Arlington Water Board Special Meeting and Select Board Special Meeting November 25, 2024 Minutes
Water Board Special Meeting
Members Attending: Jamie Paustian, Glenn Sherman, Cynthia Browning, Dan Harvey
Members absent: Matt Bykowski
Others present: Nick Zaiac, Burr Snow
1. CALL TO ORDER at 7:00 pm
2. Additions and Deletions to the agenda: Jamie Paustian made a motion to add “Grant application authorization” to the agenda, seconded by Glenn Sherman, approved 4-0
3.PUBLIC COMMENTS: None
4. EXECUTIVE SESSION
4.1 Glenn Sherman made a motion that premature discussion of a personnel matter would cause the municipality to suffer substantial disadvantage. Seconded by Jamie Paustian. Motion approved unanimously by members present. Glenn Sherman made a motion to enter into Executive Session for discussion of a personnel matter and to allow Nick Zaiac and Burr Snow to remain in the room. Seconded by Cynthia Browning. Motion approved unanimously by members present. Entered at 7:02 PM. Exited at 7:19 PM, with the decision to authorize the Town Administrator to negotiate a contract for backup water operator services for a rate not to exceed $18,000 per year for a term of one year.
5. Rate Discussion
Members briefly discussed the impact of this and recent personnel changes would have on water rates, with the Chief Administrator noting this should lead to an approximately $22.55 quarterly increase. Members discussed whether to include some further increase to account for known capital shortfalls in the department as documented by outside auditors. Members discussed scheduling for the annual budget meeting, set for 6 pm on 12/16. Members expressed a sense of the board for the Town Administrator to put in place a “stop-gap” coverage agreement to cover the period 12/9-12/16 at which point the contract as outlined exiting the executive session would be finalized.
Added item: Grant authorization
Nick Zaiac gave a brief overview of the grant he was seeking to apply for, which would retroactively cover the hydrogeology and source repermitting work previously authorized if awarded. Cynthia Browning made a motion to authorize the application for a Small System Capacity and Resiliency Program (SCRP) Tier II for an amount of $90,700. Motion approved unanimously.
Motion to adjourn by Jamie Paustian, seconded by Cynthia Browning, adjourned at 7:36
Select Board Special Meeting
1. CALL TO ORDER at 7:36 pm
Members Attending: Jamie Paustian, Glenn Sherman, Cynthia Browning, Dan Harvey
Members absent: Matt Bykowski
Others present: Nick Zaiac,
2. Additions for deletions from the agenda: Cyntia Browning made a motion to add “change order for sidewalk” and “executive session: legal matter” to the agenda. Seconded by Glenn Sherman. Approved unanimously by members present.
3.PUBLIC COMMENTS: None
4. NEW BUSINESS
Added item: Change order. The Town Administrator gave an overview that this change order was to account for replacement of a failed curb when repairing the sidewalk that was not part of the original project scope.
Cynthia Browning made a motion to authorize a change order to the contract for the repair of sidewalks of $3,000, from $9,000 to $12,000, paid from unused culvert funds. Seconded by Glenn Sherman. Approved 4-0.
4.1 ARPA Awards
Cynthia Browning made a motion to authorize a change order for the playground borders from $2500 to $4800 paid from ARPA funds. Seconded by Jamie Paustian. Approved 4-0.
Glenn Sherman removed himself from the discussion of park concrete work for conflict of interest.
Members briefly discussed the scope of concrete repairs in the park. Cynthia Browning made a motion to authorize $5,000 in ARPA funds for repairs to concrete in the park in 2025 to Glenn Sherman and Sons. Approved 3-0, Sherman abstaining for conflict of interest.
Members briefly discussed remaining ARPA items. The Town Administrator noted that by mutual agreement with the ARPA Committee and Chief Hawley, we reduced the number of SCBA apparatus in the plan, reallocating funds to other uses including the highway purchases of the evening, a prospective larger thermal camera for the fire department, large format scanner for the Clerk’s office, and racking for water department storage.
Cynthia Browning made a motion to authorize the following purchases from ARPA funds: $7000 for a 20 ton trailer from Woodard Construction, $4525.30 for a salt spreader from Earle’s Truck Repair, $7250 for a flail mower from Capital Tractor, and $5300 for a York rake from Salem Farm Supply. Seconded by Jamie Paustian. Approved 4-0.
Added item: 5. Executive Session
Cynthia Browning made a motion that premature discussion of a legal matter would cause the municipality to suffer substantial disadvantage. Seconded by Jamie Paustian. Motion approved unanimously by members present. Cynthia Browning made a motion to enter into Executive Session for discussion of a personnel matter and to allow Nick Zaiac to remain in the room. Seconded by Jamie Paustian. Motion approved unanimously by members present. Entered at 8:00 PM. Exited at 8:09 PM, with no decision announced.
6. ADJOURNMENT: Motion to adjourn by Jamie Paustian, seconded by Cynthia Browning, approved unanimously meeting adjourned 8:09 pm
Respectfully submitted by Nick Zaiac