Meeting Minutes of the Select Board

 Location: Town offices   Date:  May 6, 2021
 Opened:    7:00 pm Adjourned: 9:30 pm

Select Board Members:  Jay Jacobs, Kathy Scott, Andrea Hodson _________________

Attendees: Julia Pakradooni, Ryan Stone, Scott Stone, Dick Stone, Ted Braun, Barbara Watkins, Kelly Byam, Mike Tollett, Pete Thayer, Cheryl ?, Mike Wilder, Doug Byam, Ben Dexter, Andrew Scanlan, Bryan Kingsbury, Donna Stone, Pam Wilder, Don Scott, Les LaMois, Ranae O’Neil, Tonya Wilder

Class VI Roads– Members of the Stone family asked the SB for an update on Blood Hill Road. The Stones report that only a 40’ section of the 150’ stone wall, which serves as their property line and right-of-way boundary, has been repaired. The board believes it has done all it can do on the matter. The group discussed the lack of documentation in town files that permission was ever granted to a previous property owner along the road to make changes to the road, and also the lack of evidence regarding changes that have occurred. The Stones are frustrated that, over many years, gradual changes have become significant, altering their property line. The group also discussed responsibility for road maintenance. By statute, Class VI roads are not maintained by the town.

Discussion ensued over statutes requiring abutters to Class VI roads to obtain permission from the town for any disturbance to land at the edge of the road, and over responsibility for the requested repairs. The Stones recommended that the board seek advice from town counsel.

The questions to be asked include: 1) Who’s responsible for damage to a wall abutting someone’s property?; 2) What is the course of action when someone alters a property boundary abutting a Class VI road?; and 3) what constitutes substantive change to a road/road edge and who decides what is substantive?

The board also noted it has intended to send, and will send, a letter to all Blood Hill Road abutters regarding Class VI road statutes. Any alterations must be approved by the town. Scott Stone has asked in past what Mr. Hansel was required to do as part of his agreement with the town regarding the road, but no documentation of any agreement from around 1996 was found. When the board receives input from town counsel, they will get back in touch with the Stones, aiming for the last week of May or first week of June. As a separate matter, the town will replace a damaged culvert on Prospect Street.

Police Department– Chief Tollett proposed a raise in part time officer pay for current staff, based on the reasons laid out in his memo to the board. He confirmed he has factored this increase into the 2022 PD budget. Subsequently, Jay Jacobs moved to accept Chief Tollett’s proposal for increased pay for part time police officers. Andrea Hodson seconded. All voted in favor.

Parking at Silver Lake
The board will work to improve signage at Silver Lake and other recreation areas in town to clarify ordinances related to beaches and boat ramps. Jay Jacobs suggested that signage be something the citizens advisory committee considers as part of its assessment and recommendations. The committee is meeting next Monday and will consider this and report back to the board, who will see how any recommendations could apply or be useful for beach and boating areas other than Silver Lake. The board will review existing ordinances related to beaches and boat ramps, the most recent of which was adopted in 1994, and revisit next week.

Town Meeting – The office will ask the Fire Chief for assistance with the Fire Company’s outdoor sound system and will reach out to the school to coordinate the necessary power source.

Wilderness Trail – Town counsel has drafted the deed, which the board will review for signature next week.

Select Board minutes
The board discussed the extent of detail in its meeting minutes and what is required to be included, requesting more succinct minutes and earlier posting, three days prior to the legal deadline. Reviewing minutes going back two months and following discussion of suggested clarifications and edits by Andrea Hodson, the board acted as follows:

-Meeting Minutes of March 26, 2021 – approved as written.
-Meeting Minutes of March 31, 2021 – With the added clarification that Mr. Cady would wait on spending until after the budget is voted on at Town Meeting, the board moved to approve.
-Meeting Minutes of April 8, 2021 and April 15, 2021 – approve as written.

-Meeting Minutes of April 22, 2021 – The board approved with the addendum that Chief Mike Tollett will serve as E-911 liaison.

– Meeting Minutes of April 30 – Andrea Hodson wished to note for the record that, while the board awaits DOT input about Breed Road, the town will assess best parking options for Seaver Road. She further noted that, while discussion of Silver Lake Parking is possible under ‘other business’ at Town Meeting, no binding vote can occur. The citizens advisory committee is asked by the SB to present recommendations in the fall of 2021.

Document review
-The board signed the Oath of Office for Mike Wilder as Building Inspector and the Timber Intent for the New England Forestry Foundation.

– The SB signed the pay warrant in the amount of $84,680.46 and payroll warrant in the amount of $28,917.04.

-Regarding the SB office memo on garbage pick-up at town office, the SB moved to accept the proposal from Waste Care for bi-weekly trash pick-up at a cost of $15 and once per month recycling for $10. All voted in favor.
-The board supports the Treasurer’s recommendation to shift from a SWEEP account to a collateralized option to secure the town’s funds.