Minutes
Arlington Select Board
January 6, 2025
Members Present: Dan Harvey, Cynthia Browning, Glenn Sherman, Jamie Paustian, and Matt Bykowski (via Zoom)
Members Absent: None
Also Present: Steve McClafferty, Willy Knight – Park Supervisor, GNAT-TV, Shane Brownell-Highway Crew, and Janet Barry (via Zoom)
The meeting was called to order at 7:00PM, by Mr. Harvey
Additions or Deletions from the Agenda: Ms. Browning made a motion to add the State Certificate of Mileage to the agenda. Mr. Sherman seconded. Motion carried.
Public Comments: Mr. McClafferty thanked the Fire Department for their response to the tragedies of December 30th and New Years Day.
Minutes of the Meetings of December 16, 2024: Ms. Browning made a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of December 16, 2024 as presented. Mr. Paustian seconded the motion. Motion carried with Mr. Sherman abstaining because he had been absent from that meeting.
New Business: Mileage Certificate: Ms. Browning made a motion to approve the Certificate of Highway Mileage, year ending February 10, 2025. Mr. Sherman seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. No changes have been made for Town highway mileage this year.
Golf Course Repair Discussion: Mr. Knight said he is waiting to get prices and should know more at the next meeting about the cost of sod and results of soil samples.
Fire Department Officers Appointments: Ms. Browning made a motion to approve the 2025 FD Elected Officers as presented, with Brian Hawley as Chief, Eric Marco as 1st Assistant, and Vince Thompson as 2nd Assistant. Mr. Sherman seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Paustian mentioned the possibility of having the FD officers elected every three years as the Fire Company does, instead of annually as is currently done. He feels it makes sense financially and offers more stability. It was agreed that this will be discussed at future meetings.
Reappraisal Award: Mr. Zaiac said he had been unsuccessful at getting a second appraiser bid in spite of allowing plenty of time for a response from the second company. Ms. Browning made a motion to approve the contract with NEMRC for reappraisal for all real property in the Town of Arlington for a total cost of $156,000 to come from the Reappraisal Capital Reserve Fund. Mr. Sherman seconded. Motion carried unanimously. It was discussed that there is approximately $126,000 in the Reappraisal CRF and the State offers approximately $12,000 per year, so the full amount will be in the fund when the reappraisal is completed in 2029. Mr. McClafferty noted an error in the contract with a different town being listed and also inquired about cyber security for this project. Mr. Zaiac will have the contract corrected and address the cyber security concern with NEMRC.
Town Meeting and Report: Mr. Zaiac shared his screen with different options of consolidation and semi consolidation of Articles for review for the Warning. Having Appropriation requests under $5,000 grouped together to cut down on the number of Articles was discussed. It was also discussed that all CRF Articles could be lumped together. It was a sense of the Board that they do not want to restrict voters’ choices, and the consolidated version was not approved. The Board reviewed the Select Board Report that would appear in the Town Report. Having questions addressed that came up at the last Town Meeting, and a pie chart of what portion of the budget goes to what part of Town operations was suggested to be included in the final draft which will be voted on at the next regular meeting.
Old Business: Covered Bridge Repair RFP Draft: Mr. Zaiac shared his draft of an RFP for the West Arlington Covered Bridge repairs, which is due on February 20, 2025, and work to be completed by June 1, 2025. Work requested is painting, deck and cracked floor beam replacement, repair cross bracing and address upstream racking of abutment and knee bracing abutment, all work that was identified as needing to be done in the bridge inspection. Ms. Browning made a motion to authorize RFP for Covered Bridge repairs with adjustments as discussed. Mr. Paustian seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Budget 2025: Mr. Zaiac shared his screen with the budget with figures he clarified after the last meeting. It was discussed that the Board would like to have the final yearend figures from the Treasurer by January 17, 2025, for a special budget meeting on January 22, 2025.
Executive Session: Ms. Browning made a motion to that premature discussion of personnel, and legal issues would cause the municipality to suffer substantial disadvantage. Mr. Sherman seconded the motion. Ms. Browning made a motion to enter into Executive Session for discussion of personnel, and legal issues and to allow Town Administrator Nick Zaiac to remain in the room. Mr. Sherman seconded. Motion carried. The Board entered Executive Session at 8:23PM. The Board exited Executive Session at 8:53PM. Ms. Browning made a motion to accept the close- out sub grant agreement #DR4022. Mr. Sherman seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Warrants and Orders: Ms. Browning made a motion to approve Water Department Warrant #1, dated 1/3/25, in the amount of $7,785.05, with largest item being health insurance premium. Mr. Sherman seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Ms. Browning made a motion to approve Warrant #1, from the General Account, dated 1/3/25, in the amount of $57,614.44, with key elements being Blue Cross/Blue Shield, annual grader lease payment, Fire House Feasibility Study, and Miles Fuel. Mr. Sherman seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.
Any Other Business: None
Mr. Paustian made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Sherman seconded. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:57PM.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Janet Barry