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Trustees Meeting 1/27/20

  • Monday, January 27, 2020
    7 PM – 9 PM

Village Trustees

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SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, January 27, 2020

7:00 PM

PRESENT: Neal Speer, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau Jr., Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Wayne Elliott, Aldrich & Elliott Engineers; and Ch. 16.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

  1. Call to Order:

Neal Speer, Village President, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

  1. Agenda Review:

Adam Paxman stated he would like to move Item #6 to #10.

  1. Public Comment:

None.

  1. Approve and Sign Minutes from Monday, January 13, 2020 as presented:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, January 13, 2020 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Reg Beliveau stated the invoice they asked about at their last meeting was for their new server. Motion carried.

  1. Approve and Sign Warrants through Friday, January 24, 2020 as presented:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and sign Warrants through Friday, January 10, 2020 as presented. Chris Leach seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman asked about the payment of $111,580.42 made to VPPSA. Lynn Paradis stated that was for November’s power supply bill. Motion carried.

#6 Moved to #10.

  1. Adopt 2020 Budget as Presented:

Lynn Paradis stated there are no changes from their last meeting to this budget. She said as long as the grand list doesn’t change, she is asking for an estimated tax rate of .8838 from .8431 last year. She said most of this increase is due to the new fire trucks and the police budget. She said a home assessed at $150,000 would see an increase of $60.99; a home assessed at $175,000 would see an increase of $71.15 and a home assessed at $200,000 would see an increase of $81.31. Lynn also stated the sewer rates needed to be adjusted and she is requesting that go into effect in March of this year. She said the overall increase in sewer rates for a residential home would be approximately $18 per year. She said most of the increase is coming from commercial and industrial customers. Chris Leach stated he would like to see a comparison of rates between Swanton Village and our neighboring towns. Lynn stated she would not need a rate increase in the water department or the electric department in 2020.

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve the proposed sewer rate increase to be in effect for March 2020 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve the 2020 budget as presented. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

  1. Adopt and Sign 2020 Annual Warning as Presented:

Neal Speer, Village President, read the 2020 Annual Warning as presented. It was decided that the wording on Article #9 be revised. Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and sign the 2020 Annual Warning as presented after revising Article #9. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

  1. Review 2019 4th Quarter SQRP Report:

Chris Leach made the motion to acknowledge receipt of the 4th quarter SQRP report as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach stated the Village of Swanton is well run, well represented and our customers are well served. Eugene LaBombard asked if this only applied to the electric department. Reg Beliveau stated yes because the state doesn’t govern the water department. Motion carried.

  1. Any Other Necessary Business:

None.

  1. Review and Sign State Revolving Loan Program Funding Application for Missisquoi River Waterline Crossing:

Wayne Elliott, Aldrich & Elliott Engineering, stated he was present tonight because the Village has been discussing redundancy of the water line that crosses the Missisquoi River underneath the bridge. He said if something were to happen at the water plant there would be no way to get water to the Village. He said Lynn has completed the State Revolving Loan Program funding application and they are requesting $12,400 for the preparation of a preliminary engineering report and environmental report for a new water line across the Missisquoi River. Eugene LaBombard stated he brought this up a couple of years ago and it really needs to be looked at. Chris Leach stated the Village needs this done and asked if this new line would be a replacement or a secondary line. Wayne said they will look at that and see what makes the most sense but said he would envision keeping both lines. He said they would need to directional bore under the river for the new line. Wayne said the state has reviewed their Scope of Services and is accepting of the $12,400 requested. Adam Paxman made the motion to the approve the State Revolving Loan Program Funding Application in the amount of $12,400 for the engineering fee to study a new river crossing water line and to also authorize Reg Beliveau to sign the engineering agreement. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

  1. Executive Session to Discuss Contracts:

Chris Leach made the motion to enter into Executive Session at 7:43 p.m. to discuss contracts. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

Adam Paxman made the motion to exit Executive Session and re-enter Open Session at 8:35 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

ACTION TAKEN: Adam Paxman made the motion to authorize Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, to sign the agreement between the Village of Swanton and Swanton School Housing and to also sign the Subordination and Priority Agreement between the Village of Swanton and Rural Housing Service. Chris Leach seconded. Discussion: Reg Beliveau stated he needed the date changed on the agreement and would get that done this week. Motion carried.

12. Adjournment:

Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:37 p.m.  Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:37 p.m. Motion carried.

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Neal Speer, Village President                            Date

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Dianne Day, Village Clerk                                Date