behalf of the Selectmen. He noted the Selectmen were aware of the time and effort that this Committee has spent over the last three years. Selectmen Hicks and Ingerson both thanked Schuyler on behalf of the Town.
The Selectmen agreed to hold their next Selectmen’s Meeting on November 30th instead of meeting the day before Thanksgiving.
Conservation Commission Chairman Cark Schaller will be in at the next Selectmen’s meeting to give a status report on the Dells.
Last week, Larry Jackson, representing the Town, attended a meeting at the Tannery Marketplace. The meeting was held for the merchants in the vicinity of Mill and Saranac Streets to discuss ways of improving customer service and encouraging more traffic to their businesses.
Fire Chief Mercieri has received a donation in the amount of $5,000 for the purpose of purchasing an opticom transmitter. This equipment is used to control traffic lights in an emergency situation.
Street paving has been completed and sidewalk paving should be started soon.
The firefighter vacancy is close to being filled. Several interviews have been conducted with potential candidates for the position.
Chad Sterns will be returning to an intern position in January. He will assist in some of the prep work for Town Meeting as well as the Town Report.
Jason asked the Selectmen to offer out to bid the 1983 GMC pickup truck owned by the fire department.
Selectman Ingerson moved to offer the 1983 GMC pickup out to bid. The motion was seconded by Selectman Hicks and carried 3-0.
Joe Wiggett and Jason met with representatives from BMSI regarding a possible on-line payment system for taxes. BMSI is looking for a demo site in order to test the program.
On Monday afternoon, Jason took part in a phone conference with Don Jutton, Joe Lessard and representative from Vermont Public Power Supply. The information gathered from the phone conference indicate that the current value on Moore Dam is in the right ball park. The Town will need to revisit this issue again in 2006 and possibly 2007.
DRA currently has all of the information they need to set the tax rate. Room and Meal tax has netted the Town an additional $50,000 in revenue. DRA may set the tax rate on Thursday.
The Littleton Police Department completed its relocation over the weekend and opened at Mt. Eustis Commons on Monday. The windows are being sealed up at the Town Building. Winter preparation of the building has been made. Some of the circuit breakers have been shut down and water has been drained out of the building. There is water going into the boiler and the heat has been set back to 50 degrees. Jason is expecting sample waiver forms from the Municipal Association which the Town can adapt and use for anyone needing to go into the building.
There will be a new uniform provider for the Highway Department. Jason and Joe are still working on a new phone service contract which will save the Town some money.
Selectman Ingerson moved to approve the Temporary Alternate Light Duty Policy as presented. The motion was seconded by Selectman Hicks and carried 3-0.
Selectman Hicks moved to accept the minutes of October 26, 2005 as amended. The motion was seconded by Selectman Ingerson and carried 3-0.
Ruth Taylor urged the Selectman to make sure that someone goes into the Town Building on a regular basis to make sure everything is alright. The Selectman assure her that this was going to be done.
Art Tighe asked if Larry Jackson would still be involved with the Main Street Reconstruction on a consulting basis after he retires. Jason noted that he had not spoken to Larry about this as yet.
The meeting adjourned at 4:45 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Cheryl Sargent
Executive Assistant
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Chairman William R. Hight
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Vice Chairman George O. Hicks
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Selectman Burton E. Ingerson