Town Of Fairfax Selectboard Minutes
May 17, 2010

Selectboard Members present: Robert Horr, Chair, William Ormerod, Jr. – Vice Chair,

Randy DeVine, John Mitchell and Peter King.

Public Present: State Representatives Carolyn Branagan and Gary Gilbert and Debbie Woodward, Town Clerk & Treasurer.

Call to Order: Bob Horr called the meeting to order at 7PM.

Agenda Items

(Dan Bouthillette was on the agenda – he did not appear.)

7:00 PM – LAND ACQUISITION

The Board has unanimously agreed to move forward with negotiations on the two parcels of land (Young’s and Bellows). The Board will invite Charlie Swanson, C.E. in

for his expertise on the project. John Mitchell and Randy DeVine will proceed with negotiations with the landowners along with discussing installation of the utilities and road. We will touch base with Attorney Brian Monahan to properly warn the project.

We will contact NRPC for their assistance in lining up the appropriate people to facilitate funding. We will continue discussion of the information received from the negotiations with the landowners at the next SB meeting. The Board would like to have information available to the public at the Primary election in August.

RESUMES – DELAYED UNTIL LATER IN MEETING.

Minutes 5/3/10

Bill made the motion to approve the May 3, 2010 minutes as written.

Peter second. All in favor. 4-0-1

ALTERNATE WATER SOURCES

The Selectboard continues to look for alternate water sources. Bob talked to Kent Johnson regarding Alan Boissoneault’s well, it’s a rock well, not a gravel well, the yield is 15-20 gallons per minute. (Historically rock wells don’t yield a lot of water.) We are interested in water sources on Tracy Road and will contact the property owners by mail to see if they would be interested in letting the town pump test their wells to find out what the yield would be.

RESUMES

7:30 PM Bill made the motion to enter into executive session, with the assistant present, to discuss personnel matters.

Peter second. All in favor. 4-0-1

7:49 PM John made the motion to exit executive session.

Bill second. All in favor. 4-0-1

7:50 PM – DEBORAH WOODWARD, TOWN CLERK & TREASURER:

Debbie came in to discuss the job posting and resumes received for the current position of Office Assistant open in the office. She would like to make the job a part-time job for two individuals as opposed to the previously advertised position of full-time 32-35 hours. She also questioned the Board as to whom the Office Assistant reports to. (The office assistant position is a Town of Fairfax specific position which is hired by and reports to the Selectboard; just like every other hired town position. When the individual who is hired as the Office Assistant is also appointed by the Town Clerk as the Assistant Town Clerk, then they coordinate those responsibilities with, and take direction (for those specific responsibilities) from the Town Clerk. The Board has discussed both issues with Debbie previously and felt that they were not going to change their decision. Debbie gave the Board her choice of applicants for the position. She will participate in the interviewing process, which will begin on the 28th of May.

Bill made the motion to have five potential candidates with a rating of 5 to 1 with 5 being the highest rating to Bob by Monday May 24, 2010 at 8 AM.

Peter second. Discussion. All in favor. Vote 4-0-1

PUBLIC INPUT:

Carolyn Branagan and Gary Gilbert- State Representatives: Carolyn explained that the tax department has done a property value assessment on the hydro-electric dam with the assessed value for Fairfax being cut almost in half. There will not be a change to the 2010 and 2011 grand list/tax year, but after that she doesn’t know what will happen. Gary Gilbert talked to the Board about funding for an enhancement grant. He advised the Board to fill out the paperwork and see what happens.

OTHER BUSINESS:

A. Casella is on the agenda for the SB meeting of June 7 to discuss their contract with the Town of Fairfax which expires in August. The current number of stops, as of 5/19/10, is 1,652.

B. The Board signed a certificate from the Listers regarding No appeals or Suits Pending for 2008 and 2009.

C. The Town Office internet service with SurfGlobal is up and running.

8:50 PM Bill made the motion to enter into executive session to discuss a personnel matter.

John second. All in favor. Vote 5-0.

ADJOURNMENT

9:03 PM Bill made the motion to adjourn.

Peter second. All in favor. Vote 5-0

The minutes respectfully submitted by Stacy Wells, Office Assistant.

_______________________,

Robert Horr, Chair

The minutes are unofficial until approved at the next Selectboard meeting.