BENNINGTON SELECT BOARD MEETING BENNINGTON FIRE FACILITY MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM - 3RD FLOOR 130 RIVER STREET BENNINGTON, VERMONT 05201 MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2007 MINUTES BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Lodie Colvin-Chair; John Zink-Vice-Chair; Matt Maroney; James Gulley; Chris Oldham; Sharyn Brush and Jason Morrissey. ALSO PRESENT: Stuart Hurd-Town Manager; Rick Gauthier-Chief of Police; Joann Erenhouse and Nancy Lively-Recording Secretary. At 7:00 PM, Lodie Colvin called the meeting to order. 1. MINUTES - OCTOBER 8, 2007 James Gulley moved and Chris Oldham seconded to approve the Minutes of October 8, 2007 as submitted. The motion carried unanimously. 2. WARRANTS The warrants were circulated for signatures after Mr. Hurd answered Board questions on the State Grant for the Bennington County Conservation District, Walmart traffic study, parking signs for downtown, VSAC payment, retirement fund match, waste water treatment evaluation, beaver problems, Secor Associates fixtures and an animal abuse case. 3. CITIZENS None. 4. CHAMBER / BETTER BENNINGTON CORPORATION - REQUEST TO CLOSE MAIN STREET FOR CAPITAL CHRISTMAS TREE EVENT Ms. Erenhouse has requested to close Main Street on Monday, November 19, 2007 from 4:30-9:00pm to facilitate the Downtown Celebration of the 2007 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from 5-7pm. The Big Tree and a couple of other caravan trucks will park down the center of Main Street as the focal point of the celebration. In addition, Ms. Erenhouse has requested that everyone sign Christmas cards and bring them to the Chamber for delivery to veterans on the way to Washington, D.C. with the tree. Chris Oldham moved and James Gulley seconded to close Main Street on November 19, 2007 from 4:30pm - 9:00pm. The motion carried unanimously. 5. PROCLAMATION - NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH Sharyn Brush moved and John Zink seconded to accept the Bennington Project Independence In Recognition of National Family Caregivers Month November 2007 Proclamation as presented. The motion carried unanimously. 6. GRAND LIST - ERRORS & OMISSIONS Sharyn Brush moved and Chris Oldham seconded to accept the Errors and Omissions to the 2007 Grand List dated October 11, 2007. The motion carried unanimously. 7. TASER REPORT / DISCUSSION Mr. Gauthier noted that there were no incidents during the last six months that would have been more successfully resolved or would have prevented officer injury by using a taser. He did, however, request that this remain an open topic should circumstances change. Mr. Zink added that the Public Safety Commissioner announced his retirement and included the statement that "substance abuse problems have the potential of changing our State more significantly than any other issue in my past 30 years of law enforcement". Crime is increasing throughout the state, and should tasers become necessary, there is a six to eight week training required prior to implementation. 8. MANAGER'S REPORT Mr. Hurd circulated a Verizon pole permit for Chapel Road for signatures. Mr. Hurd circulated the Bond Bank refunding document, which can save us $16,000, for signatures. Mr. Hurd circulated the corrected Bennington Project Independence grant application for signatures. Mr. Hurd stated that he has a petition that is requesting a four way stop sign installment at Grandview and Silver Streets. Mr. Hurd stated that it is mandatory that a signal warrant study be done before a stop sign can be installed. The cost of this study is around $1,000. It was the general consensus of the Board that this is a good idea. Chris Oldham moved and John Zink seconded to conduct a signal warrant study for a four way stop sign at the intersection of Grandview and Silver Streets. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Hurd reported that there have been many calls and concerns regarding the delays at County Street and Benmont Avenue, and more specifically, the exit from the Holden-Leonard Mill complex. Several years ago, we had done an analysis of this intersection and found that signalization was warranted. However, the costs to install signal lights and/or modify the turn lanes were close to $200,000. The requests now are to create a three way stop which Mr. Hurd feels may be necessary. Mr. Hurd will check on the Holden-Leonard Mill permits as to exiting and it was the consensus of the Board to discuss this again at the next meeting on November 12th . Mr. Hurd noted that the auditors will be attending the meeting on November 12, 2007 to review the FY07 audit. 9. OTHER BUSINESS Mr. Oldham reminded everyone of the Great Pumpkin Challenge on October 27th, that the Bennington Coalition for the Homeless is sponsoring the New England Patriots vs the Bennington Rural Fire Department charity and that the Park McCullough House is sponsoring a Halloween Community Day on October 28th . Mr. Maroney asked about our turnaround lawsuit, and Mr. Hurd answered that the road commissioners have made a decision which does not appear to be favorable. Mr. Hurd will be reviewing that decision more closely in the near future. Mr. Morrissey asked if there was any feedback concerning lawn waste pickup, and Mr. Hurd hasn't done anything with that yet. Ms. Brush noted that the winter parking ban begins on November 15th - snow or no snow. 10. EXECUTIVE SESSION A. CONTRACTS/LEGAL At 7:50 P.M., James Gulley moved and Chris Oldham seconded to go into Executive Session to discuss Contracts and Legal. The motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Nancy H. Lively Secretary