Trustees Meeting 4/14/25

Web version

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, April 14, 2025

6:00 PM

PRESENT: David Winchester, Village President; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Neal Speer, Trustee; Suzie Kelleher, Trustee; William “Bill” Sheets, Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Heidi Britch-Valenta, Grant Specialist; Damon Broderick and Ch. 16. Via Teams: Nicole Draper, Swanton Recreation.

To watch this meeting in its entirety, go to Northwest Access TV on YouTube. The video will also be posted on the Village’s website once available. Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried, unanimously.

1. Call Regular Meeting to Order at 6 p.m.:

David Winchester, Village President, called the Village Board of Trustees meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

2. Pledge of Allegiance:

Everyone in attendance stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.

3. Agenda Review:

Bill Sheets, Village Manager, stated he would like to add legal matter and personnel to executive session.

4. Public Comment:

None.

5. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, March 24, 2025 and Monday, March 31, 2025 as presented:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve the minutes from Monday, March 24, 2025 and March 31, 2025 as presented. Suzie Kelleher seconded the motion. Motion carried.

6. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Thursday, April 10, 2025:

Suzie Kelleher made the motion to approve Village Warrants through Thursday, April 10, 2025 as presented. Neal Speer seconded the motion. Discussion: None. Motion carried.

7. Abenaki Nation Request Permission to Hold 2025 Heritage Festival (Pow Wow) on May 23-26, 2025 on Swanton Recreation Field :

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve the Abenaki 2025 Heritage Festival (Pow Wow) to be held May 23-26, 2025 at the Swanton Recreation Fields. He also approved them having a ceremonial fire and campsites on the property but would like confirmation on the number of campsites prior to the event. Suzie Kelleher seconded the motion. Motion carried.

8. Swanton Village Grant Specialist Update with Heidi Britch-Valenta:

Heidi Britch-Valenta was present for this presentation and began by showing the board the completed grants and projects the Village has done in the last year.

COMPLETED PROJECTS

Lead Service Line Inventory

NEED- State mandated Lead Service Line Inventory for all Vermont water systems to ensure safe drinking water.

•ACTION- Hire consultant to complete assessment of all water hook ups to the system on the customer side and system side.

•FUNDING-DWSRF Lead Inventory Grant $78,600 no local match required.

•IMPACT- out of 1,372 Service Lines just 7 will need to be replaced on the homeowner’s side.

Infrastructure Capital Planning Project 2024

•NEED- aging water and sewer lines are vulnerable to breaks and some customers have poor service in areas with undersized pipes which is also limiting growth for new customers.

•ACTION-Evaluate existing lines, hydrants, and valves and prioritize most critical needs to improve resiliency and for capital planning and budgeting purposes.

•FUNDING- ACCD MPG to hire consultant $13,950

•IMPACT- the Village is responsible for $1,550 cash match. Improved resiliency and less impact to customers. Report is being finalized and then we can close the grant

120 First Street 3-Acre Stormwater Design

•NEED- meet State mandate to upgrade stormwater systems for all 3-Acre permits.

•ACTION- Hire consultant to create a design to meet more stringent 3-Acre rules.

FUNDING-ANR DEC 3-Acre Permit Obtainment Assistance Grant- $49,999 for Design/Bid Phase which is completed.

•IMPACT- No local match required for design but seeking further assistance for construction of infrastructure. Allowed 5 years to complete construction.

Heidi then showed the Board all the Grants/Projects that are in progress.

IN PROGRESS GRANTS/PROJECTS

B-6 Bridge Upgrade 2029

NEED- Bridge has structural deficiencies and will need substantial repair or full replacement.

•ACTION- Design for new bridge in progress.

•FUNDING- State Capital total amount is being determined by A.O.T. engineers responsible for the new design. Alternatives Presentation Mtg should happen this spring.

•IMPACT- The Village will be responsible for a cash match between 2.5%-10% depending on a few variables.

Energy Improvement Small Projects 2023

•NEED- Outreach events to raise awareness of energy improvements opportunities.

•ACTION- Swanton Energy Committee performing outreach and educational events.

•FUNDING- Municipal Energy Resiliency Program Mini-Grant $4,000

•IMPACT- the Village has no match on this grant. Benefit is improved outreach and education to help the Village support customers toward greater energy efficiency.

Stormwater Project 2025

•NEED- Address stormwater issues as required under the Municipal Roads General Permit (MRGP).

•ACTION-Reduce erosion from stormwater flow into the Missisquoi River by stabilizing an identified erosion issue. The location is the Webster Terrace outfall with a touch up to Marble Mill outlet. Scheduled for summer 2025.

•FUNDING-Grants in Aid Program $6,000

•IMPACT- The Village will be responsible for an in-kind match of $1,500. PWD will perform the work.

Downtown Safety Improvements 2023

•NEED- improve pedestrian/ bicycle and vehicular safety in the congested high crash area along Grand Ave/ Merchants Rowin the Village Core.

•ACTION-implement safety recommendations from study: improve intersections, shorten crosswalks, reconfigure parking, and improve ADA facilities at Merchants Row over 3-5-years. Site Visit in spring 2025

•FUNDING-Transportations Alternative ProgramTA22(8) $300,000.

•IMPACT- Local cash and in-kind match of $75,000. Improved ADA access and traffic safety in Village.

Downtown Safety Improvements 2024

•NEED- Address Stormwater issues and improve safety in the congested high crash area along Church Street in the Village Core.

•ACTION-implement safety recommendations from study: improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities, improve stormwater infrastructure, make Church St one way vehicle traffic. 3-5 years to develop and implement. Currently in AOT Design Review.

•FUNDING-Transportations Alternative Program TA 24(7) $473,750.

•IMPACT- Local cash and in-kind match of $118,438. One-way southbound traffic will reduce traffic entering the dangerous intersection.

Repaving Lake St & Linda Ave

• NEED- Road repairs to improve safety and road stability.

•ACTION- Repaving Segment of Lake Street at railroad tracks near intersection with South River Street and repave all of Linda Avenue. Work is scheduled for the summer of 2025.

•FUNDING- AOT Class II Roadway Grant $140,000

•IMPACT- The Village will have a 20% match for this grant which will be met with annual paving allocation or in-kind labor / equipment.

Grand Avenue Sidewalk Replacement

•NEED- Repairs to aging stretch of sidewalk from First Street to Veterans Memorial Park to allow use by all residents

•ACTION- Repouring new ADA compliant sidewalk to ensure universal access on a very busy segment Scheduled for summer 2025.

•FUNDING- AOT Bike and Pedestrian Program $75,000 grant

•IMPACT- The Village will have a 100% match for this grant which will be met with PWD labor and equipment.

Waste Water Facility Upgrade

•NEED- Aging Wastewater Treatment Facility has equipment that has exceeded its life expectancy.

•ACTION- Replace equipment to increase efficiency and improve resiliency. Scheduled for 2024/25. Approximately half-way through the project.

•FUNDING- Community Resiliency and Revitalization Program (CRRP) $800,000

•IMPACT-80% match is met with balance of the project funding through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

Riviere Hotel Remediation 2022

•NEED- Remediate blighted property in Village Center that is a deterrent to economic development, and a fire and health hazard.

•ACTION- Implement recommendations in Northern Gateway Study: Assess contaminants, remove building, remediate soil contaminants, and create redevelopment plan. Final cleanup plan is being developed. Habitat for Humanity is working with their engineer on design for affordable housing.

•FUNDING- Brownfield Funding through Northwest Regional Planning Commission.

•IMPACT- Village is responsible for 25% of cleanup costs. Benefit is a revitalized property that can be returned to useful purpose and property tax generation.

124 First Street Remediation 2023

•NEED- Remediate blighted property adjoining Village Municipal Complex and revitalize it for municipal use. Provide necessary space for overburdened municipal complex property.

•ACTION- Assess contaminants, remove building, remediate soil contaminants, and create redevelopment plans. The final cleanup plan should be complete by end of April.

•FUNDING- Brownfield Funding through Northwest Regional Planning Commission.

•IMPACT- Village is responsible for up to 25% of cleanup costs. Benefit is a revitalized property that can meet the needs of the Village for the foreseeable future.

Road Erosion Inventory

NEED- Update existing stormwater Road Erosion Inventory (REI) which outlines stormwater issues that must be addressed for the Municipal Roads General Permit (MRGP).

ACTION- Collaborating with NRPC to update the REI with new project concepts to be used for grant applications. Work scheduled for summer 2025.

FUNDING- AOT Better Road Category A Grant -$2,673

IMPACT- The Village will have a $668 in-kind match for this grant which will be met with labor and equipment. The Inventory Report will provide information to use for grant applications.

Jones Court 3-Acre Stormwater Design

•NEED- meet State mandate to upgrade stormwater systems for all 3-Acre permits.

•ACTION- Hire consultant to create a design to meet more stringent 3-Acre rules.

FUNDING-ANR DEC 3-Acre Permit Obtainment Assistance Grant- $49,999 for Design/Bid Phase.

•IMPACT- No local match required for design, but seeking further assistance for construction of infrastructure.

EV Chargers Level 3

•NEED- Provide charging opportunities in busy downtown area which will draw visitors from the interstate to visit the businesses in the Village as part of the parking lot redevelopment.

•ACTION-Purchase Level 3 Fast Chargers to allow for residents and travelers to quickly charge a vehicle while they shop or dine. Work to begin in 2025

•FUNDING- ACCD- Charge VT Grant ~$149,502

•IMPACT- 5% match is required but in-kind labor and equipment is allowed.

Heidi then showed the Board all the new grants she is working on getting.

Downtown Safety Improvements 2025

•NEED- Address traffic safety issue at Canada Street and Grand Ave intersectionin the Village Core.

•ACTION-implement safety recommendations from study: improve traffic flow at the intersection-remove left turn lane, ADA complaint sidewalks and crosswalks, add bike lane. 3-5 years to develop and implement.

•FUNDING-Transportations Alternative Program TA 25- $600,000.

•IMPACT- Local cash and in-kind match of $150,000. One lane traffic westbound will reduce the number of vehicles entering the dangerous intersection at one time.

Dry Hydrant at Johns Bridge Boating Access

•NEED- Fire Department needs to improve fire suppression capability to the southeast portion of the Town.

•ACTION- Work with the Town and PWD to construct a new dry hydrant at Leon Babbie Fishing Access. Work scheduled for late summer 2025.

•FUNDING- NRCS Dry Hydrant Grant $10,000.

•IMPACT- a 25% match is required which will be met with in-kind labor and equipment. Benefit is improved protection for southeast portion of Town and Fire Trucks can refill without entering the Village/School area.

Tree Trimming and Removal 2025

•NEED- Existing Tree in park in need of trimming or removal to protect life of trees and avoid storm damage to persons or property.

•ACTION- Worked with Tree Consultant, Tree Warden, and County Forester to determine the health of trees in the Village Green. Work scheduled for summer 2025.

•FUNDING- US Forest Service- Urban and Community Forest Program- $20,000.

•IMPACT- Improve the health of trees in need of trimming and remove dead trees to avoid potential power outages, property damage, or injury. No Local Match required.

Heidi then showed the total pending applications she has submitted. They are:

ACCD-EV CHARGER 2 LEVEL 2       $120,000          120 First St Employee & Commuter Parking

FEMA-ASSIST FIREFIGHTERS          $60,952            Diesel Exhaust Removal System for Fire Dept.

ACCD – PLANNING GRANT             $60,000            Hydro Facility Capital Investment Planning

DOE-RURAL & REMOTE ENERGY   $7,122,500       Hydro Facility Improvements – Immed. Needs

T-MOBILE HOMETOWN GRANT      $50,000            Resurfacing Pickleball Courts

ACCD- MUNICIPAL PLANNING GR $30,000            Electric Department Capital Assessment

VTRANS-MISSISQUOI BAY CLEAN $TBD               Stormwater Issues - Grand Ave & Greenwich St.

AARP COMMUNITY CHALLENGE   $25,000            Marble Mill Pk Improvements – tables, benches

TOTAL                                               $7,468,452

The Board thanked Heidi for the great job she does securing grants for the Village of Swanton. Bill said the Board should really thank themselves because they had the courage to agree to hiring a grant specialist and it is paying off.

9. Discussion on Swanton Village Electric Bond Vote:

Bill Sheets, Village Manager, said the vote for the electric facility will be held on Tuesday, May 6 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. here at the Complex. He said a mailer went out last week detailing a lot of information about the proposed building. He said he feels they’ve covered all the information he can think of and asked the Board if they felt anything was missing. Adam said he thought they covered everything and just encouraged everyone to come out and vote. Suzie Kelleher said she agrees and said she wants to clarify that this is a totally new project than the public safety facility that got voted down a couple of years ago. David Winchester, Village President, said he encourages anyone who wants to know more or if they have any questions to reach out to him and anyone on the board and they will help get their questions answered. He also said tours can be given as well. Bill Sheets said the Village Trustees will hold a public informational hearing at their April 28^th meeting, starting at 6 p.m.

10. Appoint Damon Broderick as Village Representative to Northwest Regional Planning Commission for March 2025 through March 2026:

Suzie Kelleher made the motion to appoint Damon Broderick as the Village Representative to Northwest Regional Planning Commission for March 2025 through March 2026. Neal Speer seconded. Discussion: Damon accepted this appointment saying he’s eager to get more involved. Motion carried.

11. Motion to Approve the Village Manager Seeking Legislative Approval to Annex 124 First Street to the Village of Swanton:

Bill Sheets, Village Manager, stated he has been invited to testify this Wednesday in Montpelier by House Government Operations related to H. 364, the bill introduced to annexing the 124 First Street property, along with Town Administrator Brian Savage. He said this has been in the works for a while, but he would like to be able to show the representatives in Montpelier that the Village Trustees support this action. Bill said the Town Selectboard will hopefully also support this endeavor at their meeting tomorrow night. Adam Paxman made the motion to authorize Village Manager William Sheets to testify on behalf of the Village of Swanton for the annexation of 124 First Street from a town property to a village property. Suzie Kelleher seconded the motion. Motion carried.

12. Village Manager Update:

Public Works: The Street Sweeper is in the shop for repairs as it stopped functioning after a couple of days of use. This unit is under warranty, and it is currently being evaluated for what we believe is an electrical problem. The team repaired a water break on Dewey Street, which remains a trouble spot for us. Public Works have installed the hard rubber and upright delineators in the Merchants Row area. The hope is that traffic will have a more visual path to stay in their lane of travel, helping to ensure pedestrian traffic remains safe. The feedback so far has been positive. Adam Paxman said he really likes it.

Hydro: We are in run of river mode from April 1 through May 31^st. Up to this point we have been spilling regularly, and production is maxed out at 90 percent due to Unit 2 being down. Last week contractors attempted to finalize repairs to Unit 2 and things looked promising until the vibration in unit 2 returned when the unit was operating above 50 percent. To be cautious, the unit was shut down until we could find time to dewater the unit and check the turbine. The current plan, pending water level conditions, is to attempt those repairs, as well as concrete/crack repairs in the scroll cage, the week of May 19^th.

Swanton Village Electric: Please join me in recognizing Swanton Village Electric Line Workers during Line Worker Appreciation Day on Friday April 18^th. We want to extend that thanks to all Swanton Village Electric Department professionals, including our administration professionals and our Hydroelectric Facility staff.

AMI: We are making significant progress with AMI, or Advanced Metering Infrastructure. We will be mailing out information in the form of bill inserts soon explaining next steps.

Water: As is the norm for this time of year, the water plant is battling turbidity issues based upon Lake Champlain conditions and rough water. Chemical pumps are being programmed and installed internally after a tutorial from the manufacturer.

Wastewater: I want to propose a May 19^th special meeting of the Board of Trustees to visit the Wastewater Facility. We will invite the public to attend and would suggest starting at 4 PM, if possible, to maximize daylight. The wastewater facility project continues to progress towards a January 2026 finish, with significant progress milestones being met. The meeting on the 19^th should include ensuring that we have time to finish at Foundry Street, where we are 95 percent complete.

Senator Bernie Sanders staff visit: Last week Senator Sanders staff held a meeting here with Chief Matt Sullivan, Heidi Britch-Valenta and me. We had a great discussion about community and project needs, and they spent a significant amount of time discussing policing issues and concerns that we are currently experiencing with staffing and space restrictions.

13. Any Other Necessary Business:

Adam Paxman said the Memorial Day Parade will be held on May 26 and himself along with Joel Clark are co-chairs of the event. He said if anyone wants to participate with a float etc. they can as long as they are very patriotic in nature. He said they will meet at the Babcock School at 2 p.m., go along Grand Avenue to the Veteran’s Memorial Park where a ceremony and wreath will take place. He said they will stop at the north end of the park at the Lady Liberty statue for a ceremony and wreath presentation there too. Adam said the fire department will provide a BBQ free of charge for everyone. Adam also said they will be putting the veterans’ flags in the park on Saturday, May 24^th and will leave them up for one week. He also said he’s heard rumblings that the Chamber isn’t holding a car show again this year. He said they are holding a car show on Saturday, July 26^th at 9 a.m. in the Village Green. Bill said the varsity and junior varsity softball teams will be in the park on May 24^th to help set up the veterans’ flags.

Any Other Business: Suzie Kelleher said Village resident Gordon Cheney is turning 100 years old on April 21^st and is having a card party. She encouraged everyone to mail Mr. Cheney a birthday card to him at 21 Fourth Street, Swanton. Suzie also said Easter in the Park will be held this Saturday at 8:45 a.m. She  said MVU will be hosting Mud Season Hand Made Market on Saturday, April 19^th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the gym. Suzie said she will be sending the Hometown Hero banners to the printer on Wednesday and said the electric crew will start hanging them at their earliest convenience.

Any Other Business: Neal Speer said the downtown businesses such as the Bistro, the bakery and businesses on Merchants Row are doing very well. He said he’s glad to see Cody’s Restaurant is reopened and thanked the electric crew for the new lamp head on the bridge. He said they are ready for spring now.

14. Executive Session if Necessary:

Suzie Kelleher made the motion, seconded by Adam Paxman, to go into Executive Session at 7:05 p.m. to discuss legal matter issues and personnel where premature general public knowledge of the subject matter would place the Village or person involved at a substantial disadvantage. Motion carried.

Suzie Kelleher made the motion to exit Executive Session at 7:36 pm. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

15. Adjournment:

Neal Speer made the motion to adjourn the Regular Meeting of the Board of the Trustees at 7:37 p.m. Suzie Kelleher seconded. There being no further business at hand, David Winchester, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 7:37 p.m. Motion carried.

_____________________________________             _______________________________________

David Winchester, Village President                  Date

_________________________________           ____________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                                Date