Stamford Select Board — 2024-08-15 (Regular)
- Pledge of allegiance / call to order and hearing of visitors (agenda changes: possible additional correspondence only)
- BCRC Hazard Mitigation Plan presentation and adoption (Dara Zink, Bennington County Regional Commission)
- Fire truck loan terms discussion (Bill Brown)
- Public comment: gravel on Brown Brook Road (Carol)
- Reading and approval of records and orders: Aug 1 site visit meeting and Aug 1 public hearing minutes; regular minutes of August 1, 2024
- Road conditions report (Dave Tatro): Boggs culvert grant, East Road paving grant, 2019 Freightliner transmission, class-4 road vs trail designation (Sucker Pond Road / TR 301 connector)
- Recycling: overflowing steel container; tax-bill/insert language; batteries taping; appliances item deferred
- Emergency management: Vermont Emergency Preparedness Conference registration (Bob)
- Set tax rate for 2024 and sign tax warrant
- Delinquent dog licenses update (Luke absent)
- Correspondence: tax bill insert with VT Alert sign-up; uniform municipal excess weight permit (Beacon Sales Acquisition)
- Old business: audit report recommendations; DV Fiber financial aid application notice
- New business: town sign permit and order; CDL random drug testing logistics; executive session on possible contract
Motions (8, 6 passed)
Adopt the Hazard Mitigation Plan and sign the BCRC agreement Dara Zink (Speaker 3) — prompted 'Motion to adopt'no-formal-vote
Approve records and orders — site visit meeting of August 1 and public hearing minutes of August 1 mover not statedpassed
Approve regular minutes of August 1, 2024 mover not statedpassed
Set 2024 tax rates as proposed: town .2084 (last year .3731), highway .3733 (last year .5751); homestead and non-homestead rates as set by the state Nancy L. Bushika (Chair)passed
Table the class-4-road-vs-trail designation discussion (Sucker Pond Road / TR 301 connector) to the next meeting and put it on the agenda Mike Denault (Speaker 6)seconded: Nancy L. Bushika (Chair)tabled
Approve the tax bill insert as reviewed (including VT Alert sign-up paragraph) Nancy L. Bushika (Chair)passed
File a permit application for the new town sign Speaker 18seconded: Speaker 56passed
Recess to executive session to discuss a possible contract Mike Denault (Speaker 6)passed
Other decisions
| Hazard Mitigation Plan / BCRC agreement | Plan adopted in final form and signed; it goes to FEMA for approval letter. Plan will carry municipal and FEMA adoption dates, be posted on BCRC's website, and keeps Stamford's reduced ERAP (Emergency Relief Assistance Program) rate; next plan cycle starts in about 2.5 years when Vermont Emergency Management reaches out. BCRC's work was fully grant-funded (no match). |
| Fire truck loan | No commitment made. Board asked for the dealer's terms to be re-quoted at 5 years / 60 months (towns cannot go out 6 years without a bond, which the town has never done), with first payment on January 1, so savings can serve as the down payment; Bill Brown to bring it back at the next meeting for signature. |
| Brown Brook Road (class 4) gravel request | No money left in the summer road maintenance budget. Agreement that Dave will grade the road (at least the hill/wheelsack section) to see what it looks like, and the road priority discussion will happen at budget time (about 2 months away). |
| Recycling center | Item 4 (refrigerators/freezers/air conditioners/dehumidifiers) deferred until the next meeting to confirm what can still be hauled (Mike is out of town). Language added that household/disposable batteries must have the positive end taped with black electrical tape. Board declined a suggestion to sell tickets at the recycling center, per the auditor's recommendation to limit cash handling. |
| Town sign funds | Donations toward the $850 sign-and-installation quote to be handled through Laurie (clerk), stopping at $850. |
| Audit report | Report circulated for review at the board's leisure and signed off on. Laurie to document why journal entries are made and include them in the bank statement reconciliation report for board review. Auditor's recommendation to merge library and town funds was discussed — both banks advised keeping operating and savings funds separate; the library uses a debit card and banks recommended a credit card instead. Auditor also noted the town lacks a documented fraud policy / internal control documentation. |
| Excess weight permit — Beacon Sales Acquisition (Jasper, Indiana) | Uniform municipal excess weight permit discussed; $10 fee (state-level fee, town cannot raise it); stipulation that the load may not go over the road when muddy and the road is posted. |
| CDL random drug testing | Testing of the town's two CDL drivers now requires driving to Bennington Hospital because the mobile unit is short-staffed; board agreed to push back by telling VLCT (the insurance pool) the schedule is not feasible for a two-person crew and asking that the nearest employers be tested instead, with the option of setting up an authorization at a closer facility (e.g., North Adams). |
Who owes what (13)
| Action | Owner | By when | Note | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade Brown Brook Road (at least the hill/wheelsack section) and report how it looks; revisit road priorities at budget time | Dave (Speaker 15, road supervisor) | — | No remaining summer graveling budget; discussed alongside Risky Ranch and other class-4 priorities. | open no date in the minutes |
| Get a 5-year (60-month) loan quote at the same terms with first payment January 1, and bring the fire truck loan back at the next meeting for signature | Bill Brown (Speaker 8) with Laurie (Speaker 2) | next meeting | Town cannot finance beyond 5 years without a bond. | open no date in the minutes ¶ ¶41 |
| Get a written quote from Stevens Roofing (~$38,000 screw-down metal) and ask Vermont Roofing for a price without insulation for the garage roof | Dave (Speaker 15) | — | Insulated quote was $82,415 (Vermont Roofing, 3 in. insulation); energy audit completed; no funding for the larger work yet. | open no date in the minutes ¶ ¶596 |
| Follow up on the tree-cutting price and completion on the lane (contractor was to return) | Dave (Speaker 15) | — | Contractor is busy and had to prioritize dry-weather jobs. | open no date in the minutes |
| Give the board a report after the Vermont Emergency Preparedness Conference (Lake Morey, Sept 9-11, 2 days) | Bob (Speaker 49, emergency management director) | September 2024 | Conference and meals are free; hotel and dinner arranged; training funds exist in the budget. | open no date in the minutes |
| Put the tax bill insert / VT Alert sign-up information on the town website | Laurie (Speaker 2) | — | open no date in the minutes | |
| Document the reason for each journal entry and include the journal entries with the bank statement reconciliation report for board review | Laurie (Speaker 2) | — | Per audit recommendations. | open no date in the minutes |
| Confirm whether refrigerators/freezers/air conditioners/dehumidifiers can still be hauled (Reach Bros.) and then decide on recycling item 4 | Mike Denault (Speaker 6) | next meeting | Mike is out of town on vacation; rules on appliance pickup change frequently. | open no date in the minutes |
| Handle town sign donations through the clerk, stopping at $850 | Laurie (Speaker 2) | — | open no date in the minutes | |
| Let VLCT / the insurance pool know the Bennington CDL testing schedule is not feasible for the town's two-person crew; request closer testing or an authorization | Board, via Laurie (Speaker 2) | — | open no date in the minutes | |
| Track the 2019 Freightliner transmission repair (at the dealer; automatic transmission slipping) | Dave (Speaker 15) | — | Dealer has one of two suspected issues identified; awaiting their answer. | open no date in the minutes |
| Prepare the trail wording / letter of support (town right-of-way language satisfying the National Forest plan) for board review before the tabled item is decided | ATV club / BCRC representatives (Speaker 29 et al.) | before next meeting | Tabled item to appear on the next meeting's agenda; no further site review needed. | open no date in the minutes |
| Follow up on the remaining delinquent dog license notices (a handful, about 6 left); next step is tickets | Luke (sheriff's office), per Laurie's report | — | Luke was ill and absent; he has already sent the next set of notices; last year he issued the tickets himself. | open no date in the minutes |
scripts/action_status.py --done "a phrase".Money (8)
| 2024 town tax rate set¶ ¶337 | Town rate .2084 (last year .3731); highway rate .3733 (last year .5751); homestead/non-homestead rates set by the state. Town fund balance $142,945 (25% usable = $35,700); town to raise $352,648; highway to raise $631,922; total $984,570. Grand list $1,692,584 after this year's reappraisal (last year $994,000). Tax warrant signed to authorize collection. | — |
| Fire truck purchase loan | Loan amount discussed around $270,000 (figures garbled: also 207,000 / 278,000 mentioned); roughly $4,500 credit received for early chassis payment; about $50,000 expected into the replacement fund in March; savings to be combined as down payment; monthly P&I quoted around 45/51.17 (garbled). Awaiting 5-year re-quote. | — |
| Boggs culvert project (hazard mitigation program, with Dara and Lori) | Fully funded grant being pursued; described as about a $600,000 job. | $600,000 |
| East Road paving grant | Grant received for paving East Road (mentioned in road conditions report). | — |
| Hazard Mitigation Plan (BCRC) | Completed with a full grant; no match required by the town. | — |
| New town sign (quote)¶ ¶518 | Sign plus installation; donations capped at the quote amount. | $850 |
| Excess weight permit — Beacon Sales Acquisition¶ ¶498 | State fee; the town does not keep the full amount (pound's share / state). Fee could not be raised by the town. | $10 |
| Garage roof quotes | Vermont Roofing: $82,415 for new roof with 3 in. insulation (in writing); Stevens Roofing (Woodford): about $38,000 screw-down metal roof (verbal/text — written quote requested). Possible ARPA money discussed for the non-insulated option. | $82,415 / ~$38,000 |
Public comment (3)
| Dara Zink (Speaker 3, Bennington County Regional Commission) | Presentation of the completed, VEM-approved Hazard Mitigation Plan; explained FEMA approval step, 5-year term, ERAP rate benefit, and that BCRC will start the next update in about 2.5 years |
| Bill Brown (Speaker 8) | Fire truck financing: dealer loan terms, down payment/savings, roughly $4,500 credit for early chassis payment, and why a 5-year (not 6-year) term is needed because towns cannot go beyond 5 years without a bond |
| Carol (Speaker 13) | Asked for gravel on Brown Brook Road (class 4) so it does not deteriorate; pressed the town to preserve the road; also noted the gravel yard is right there |
Follow-ups named in the minutes
- Fire truck loan: 5-year quote at the next meeting; sign then (first payment to start January 1).
- Tabled item on the next agenda: class-4 road vs trail designation for the Sucker Pond Road / TR 301 connector, with the proposed wording/letter of support for review.
- Recycling item 4 (appliances) at the next meeting once hauling options are confirmed.
- Road priorities and budget conversation at budget time (about 2 months out); Dave offered a board tour of the town's roads and grant opportunities.
- 2019 Freightliner transmission: awaiting dealer diagnosis.
- Tree crew to return to finish the lane cleanup (was scheduled to come back the next day).
- Bob to report back from the Vermont Emergency Preparedness Conference in September.
- Hazard Mitigation Plan: add municipal and FEMA adoption dates, post on BCRC website; next plan cycle begins in about 2.5 years.
- Consider the fund-account structure (auditor vs banks) and credit-card/fuel discount programs for town accounts.
- School district billing: Laurie to keep requesting supporting documents for town bills.
- Dog licenses: next set of notices sent; tickets to follow.
- CDL testing: communication to VLCT about the Bennington Hospital schedule.
What the extraction was unsure about
- Transcript is auto-generated (faster-whisper + diarization); many turns are labeled 'Speaker N'. Identities are attributed only where the transcript itself ties a name to a speaker: Chair = Nancy L. Bushika; Speaker 6 = Mike (chair addresses 'Mike' about making a motion) = Michael G. Denault; Speaker 2 = Laurie (town clerk); Speaker 15 = Dave (road supervisor, 'Dave Tatro' in transcript); Speaker 1 = John (chair addresses 'John'); Speaker 8 = Bill Brown; Speaker 3 = Dara Zink (BCRC); Speaker 13 = Carol; Speaker 49 = Bob (emergency management director). 'Speaker 18' and 'Speaker 56' are not identified in the transcript.
- No vote counts are stated anywhere in the transcript; all approvals are 'all in favor', so all 'vote' fields are null.
- The Hazard Mitigation Plan adoption has no formal motion/second/vote in the record; the resolution and BCRC agreement were signed during the meeting, which is treated as adoption without a recorded vote.
- Fire truck loan figures are garbled in the transcription (monthly P&I, loan amount, chassis credit); values are reported as approximate with the garbling noted.
- Town sign color is inconsistent in the transcript: 'cedar sign and then black lettering' vs the recollection 'green with yellow' — no color was formally voted on.
- The front matter has no 'part' field, so part is null, but the transcript ends as the board enters executive session, suggesting a possible continuation not present in this file.
- The 'second' for the executive session motion is recorded but not attributable to any speaker.
- Whether the Beacon Sales excess weight permit was formally approved is not explicitly stated; it is listed under other_decisions with that caveat rather than as a motion.
- Source file actual location is transcripts/2024/2024-08-15_selectboard.md (the task's nominal path 2024/... does not exist in the repo).
Transcript
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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Speaker 4: Is that tonight?
Speaker 5: Yes.
Speaker 4: Just five years.
Speaker 6: So, I don't know.
Speaker 5: Excellent.
Speaker 8: current auto loan rate so did we already pay out the 232 that we've been saving we paid out 107
Speaker 9: off a better interest rate I'm sure they'll negotiate back for sure in five
Speaker 8: October 1st we probably will not
Speaker 8: about it's more than forty-five hundred yes okay so right now we don't we've got
Speaker 9: years but that was the point of getting you know I don't see you know if we go
Speaker 10: percent for auto six percent yeah I mean they're asking them to commit for 72
Speaker 11: months yeah and that it'll be 60 months so yeah if you come back to us next
Speaker 8: fund how long payments and whatever we know that we need 270,000 and we know
Speaker 10: there'll be another 50,000 this is this is after the money down payment we're going to need this right the two hundred and seven which we already saw we knew
Speaker 13: uh is this the is this the class four section
Speaker 15: yeah I mean I'm not I'm just trying to be fair yeah you know there's a lot of work that could be
Speaker 15: four roads it's it rocks i mean i've been on risky ranch road for 20 years
Speaker 16: we need to have a huge conversation just about roads this is uh accessibility just you know i
Speaker 16: we can't have it both ways it depends it depends what you're shooting for too right so if you're
Speaker 18: to have a balance of how much you develop i remember that we had someone say that it'd be
Speaker 19: what the town wanted to do um yeah so dave do you think if you regraded it and see what it looks like
Speaker 21: up and there was a gate on the top that's on our way that's not on the town road so can you keep
Speaker 22: our private road up park with gravel how far up i just refreshed my memory just class
Speaker 23: class three stops at john bulls sandbag right there at the entrance of this right john because
Speaker 24: already there so development everyone always says development more tax-based but that's
Speaker 25: let the roads get that far i don't think it's that far i think if i went up there and graded just the
Speaker 26: let's see what happens if you grab i spend time in that one little spot instead of you
Speaker 15: to put in you know i i'm sorry go ahead you know i actually had a conversation with a town resident
Speaker 23: Discussion at budget time and how much we're gonna be putting in the budget the thing you need to consider is and I guess why I'm
Speaker 27: It's gonna look exactly the same way, but you do agree that you're not gonna let it go through the point of roads washed out
Speaker 15: But you did ask. The ball's in their court. Yeah, I asked them if he's supposed to get a price
Speaker 23: I think we did.
Speaker 26: Yeah, I think we talked about that.
Speaker 29: If you want to go back to the class 4.
Speaker 29: That's what somebody told me.
Speaker 30: There isn't.
Speaker 31: There isn't.
Speaker 30: Well, residents...
Speaker 32: There is at the intersections.
Speaker 33: No, legally you can...
Speaker 34: It's it's a river. It's a very bad. Well. You have to put so much money there is no maintain talk about
Speaker 35: Right.
Speaker 24: If they could come in and say, you know, that has to be part of the class four standards.
Speaker 36: Twelve.
Speaker 30: It's still one of the standards. Yeah.
Speaker 30: Right.
Speaker 33: Is that what John asked?
Speaker 37: Correct.
Speaker 37: No, we're not doing all that.
Speaker 37: Gotcha.
Speaker 34: That would be some kind of maintenance.
Speaker 23: I don't know.
Speaker 38: prove me wrong and that's what I haven't heard a yet I would like to say if we do
Speaker 39: changing without having it on the agenda that we're going to what it is a motion
Speaker 39: Everything let's go ahead and make the motion with the other board
Speaker 40: No
Speaker 34: It would right that's me. I'm gonna take this all over again. So you right now the trail for the word, right?
Speaker 41: The first for me this crawling and can I read you exactly what they want in the national forest plan?
Speaker 42: with them right there trail there our trails are our
Speaker 30: Lava
Speaker 21: They use it as a land
Speaker 43: Anything off
Speaker 44: How did that happen?
Speaker 21: Right
Speaker 42: That's kind of what we've got
Speaker 39: Are accessible
Speaker 45: I couldn't find
Speaker 38: Satisfy both parties
Speaker 27: I'm going to say On your road conditions
Speaker 23: Is looking neater
Speaker 39: So if you want
Speaker 23: That was just my concern
Speaker 46: I can run over there
Speaker 25: And make sure they know
Speaker 23: It is very bad
Speaker 47: Sorry to make you wait
Speaker 48: I just wanted to let the board know That I've registered to Take the Conference Vermont Emergency Preparedness Conference In September for two days So I'll be going out to Lake Morgue To learn more about emergency management Try and network a little bit up there Try and do this job better I just figured I'd let you guys know That's what I've registered to do I'll be up there September 9th Or 10th or 11th
Speaker 48: Okay I'll give you guys a report Check with Lori
Speaker 48: The The Conference is free Breakfast and lunch is free I've got a hotel room overnight Because I'm not going to travel back and forth The morning of the 1st I'll come back the 2nd And then dinner We'll figure it out I just want to let you guys know That I'm going to do this And try to Learn the job And network with the people Dealing with all kinds of problems In the middle of the state I think I'll learn a lot from that Awesome Other than that I've got nothing
Speaker 39: Aye
Speaker 49: But neither does the
Speaker 38: Until following year right
Speaker 38: Do the same math
Speaker 39: They got no math
Speaker 38: It's not funny
Speaker 38: I just want to say that my tax bill
Speaker 50: It's always good to have a second set
Speaker 51: Yeah
Speaker 48: Turn around and come back
Speaker 32: Has she ever given you a key
Speaker 38: evaluate okay um i'll set with that morning delinquent dog update any word from luke or how
Speaker 52: so we should technically ask for days right away different than a town setback yeah i mean when
Speaker 53: we're not personal property permanent structure because that would have to be some examples
Speaker 34: thrown back in the yard vegetables or firewood on the side don't put your foot but you're you're
Speaker 35: structure you know 50 feet okay 50 feet from the center of the road to build they should be
Speaker 38: i just wanted to make sure we had the same footage you know what i mean this says that 25
Speaker 54: ever but i've got to figure it out go ahead and tell them i mean on easter egg you're going to get
Speaker 48: yeah before you put that over to the rest can we put a paragraph in there about the vt alert and ask the residents to sign up the vt alert it's on there is one right at the top i haven't seen that so that's great thank you i think it's on the back of the
Speaker 55: everything's online now yeah i think laurie's going to put it on the website right i can put
Speaker 56: i know because you don't go so this is just it's a little bit early because
Speaker 39: out about the uh air conditioners no he's out of town he's on like this long vacation
Speaker 39: conditioner dehumidifier i mean right now when we take them we're not we're losing money on
Speaker 23: most accurate info on something we don't take it we wanted to give them an option where to go and
Speaker 39: you were going to find out right and if they take it i would say just approve this and then
Speaker 32: dollars i just don't see that happening so maybe air commissioner isn't there a guy that you can
Speaker 39: I guess they save it for you.
Speaker 13: keep up with them? Yeah, pretty much
Speaker 15: We don't accept them.
Speaker 30: Anybody that's recycling or small batteries,
Speaker 13: So, we should change that sentence that batteries,
Speaker 34: Yeah. Because the state gives them money to bring back to everything.
Speaker 55: This was this thing you're talking about.
Speaker 55: The freighter you're going to take home.
Speaker 33: I've read some of those.
Speaker 34: They have to come down here and buy it.
Speaker 34: When they go all to the casino,
Speaker 32: Is that what I'm supposed to do?
Speaker 57: Yeah.
Speaker 50: OK.
Speaker 50: Who's Beacon Sales?
Speaker 56: Take their money.
Speaker 58: Yeah.
Speaker 55: Yeah, I'll second it.
Speaker 55: You were here last time.
Speaker 59: Green with yellow.
Speaker 50: Do you guys want to just look at the audit at your leisure, or do you want to just look
Speaker 33: I briefed her.
Speaker 60: all the money is there where what's the difference if we have two accounts with one account the money
Speaker 56: i mean it's a recommendation right that's right it's a recommendation and that's what i think we
Speaker 60: to run the town i mean if it takes you more time than it's worth it's not worth it either
Speaker 61: about this did they think it was a good idea but they're okay with it um they use a debit card
Speaker 23: have to yeah sometimes I end up in my pocket and you know I don't do laundry so they're gone and yeah so what else do we have I guess on the banks just see how it works out yeah I think if you see that you can do things you don't have to jump at it right away
Speaker 56: right okay what else do you have on the audit lori um that's that's how i know
Speaker 56: maybe it'll get better they said i want you back with no supporting documents and i asked for it
Speaker 33: roof we said we could use that we wanted to so you see to figure out if you want
Speaker 62: a insulated roof or an insulator yeah I think that at this point we could go
Speaker 63: it doesn't work it's better than it used to be but not you know this doesn't work
Speaker 24: Just out of curiosity, how close is the building to the river?
Speaker 26: So...
Speaker 15: I like the way John said it.
Speaker 63: Our insurance.
Speaker 15: If they don't have time to come down and test you, they don't have time to come down and shut you down either.
Speaker 39: Yeah.
Transcribed 2026-09-04 (faster-whisper large-v3, CUDA; names corrected per data/name_fixes.json). Names corrected against the minutes. Diarization is automated and over-splits one person into several labels. Raw model output with timestamps: SRT.