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Attending: Barb Rainville, Brian Goodro, Elwin Isham, Tim Thompson, Victor Atkins, Katie Banks, Winthrop Thompson, Lance Lattrell, Oakley Smith, Stephen Taylor, Ann Kensek
Barb called the meeting to order at 7pm. She signed the Burnham Check and Ann put it in Larry’s box in the safe.
Tim-

• The Road crew has been grading roads, working on potholes. Thursday the Freightliner will be getting new tires. They are getting the trucks ready for winter.
• Victor Atkins-  re: lines that needed replacing on their property from the accident with a Town truck. Discussion on codes for electric lines and height of the wire affected. The claim is open at VLCT and the Town should be hearing back soon. Further discussion on insurance and liability.
• Discussion on blue stone- when the roads are graded it gets worked in.
• Deep pothole on Isham Hollow road was taken care of.
• The Selectboard expressed sadness over Phil Labossiere’s unexpected death.
• Actuals were reviewed- nothing questionable or pressing. Barb asked if the Town got salt from District 5- Tim said he’d look into as Les ordered the salt.
• Chris Acker’s invoices were reviewed. It appears all but one are FEMA related.
• FEMA Debris Management Form- Elwin moved that the Selectboard sign the FEMA Debris Management Form. Barb seconded. Discussion on debris on Gap Road. Time that Tim spends working there can be billed to FEMA. Vote called and passed. Elwin will send it in. A copy will be kept at the Town Office and one will be kept at the Town Garage.
• Brief discussion on hiring a new road crew member. Barb moved to go into Executive Session at  7:20 to discuss hiring a new road crew member. Brian seconded. The Selectboard went into Executive Session at 7:20 pm.  Barb moved to come out of Executive Session at about 7:30, Brian seconded.
• Barb Rainville moved to offer the open road crew position to Will Clark. Discussion. Brian seconded. Vote called. Elwin requested a roll call vote. The board voted as follows:  Barb, “yes”; Brian, “yes”; Elwin, “no”. Vote passed.

Lance and Winthrop-

• Discussion on activities at the Transfer Station. The Selectboard will invite the Transfer Station volunteer to come to the next meeting to talk about potential problems. The board affirmed to Lance that he is in charge at the Transfer Station.

Oakley Smith-

• Oakley and George Vince’s properties abut each other at the old Downingsville Road. People have been dumping there and are there at night partying, etc. Discussion on possible solutions. Best solution may be to extend the town’s ditch so people can’t get in to the old road and park. The pavement would need to be cut and an excavator used to dig the ditch. Tim will go up with Oakley to take a look and talk with Oakley about some ideas. Further discussion on possibilities. Katie Banks asked if there is a dumping ordinance. Discussion on signs and new State laws for signs.

Steve Taylor-

• Barb said she is feeling overwhelmed by all the issues that need to be tackled for the Solar Array. She read a letter from a resident expressing concern over the placement of the Array because it may create dangers to skiers and hikers on the trail that it will intersect. She noted Elwin wrote a letter to the Public Service Board. Discussion on the permit process. The minutes show that the Town did approve the non-binding application for a permit.
• Brian is looking at this as a business decision. One of his biggest concerns is the management of the accounts that will be using the array. He said it is like the Town of Lincoln running a half-a –million dollar power plant.
• Steve clarified that it isn’t about buying the array; it’s about taking advantage of the opportunity. He said it seems like there is support for it. The Conservation Commission is for it. Lots of people are looking for leadership on this. Discussion on people wanting it because it is solar without looking at the business, financial and legal sides of it.
• All Earth is the only one offering this group net metering. Discussion on financing, costs and how increases will work over the years. Steve said as the Energy Coordinator he feels this is a good opportunity that the Town shouldn’t let go by.
• Brian noted there are other issues- for instance; Starksboro said they have to shovel snow away from theirs so it will work. The location planned for ours will have lots of snow and wind. Steve said it is a good opportunity to see if it works for five years and if it doesn’t, it can go back.  All Earth would like to keep the installation in place for fifteen years. Elwin   brought up the location. He is not against solar, but disagrees with the location. The array will be hard to keep clean and in good working condition if it is located at the Town Garage, where trucks and equipment are driving in and out, gravel and salt are loaded into trucks, etc.  Brian affirmed that the board wants to make sure all users are on board.
• Katie Banks and the Selectboard asked questions of Steve about the Array. Further discussion. Elwin said he feels there are items in the contract that are not in the best interest of the town. Further discussion on contract. The Town is not committed to buy the Array.
• Elwin said he wants a lawyer to review the contract before the Town signs it. Barb will get a copy to a lawyer to review. Barb clarified where to start- get a lawyer to look at the location and see if it is a viable spot.  Discussion on whether the chosen location is legally able to be used as it is the secondary location for septic at the Town Garage. The Selectboard also wants the PPA to be looked at by a lawyer. Steve said VLCT recommended a lawyer for the PPA. For the land the board will start with the Town Attorney, George Vince, and /or the Wallace’s, because they are proxy for Mrs. Urtz.
• Discussion on the school’s interest in the project. The board asked the School Board, but hasn’t heard back yet.  Steve said the School Board was interested, and that the school was looking at the Array from an educational perspective.
• Discussion on whether the proposed acreage is on the 89 acre piece of land to be conserved or the 10 acre Town Garage piece.
• Discussion on getting the Town’s opinion in a non-binding vote, pending the outcome of recommendations of the lawyers. Possible election was discussed,   as were timing and possible wording for a Warned Article.  Ann will check with Sally/ Secretary of State about Election Laws Vis a Vis non-binding or advisory votes.
• Barb will get the actual proposed spreadsheets from Caleb Elder of All Earth.

Other Business

• The Selectboard signed the HAVA grant that Sally won for drainage at Burnham Hall.
• The Lincoln Applied Geology invoice was reviewed and discussed.
• Personnel Policy- Sally’s note on the Personnel Policy was read. The policy was reviewed. Discussion on retirement benefits and including them in the manual.
• Hearing request of solar array on West Hill Road. The Public Service Board is responsible and the document received by the Town is just a notification.
• The PACIF Detail Loss Report was reviewed. No Action necessary.
• VLCT online Meeting with Pam Fecteau- a time needs to be arranged. Most any day after 5:15. Ann will follow up.
• VLCT DY 13 Memo- Ann will double check.
• The list from the State on possible changes in legislation after Irene was read and discussed.
• The Census survey was filled out. Discussion on questions.
• Requests for funding- Open Door Clinic and the Humane Society requests are the same as last year.
• Orders were signed and correspondences one through.
• Katie Banks clarified that she came to the meeting about the condition of the road. Brief discussion.
• New Codes and Standards were quickly reviewed. Board members will take them home to read for adoption at the next regular meeting. Ann will put them on the agenda.
• Discussion on the new computers for the computerized land records. Sally saved a lot of money by using the old treasurer’s computer for Title searchers and only buying two new computers instead of three.
• Approval of minutes tabled till next meeting.
• Fire Extinguishers- possibly set up a day at Burnham Hall for people to have extinguishers recharged?  Ann will follow-up.
• John Copeland of FEMA wants time cards and records for payment. The Selectboard will meet with him. Invoices must be matched.
• Ten projects have been okayed by FEMA. All projects should come in as “Small projects”, meaning the Town should be able to get paid very quickly. FEMA won’t redo the Hall Road Bridge so mitigation might be the way to go. Rick Kehne is working with Barb on this. Town employee time is also important for FEMA accounting.
• Brief discussion on whether there was anything day –of, like fire dept. etc.
• Barb got a letter from VHB. They asked if the board has any interest in them doing research on straightening the Truchon Bridge. The Selectboard decided not to have them pursue this as it is very expensive. At the Public Meeting VHB said they stopped adding up the costs when they reached a million dollars over the cost of keeping the same footprint.
• Meeting was adjourned at 10:35.