Fairfax Selectboard Minutes of 10/27/08

Selectboard Members present: Judy Cleary, Bill Ormerod, Charlie Swanson, Randy DeVine and Bob Horr. Staff Members present: Erin McSweeney, Administrative Assistant to the Selectboard, and Don Pigeon, Road Foreman. Public Present: Melissa Beerworth, Paul Lavallee, and Mike O'Day.

1.Call to Order

Judy Cleary, Chairperson, called the meeting to order at 7:00PM.

2. Minutes

A. Bill motioned to accept the minutes from the meeting on October 20, 2008, as written. Randy seconded. All board members voted in accepting the minutes from October 20, 2008, as written.

3. Items on the Agenda

A. Don Pigeon - Don informed the board that he walked the Town Forest with Sam Hudson and 5 loggers. Bid proposals for the Forest Management Plan are due on Friday, October 31, 2008.

Don informed the board that the Highway Department's equipment is ready for winter. He also informed the board that Doug Collins is trapping beavers on Woodward Road.

Don has been logging in the Mudgett Cemetery. Don informed the board that the Cemetery Commission has approached him about the anticipated revenue from the logs he takes out. Don indicated that the people who live around there are willing to take the dead trees, and the tops of some of the other trees if Don compensates them for the logs from the live trees. Don indicated that if the revenue goes to the Cemetery Commission, then the Town will have to hire someone to remove and dispose of all the debris. Bill noted that the board asked Don to remove the dead trees last summer, before the Cemetery Commission was formed. Bob will talk to Jim Minor, who is on the Cemetery Commission.

B. Randy Devine - Randy informed the board that he has submitted his list of water accounts he has read meters for to Amy. He also inspected the pump stations. Randy indicated that the Ladd Pump Station is in good condition. Bob asked Randy if he feels that the steel work on the Nan's Mobil Pump Station still needs to be rebuilt. Randy indicated the steel does need to be rebuilt. Randy will call the vendor he received a quote from previously for an updated quote on an inspection and the steel work.

4. Other Business

A. The board reviewed a memo from Bernard Keefe regarding increasing the Veteran's Exemption. The current exemption, per State Statute, is $10,000.00. Judy will ask Donna what the total amount of veteran exemptions taken was last year.

B. The board has received comments from the DRB and the Planning Commission regarding the Zoning Administrator's revised job description. The board reviewed the comments and incorporated some of the into the job description that was created by the Selectboard.

C. The board began its review of the Town's Water Use ordinance. Bill distributed copies of the Town of Williston's Water Use ordinance.

5. Public Input

Paul Lavallee asked the board if natural gas could be brought to Fairfax, as Vermont Gas has recently expanded its service area into Jericho and Underhill. Erin will call the Town Clerk in Jericho.

6. Executive Session

A. Charlie motioned to enter Executive Session at 9:45PM to discuss pending litigation and a personnel matter. Charlie seconded. The board entered Executive Session at 9:45PM.

B. Bob motioned to return to public session at 10:10PM. Charlie seconded. The board returned to public session at 10:10PM.

7. Adjournment

Bob motioned to adjourn the meeting at 10:25PM. Charlie seconded. All board members voted in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 10:25PM.

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Erin McSweeney, Administrative Assistant to the Selectboard