 Good evening, I like to call the Monday, February 19th, 2024 regularly scheduled Berlin select board meeting to order With us tonight to my left is flow Smith stop to my right is Tor Nelson acting town administrator and Carla Neweasel. I'm Brad town and Editions are changing the agenda We have a couple like to add the first peek at the traffic vehicle ordinance update for Dodge Farm Road Also under executive session. I'd like to add a item under personnel and Then we can scratch meeting approving approval of minutes Took us out of here Any public comment? Here in Right away request the fighting Street Yeah, we have mr. Goddard online with us who is the petitioner and if he's able I'll let him jump in and Brief us on the project he's got Yeah, sure. This is stuff Goddard with Crabson Lansing Good evening so we're submitting a curb-cut application for a Solar project that has already been through the 248 Prima process it has its certificate of public good and it has a construction storm water permit as well and The project's access goes over an existing Road an existing access road from Bind Street That we're looking to formalize the entry you can that You have the packet there and you can see the pictures of the existing access. It's already a pretty substantial Access road That's there now Overgrown over the years So your the solar project all approved by the state, right? Correct And what are you looking at beginning construction don't have exact dates when they'll be in there, but it's looking like likely may Would be when they'd be looking to start That would Be when they would start with the first things they would do would be to start driving post So don't think they would have tractor trailer deliveries until it'd be the end of May early June Any comments Tim? No, you know I mean it's an existing access point. It's been a road there for a long time. We've used it to Bring waste material out there It's definitely a lot easier for them to access that than midway fires, I'm For that access point as far as I am it's all flat through there. So there's not much Greening anything else. We're just one sewer man will cover right there But I don't think they're going to be it's on the uphill side of that, so I don't think anything that they're going to Get into Bit to Craig and he didn't he didn't respond back if there were any issues with it And they indicated they have the Vermont construction stormwater permit as well Any other questions for? Oh, so they're still outstanding question on the you know the deposit or the bond I'll just recommend approval this pending receipt of that Or that deposit you got a motion. Oh, we'll make that a motion second Any other discussion? All those in favor? Motion carries Good luck with your building Thank you. Have a good evening. Thank you, Mr. Goddard Okay, Crosstown Road mud season That time of year seems far away So far away, but we get one every other week So yeah, it's just I Talked with tour You know last week I think it was about it and everything else and just I'm gonna give you guys heads up and Looking for it. I Try to give a week's notice Of when we're gonna do it let it go as long as it can go and we'll get it Open as soon as we can It's been the problem child all winter How is it holding up so far? It turns it's yellow pretty quick from about just before Gary Richardson's all the way over to just past the white fence has been Every time it's worn blot that thing if you get more than two days above 40 You start getting six eight inch ruts pretty quick How the other road told about the other ones have been really good. We have not had Hardly any problems the front side of the pond has been the other one Just at the end of like kind of where it run along the interstate This is a kind of just back into the woods That's been really the only other problem. That's You know deep, you know, we're getting Potholes because of all the warm-up in the rain and then it the biggest problem is that the temperatures are dropping so fast on the Backside that everything's freezing back up before we can get to them and then it's hard to put gravel on frozen and then two days later we get to snow and Half pound it back off and that's not a very feasible thing, but Everything else seems to be holding up just fine. I mean we minimum gravel that we've hauled to fix and routes we've done more pothole trying to fix the potholes than and fixing rats So you're looking you're looking to have you just giving us notice so that the two of you can maybe talk and make that call It's my understanding that previously you have given Tim I was at the blanket or the ongoing authority to close last year. We had discussed about instead of having to come Every year to a meeting and make it an agenda item that we would just kind of being a town administrator would talk prior month prior to try to get it in everybody's head and then If everybody's good with it we can go from here to every year because we'll give about a month's notice that it might be coming and then When it gets time to doing it We'll try to give a week's notice and then we'll so they can get it out on the pages and Let people know that it's coming. So yeah, you have a signage for at the corner, right? We have four signs We put one out here On the end of Crossdown itself with Scott Hill and pain turnpike north. Yeah, and we put one at the end of the dirt Just as you turn Hill Street extension And then we put one over Riverton by the old Have it published on front page forum and have you ever tried Putting up signs and not necessarily barricading it. Well, they either drag the barricade though No, I'm just saying don't bear no, but they're to the point now where they'll drag the barricade We've had people drag the blocks out of the way But if you just put we did they've done it this year again already on Raul Hill We tried to do what we used to do gravel and then That got moved or drove over people with bigger trucks for driving over the gravel piles or get moved and then We've had people drag the blocks out of the way with bigger trucks I Got one block that's halfway down Raul Hill from the top side from somebody this winter went up from the bottom and Drag the block out of the way and then get to the top and get stuck And then drag the block down out of the way they'll find a way to To make it and the worst part about it is if you Put a pole up they am 80 to 95 percent of the traffic is not Resident traffic, so right And I'm not saying really when you get ready to close the road needs to be closed But leading up to that if signage was if just the signage was up It might like it might deter some people because you're looking at that road during the work week is a thousand cars It's more of it. It's more like well hundred now. Yeah, the last time the last study was over 1500 Okay, and that's that's more than the town residents going up and down the road So I was just thinking you know leading up to the actual closure if you can minimize some of the traffic if it would Hope at all. Yeah You know you can try it But I got the feeling is one once somebody figures it out that the signs are just there and it's not closed They're just gonna go to but you must have to leave it open for the rest of it must have to be a way to get in so We close it at the top of the hill over on the fireside at just after Resident three thousand so there's no residents in between the section. It's closed. It's just the hill Where it's always been done. It's because there's no houses in between Everybody would have to go around But like last year If we got to it late in a bunch of residents from over on that far end where it gets so bad They had sent a bunch of emails due to the fact that wasn't closed yet that the cars were beating it up and that there's Let's say a fair amount of elderly people that live on that end that own smaller Vehicles that couldn't get out And then it's hard for us to go that far out and fix it without causing damage to the other Mile I'm happy to get out And then we've had a few residents that weren't Happy about it because if we got to fix it we got to have material and then it raises the road and lowers their driveway and their driveways are becoming Drop-offs into their driveway because we're adding material to fix the mud So we're raising the road every time you have material you're raising the road and the driveways are yeah Well, you can you say fix the mud the mud's there Yeah, so unless we remove it we don't try it out right and when we did that when we did that project over on the other side of the hill three years ago like I Know why you know, I mean we dug five feet down and it's nothing but clay and silk Entire way once you get below the eight inches gravel. It's there you can see them where the Clay moves and the gravel goes down and the clay goes on top of it It's not very good material on that Subbates over there, and then it just turns in that driving on water bed My back road rehabilitation program. We should all be thinking about Options tax Yeah, I mean We spent we spent over 30,000 on that section over there To give you the Idea I mean we've dug it down five feet. We put in a bunch of crushed stone Matt Almost 500 feet of drainage pipe in that hundred and fifty feet and then Matt Stone Three and a half dense grade Some inch and a half and then eight inches or better roughly of the top coat and The drainage pipe does run in constant water right now We've been watching it this year this year has been the first year since we did it that it's run water year-round but we've got an abnormal Winners our moisture goes Anything else on cross-town Just but to her know when you're getting ready to We're so before thank you. Okay, Tim. Thank you April 8th eclipse planning road closures So apparently there's this eclipse coming on April 8th My thoughts are it's gonna be cloudy that day with 18 inches of snow But there has been some statewide planning going on this this for a while They're concerned about the influx of visitors to Vermont for that weekend, you know coming from Boston and anywhere else and previous eclipse I was looking at one from 2017 in Colorado. They had a lot of Traffic congestion issues and stuff of people, you know going through the state roads And interstate road conditions they will be updated using the 511 system Any issues on town roads will be using the ways WAZ E app and our local social media Pages the state Immersion Operations Center will be activated. They hope primarily as a training Session, but they will be activated in case Things do happen the town. We are not anticipating opening our EOC for this, but we will be monitoring 100 Eclipse glasses have been ordered from the state But they did receive more orders than they had glasses for so I anticipate it may be cut back to 50 That we can handle it to the public and hopefully we'll receive them before town meeting day so we can distribute them there And as you can see on the map on the back is the map Berlin is on the Extreme far far southern extent of the total Eclipse area. So the better viewing will be to the north But you know, there will be a lot of traffic passing through especially on the interstate And you know, so there's gonna be visitors from Out of town and out of state coming through They will probably triple in over the weekend since it is a Eclipse is on a Monday that probably start coming up Friday and Saturday spending a long weekend here But once it's over, they'll probably all head back at once is kind of kind of the concerned and wanting to get back home As could be as they possible. So it's possible. There might be some bottlenecks Upstreamed from Berlin that'll you know backfill into Berlin itself Especially people trying to get off the interstates trying to get trying to get gas or food or anything like that Because I expect heavy-demand at gas stations and restaurants I'm not aware of any organized viewing events in Berlin yet, but Many towns and the better viewing areas are putting together and hosting events The biggest concern is local roads if out of town people get off the beaten path and get on to our dirt roads and stuff and not knowing How much season is going to be progressing at that point in time? Are we going to have an issue with people getting stuck? I think the good thing is that we don't have a lot of good viewing areas on our on our dirt roads You know because there's limited visibility around That doesn't mean somebody's gonna take a wrong turn Get thinking they can find something get lost and get stuck. So that's really the big thing I think we want to to consider and we don't have to make this decision tonight. We got, you know, you know five weeks before this but You know do do we want to consider about posting any signs or closing any roads knowing as we said about signs they get Ignored anyway, so just something to think about what you know, we there are bi-weekly Conference calls pending conference calls with the state so we'll see as more Comes up as we get closer to the event So you asked about signs and closing roads Sometimes we're considering doing that on the class for roads and do we have the signs to close the roads? Okay Doesn't mean we can't get on but I can't yeah And if you could keep them after the event, I think they would be useful for other let's say weather events Okay, I Think people are just gonna do what they do Apparently You're gonna you're gonna have people who will probably come up through and make it a long weekend But I think what you're gonna also find are the ones that Those those last-minute travelers Well, that's I'm that's gonna get confused cuz they're not gonna have done any planning. So they're you know, they're not gonna have Food or water anything with them. And if there is something, you know, that shuts down the initiative So very black box up the interstate. Yeah, they're not gonna do the I know looking at the comfort end. They're already booked out for that weekend I'm already full and then even that Tuesday night ruins are going for that's I saw were four hundred dollars a room I'm like just these we've got our options tax on that but wow Little that point but so you'd be seeing more on this as it comes on and just start, you know thinking about it Thanks for bringing it to our attention And you know what what time of the day this is going to be at After noonish to between two and three o'clock I think Yeah Nurse concern about schools getting out at that time Some schools are letting out early. I've not seen anything on the 32 district yet And for us it's gonna last two minutes The Blackout yeah, but the snowstorms can only have so long Okay Anything else on the eclipse You know listen, what does it mean? It's just excuse me Okay Pain turnpike north flood repair grant so we did receive some grant paperwork from the state Even though Federal highway administration is actually funding this they worked through the state of Vermont to to get the funding to us they did provide the grant agreement on this the Total amount that they anticipate for this project is one point one million dollars of which they will cover one million thirty three dollars and leaves us with local match of a hundred twenty seven thousand five hundred which is typical that there is a local match on these So I'm just Signing the grant agreement Here motion to authorize the administrator I make the motion to authorize the Administrator to sign the grant agreement as presented to us this evening second For the discussion, this is just for paint turnpike north just just paint turnpike and Richardson Road is that gonna be another project that we might see that is a FEMA project, okay? That is currently in design right. Thank you No, no Okay, any other discussion all those in favor motion carries Listers certificate no appealed or suits pending So this is a document the listers provide each year And I sent a copy out in your packet Covered letter From the listers each in February the tax department requires us to confirm that we have no appeals or suits pending for the current tax year I've touched the form for your signatures this document be filed with the brain list in the town clerk's office. So I Move that the select board sign the certificate of no appeal or suits Any discussion on this Hearing none All those in favor Motion carries It's the Vermont merchant agent flood buyout agreements. So there are actually four Documents in your packet Sorry And this is dealing with the two properties 1026 Junction Road and 5010 the Mount Rocks 12 The first document is a FEMA model Statement of insurances for property acquisition projects Then there are two maintenance agreements one for each of the project locations And go Ashley is a memorandum of understanding member at Memorandum of agreement expedited buyout program from the state and basically this What the state would do what our responsibilities are primarily as far as Demolishing any buildings on there and not allowing any other buildings in the future to be allowed on there So I Ask for authority to sign all four of these documents Your motion I make the motion to allow our town administrator to sign off on the VDM flood buyout agreement That's presented to us this evening second Any further discussion Where's the one on 12? Is that I'm sorry gotcha and the other is mr. Fair Mr. Fair Okay, any other questions all those in favor hi Those pose motion carry and just to a project so before this does not Commit us to the project Or commit the Property owners to the project they can pull out at any time prior to the actual closing itself I think that was discussed anyway with the property on Yeah, okay Polymorphic credit card processor discussion so polymorphic is the company we use for the online Credit card processing Get your birth certificates and death certificates and do your dog licenses All the things like that online The office staff isn't really happy with it It seems to me to be a very powerful program But with that power comes complexities that there are other alternatives out there that are a lot easier So I mean, I I don't really know what polymorphic is I've never used it was done before You know between the time I was on the select board. I mean, I see a lot of notes in here about Future integrations and stuff a minute. I mean, it's almost like a CRM customer relationship management Database that you know when you call them the Comcast, you know, they they know who you are and all You know what channels you have. Oh, you know the last time you paid your bill Your service history, you know, it's kind of like that. It's it's You know your customer service type database and and I'm I see things in here for the process for adopting roads And and and things I might see we even have thirty eight thousand dollars reserved in ARPA for additional polymorphic Utilization Which really just seems a lot So the Tom Flurks office has been looking around at other processors, and I'm not looking to make a decision tonight. I'm just I'm gonna let you know that this issue is coming up and and there might be something in the future But one of the ones they looked at is called hey gov Where you can do the credit cards right along the credit cards Readers in the office you can swipe and tap It looks to be a little bit lower Maintenance fee interchange fee You know they get charged back to the users, so I think it's worth pursuing Looking at what the other options are out there, you know, that might mean taking a step back from where we are now But if we're not using what we've got then why keep it around I know you're supposed to be able to do like zoning applications on there and Tom says that's never worked And you know it's easy for him just to email the zoning application and try to do it through the website things like that So I think it's time to To look at what other options we have out there. I think when we pick them up we They were like the soul soul bitter On that program But I can't remember what program we were using at the time, but I think it was And you might have something to do with never it and it wasn't working Okay, and of course because of the way the credit cards work and the way the budget works You can't you can't absorb the 3% right and so polymorphic was the one that came in That's why we picked them up but I Have no no problems dropping them too. Okay If the board feels it's not if it's not the best interest of the town We definitely need it functioning properly for the staff Right and the other question is how responsibly they've been to any complaints By morphic or yeah, I but I don't know I've not dealt with them at all Could it could it be a training issue as far as or is it just Ease of use that it's not there. I think some of it is ease of use as far as the capabilities Because apparently Rachel can't see what Chelsea is doing if You know something comes in and it gets assigned to Chelsea, but you know Chelsea leaves that has gone that day or whatever Rachel can't go on and pick up where it was left off type of thing That's one of the complaints I hear from This hey gov is Compatible with Nemerick they were familiar with Nemerick was which I thought was a Step right there. They are out of Wisconsin. I may have upset them today because I did Tell them that from I had the better cheddar, so I may have shot that in the Okay, so I'm gonna be coming down Okay, how has the how has it worked for actually processing the credit card? Polymorphic, yeah, I'd have to ask how Okay, anything else on polymorphic no if not impact fees discussion So it kind of mentioned this once before That is an option available for us and here again. I'm not looking to make a decision on this tonight But it is an additional source of funding especially when it comes to New development in the town One of the concerns I have and you know from my short term on the development review board is One of the criteria they look at is Impact on traffic of a specific project But they don't look up take a look at you know higher view. Well, you know, let's take them off For instance, you know, we've got them all We've got just not place We've got Fox run, which has been through the DRV process. We've got Starbucks, which has been through the DRV process We've got a couple more projects possibly coming in and we look at the impact of each project But we don't ever take a look at all the projects combined You know and and they look at traffic counts and peak hour trips and all this stuff, but When you add all this together, you know each individual project may be fine But you add all these projects together. Are you now looking at a you know backlog trying to get out of this intersection or onto the intersection and stuff and You know, that's something to preserve the town's Interests and In these projects, I know also the fire department is very interested in impacts of all these projects as well. I know Like a chief from I brought it up to the last day. I'd be hearing Impact, please. I don't know chief. If you've got anything you can add on that or No, not that he hasn't already So and I kind of get it if we're looking at individual projects and Each one of them have holds its own impact and the overall is it's greater So you can almost say the last one to the table is going to be a larger impact Which I don't think would be necessarily fair You know if what you just mentioned, you know, mall chestnut place foch run and then Starbucks Starbucks last one. It's a higher impact with more traffic coming yet coming in and out, you know, it's And I kind of get it But can you can you do an impact on an area? And is that way you were looking as a bigger picture, I believe we could do an impact on an area I Know there's also of all the other Fiat's looking a special taxing district we could do as well but but I'm not saying we need to look at a I'm just Look, I was just using the mall as an example But I'm not saying you need to that I want to limit it to just the mall But I've included in here some FAQs from Lebanon, New Hampshire I've also included in your email packet the full Report and and some of their calculations what they got calculations here, too But you know, they also look at the impact on schools Which you know, we primarily would not be be interested, but that doesn't mean the school district wouldn't be impact on recreation Police and also on the fire department. I've also included in the email packet a link for Burlington just Outline calculator you can type in the type of voting the square footage and stuff and it'll break down You know, how much to how much you would contribute to the fire department and police department and everything like that You know, I guess one question for the fire department, and I don't know that you've thought About this at all, but you know with all this development coming in or that you know proposed you know a new hotel and restaurants and Hopefully along with that a lot more housing What are your equipment needs going to be in the future? You know, not just replacing the equipment but adding Equipment adding another fire engine or rescue truck or anything like that You know, we just went through a little downsizing of the fleet Just just so we could accommodate a new piece of equipment for us the quint, which is both a pumper and an a rail So yeah, we are we're thinking of that And and I think With that new hotel could That right there is on the edge of what we can accommodate as far as the equipment needed But I'm looking at this and we see residential and non-residential a residential impact is that for a New house that's going in That's how I see it. Right. I see it as maybe maybe a new community going in You know something like dodge farm road a new community going in, you know If something ever happens it whose trail if that turns into a residential community And it was developed as that that I almost see that as you know Maybe an impact fee of some sort to the developer but this But for a single for a family to go in and say we want to build or whatever that might be That's a little bit of a deterrent, isn't it? Well, that's the that's be the downside, you know, both both the residential and the business I mean, you know, we want to make the Berlin anyway We want to make ourselves business from it But if we're saying we're going to throw this another fee on top of you that may you know deter them from coming I'm you know, I'm not Advocating one way or another for this. I mean looking at these amounts to me. That's kind of You know accessible on the bottom of the first page eight eighty five hundred for twenty six hundred square foot house I'm not and I'm not saying we have to use these rates But I'm talking about, you know, just put in your mind the concept You know, it's just something we want to pursue in the future and it's you know, it's gonna have to go through a town You know meeting vote and everything like that and I'm you know, I'm not Pushing forward. I'm not advocating for it. I'm just trying to bring to your attention Options we have available to us as a board and especially since you know Other people are starting to talk about this as well. Oh Yeah, I didn't realize it was there was a residential impact I was thinking it was just on commercial about development But maybe it can be what you want it to be and at some point the idea might be to hire a consultant to do that Kind of work for us to see what might make sense or maybe the planning commission bring somebody in and Guess more details and comes back with You know a proposal or something It is very interesting that it depends on the fee category like for example here It says school fees are assessed only on new residential development Recreation police and fire department fees are assessed to both residential and non-residential development based both sectors have Direct impact on such services Facilities very interesting and I believe that's what Burlington does as well. They don't and they don't Impose the school impact fee on commercial Development, I'm definitely interested in learning more and me too Very interesting. Okay. And the else on this tour No, no, I don't see what any other Yes, question No, but just thinking I just heard I think I heard something on news about An estimated 2.2 billion needed to update schools or something that's in the state of Vermont So just just in thinking about that something like this might Be helpful, but it's huge. Yeah And speaking of education education The bread and flow you've heard about this from the town clerk the other night But the governor signed Bill s 160 Which provided relief for the towns from the educational portion of the flooding of baiting Tax abatements we considered early this fall. So that was always concerned in excuse me in the abatement request that Even though we're bringing these abatements to the property owners It does not affect the towns of liability For the education portion of the taxes. This will this will take care of the town's portion on that So I included the full full bill in your email packet. I didn't print it out tonight But I just wanted to bring it to your attention that for once we get some good news. It was very good news Anything else on education? See here USDA natural resource conservation service emergency Emergency water watershed protection program So we do have three projects that have been approved by the NRCS Currently soliciting engineers To do design work on these projects and so hopefully at our next meeting We are able to come With some quote, you know proposals that we can act on so no action on this tonight, okay No other questions on that CLA COD Results from the state so I just had good news now. I got bad news Each year we received from the state the equalization study results. I don't know if you've seen this letter yet or not but The state calculates our COA our common level of appraisal each year and it came in at 72.29% Which is a significant drop from previous years Under I believe it's 85 percent the state requires a reappraisal Which we were Aware that this date was coming Have I'm sorry. Yeah, I'll see all they blow 85% necessitates reappraisal So We're here now we're at that point the other Major variable is the coefficient of dispersion COD which came in at nineteen point one nine percent anything above 20% also requires the reappraisal. So we're right there with with both of these numbers. So I think we're gonna be seeing a lot more new appraisal coming up in the future Have you looked into how many companies offer reappraisal services? I have not but I'm seeing a fair number of RFPs out there on the league's website So It may be a it may be a while now I believe I saw something a bill last year still in the same banyan that the state would take take over all of these Interesting assessments and appraisals and stuff. I don't know if that's good or bad Well I've never seen them Is there a time frame then much of this has to be done I've Not aware of one, but I'm sure we'll hear from them. Yeah The trouble Carla is that I think there's only one company in the whole state that does municipal reappraisal, huh? I would imagine how long does it usually take a process Oh I think last time it was done it took it took them about three months three four months Because I mean they have to inspect every property. I was thinking to be longer. I was thinking So that seems they got down to a science. Yeah And of course, I mean they do a lot on the computer. Yeah Okay, select more pay calculations So Apparently the select board pay is based off the number of meetings attended Yeah, which was different from when I was on before it was a flat rate. Yeah, our meetings you went to or didn't go to I know you've had questions about yours. I don't know. Did you get that resolved with Cali? No, actually I did talk with Cali So this may have been on the on the agenda tonight because I did question it In the years that I've been on the board and when I first joined the board I didn't even know there was a stipend. I didn't either so so it was a big surprise But as I've been on the board the stipend has gone down Considerably for me from year to year and I asked Cali if it was because of withholding I thought that maybe she did something different this year for withholding, but It used to be in the town report and it would list our names and how much each of us receive and there is actual Like for example, you're the chair So you would automatically get the most but we did vote that it would be based on attendance And then split and divvy that way and I noticed that mine this year was considerably lower So I didn't question you got to remember you haven't got to March yet, too So those payments haven't been made But each year it's paid at the same Approximate time just based on the calendar, right? So like the first year I was on the board I think the pay was right around 900 and then each year it's gone down and Yeah, there's like a chart that they keep track of and they show each of us how many meetings we've attended And then based on that what the pay is for every select board member And this year mine was just a little over 600. So it was considerably different and Like I said, I'm not on the board for the money, but I was just wondering if it was Done correctly this year. I knew that Callie was learning so you didn't find out why no I haven't cashed my check because I just wasn't sure whether there would be a Relook she did mention that she is aware now that it's based on the meetings that you've attended and You know someone who hasn't been coming to all the meetings Obviously would get less and then it would increase on the other end and if you chair a meeting you get paid For that as well. So it sounded like she was going to take another look at it. Okay. That was the impression I had Which is fine by me, but you know the question going forward is do we want to stay? type of scale or do we want to go back to the flat Great, and I mean and I understand You know last year we had one member who was Absent quite a bit. I know previously there was a member that was absent quite a bit. That was kind of the About between this was on a select board before there was one member who's absent quite a bit and nobody else said anything about it Mm-hmm And what I said to Callie is I was just you know my my look on it is just about fairness You know and making sure that we're doing what we set out to when we made that decision to You know handle it this way and I told her I wasn't upset in any way I just wanted to make sure how it was calculating if it was just because of the withholding this year Etc. She was wonderful Another issue is do we want to raise you don't think about in the future raising the amount it's been It's been that amount for what 15 years now Oddly enough it's not up to us. Well, what do we want to push for that? I can't remember is it is it the Treasure or the I'm thinking the time clerk turn clerk You have to look at the statue But it being that we are we are considerably lower than a lot of other even the school district. Yes Something we don't get it. It's not a decision we have to make tonight. No, certainly not Proud for looking at it as performance based Well, I think that's what you tried. Well, what does that mean, Mr. Chair? Who makes that decision But I think maybe the voters Okay, anything else on the support day, no Licenses permit vouchers application I guess before we do that if we could take a look at the traffic ordinance, sir So we are on track for adopting Dodge Farm Road on April 1st And it's part of that they'll be from the town highway subject to our town ordinances, so And and since this is a you know, updating the orange is a lengthy Process getting started on it now so in the Inner packet I did print out copy of the ordinance now, but the first change I'd like to make is The heading there under section one if you notice some of the sections are numerical and some are Roman numerals. I'd like to That drives me crazy. So I'd like to make them all wrong. You know, so change section one to section I The next is This isn't this isn't numbered but one two on page three the third page It starts at the top it's with Stewart Road But about halfway down It says Partridge Road Correct that to say Partridge Farm Road, which is it's official name now Then at the bottom of page four add in I Of course, this is for speed limit. So add in for Dodge Farm Road town highway 83 Maximum speed limit of 25 miles an hour for its entire length Top next page section five would be section V And this is on stop and you would enter sections and at the top of the next page town highway 83 Which is our newly named Dodge Farm Road in a rain town have highway five Which has got a little BS stop sign there Well, I Was speed limit sign that's there and I was 25. So that's what I went with I did query some of the residents on there if they wanted to change it None of them wanted to change I thought maybe one might want to raise it to 70 or something I think ideally there would be a traffic study done which is Basically a radar Clocking of a hundred vehicles and you go with the 85th percent what 85 percent That speed is what you set it at. I know that's what state does for their their calculations in theory And sometimes you'll see them out there, you know a car, you know a state car sitting on the side of the road taking the radar Measurements and stuff and speaking of speed limits. I believe there used to be a sign coming down from crosstown toward here Right around the bridge or under the bridge or just past and that sign is not there anymore I'm not sure why and and I know that's where they put their PD will put their their Travelling speed writer car whatever whatever I think that 30 mile an hour sign is closer to Scott Hill intersection. It's on the other side of the overpass So there's there's 35 coming down the hill and then it turns to 30 just after the overpass But it's I Don't want to let go off that. No, I just was curious. Okay. No, we don't know. I know an unposted dirt road Is 40 miles an hour right and an unposted paved road is 50 So as long as we haven't posted we can we can have many things we want. What's kind of curious there? I'm curious on how Come stock It's 40. It's posted as 40. Yeah And and I kind of get it you have one resident out there But if you go out there in the summertime I'm gonna say there's a lot of people up in an industrial lane area that may go out for their daytime walks that's 40 on that back road is pretty fast and I don't know if we did 85% of whatever that car counter was doing and We counted all the the traffic that I'm gonna say is driving excessively fast It allows us to go to 40 miles an hour Where it would be really surprised it really surprises me that Crosstown is 35 because if I take 85% of the people traveling that road, it's greater than 35 Yeah, I'm just curious on come stock and why it's 40 and should it be 40 and is that for truck traffic It's just a curiosity because I know because Hill Street is 25 and Stewart roads 30 and I'm like what what's the you know Why what's the difference like why is one? Boys wondered that So the next steps is on March 1st will warn a public hearing In the newspaper and post it in three places April 15th, we will hold the public hearing and possible adoption That will start the 60-day protest period April 16th The text will be entered into the minutes and posted in five places as well as a notice Of adoption in the newspaper and then barring any appeals on June 15th The so-and-so bill, you know these this amendment will go into effect. So that's what I mean. It's a It's a lengthy process. So it's just the first step of that process Yeah, actually I do Every year I ask this and I'll see if you remember what you say every year to me Anyway So I'm just looking at the fines And we're talking about the handicap zone That's a hundred dollar fine fire lane 50 double park 25 blocking driveways, you know down through and So I see the fire hydrant is 100 I mean So in my world, why is that fire lane so less? Is that not important? I think they're all important Improper parking is is and that's $25. So is that $25 on top of everything else that you just got fined for? Or does that actually that's for something that's not covered under the other category That's the way I interpret maybe you cross the out cross the line you've parked in the middle or something I don't well you could be blocking someone's driveway and only get fined $25 but that person has a real need to get out and causes Some some I don't know life issues And that's only 25 And and so is this for public roads We can't take and do anything on a private road, okay, so um parking lots So the handicap signs up at let's say Shaw's or um the mall Anyone can actually park there and not get fined look into the state ordinance on that For the actual handicap, that's uh state. That's the uh accessibility For ADA ADA Yeah So wait a minute these aren't for parking lots Like where are you going to find fire lanes? Right other than a Or a handicap parking Besides maybe here at the town office and a few other places see we I don't believe the town has the authority to go in and enforce but It's a good question for the lawyer so no like the Stop signs and stuff we can't enforce those on private property. No. No Oh, you mean. Oh, you mean because This is curious. So you got your blocking driveways. That's something you can do. That's on the town road You're you're dealing here with private property commercial, but still private in the town's authority And I would take and get ahold of steve and ask him because it may be delegated by the state to the town Yeah and you know Because you would think that If we have yeah, we had that that we ought to be able to enforce it, but Then the other thing I'm curious Yeah, the other thing is if we can if we can enforce and take it perhaps we should take and Bring all up to a hundred dollars What's hundred dollars a day? Depends who you who you're finding Yeah But I mean I I do think that You know the handicapped zone and the fire lanes should both be comfortable But you'd have to find out from From the lawyers That's what the authority of the town is I agree. I know that my appeal is saying to cap just three hundred and six dollars Wow, which they're never going to see a penny out the phone for you Yeah, I'm curious about what the enforcement authority is that would be interesting to find out I mean not that PD isn't busy enough as it is Okay Yeah, but just that we I guess, you know, do we have issues I guess, you know, you know, do we have a parking problem? I don't know You know what you see as far as fire lanes It's you know, I don't pay much attention But I do pay attention to handicapped Spots Where I don't pay attention So sorry I am apt to see at the shopping center And down at the price chopper and whatnot. You will see Handicapped people parked in the fire lane getting in and out of the car That's different Yeah But I mean the car isn't parked there for the length of time You know two three minutes Well, if I don't work the lawyer has to say We'll take a look at it approval license permits vouchers applications I make the motion to approve payroll warrant 24 g 18 from payroll From january 28 2024 to february 10 of this year to be paid on february 14 2024 in the amount of 60 849 and 43 cents And payable warrant 24 g 19 would check number 23703 to 23741 in the amount of 180 148 dollars and 87 cents Second In discussion all those in favor Motion carries Approval minutes to it I did you find out about the Having to do a Amendment Roundtable floor no nothing. Thank you Joe Um, I'm gonna put a plug in for the prior department march 23rd saturday. They could be having a pie breakfast You will start seeing flyers and things on social media. It was a great Uh community event where you do have um a local entertainer Ray Burke and his In the sun sand And company will be there playing again this year Yeah It was well received their first time last year and I can't wait It was very well received donna thunder was singing as well last year And uh, it was well attended and I've seen the announcements on social media already in other places Yeah, I just saw it somewhere. Yeah Yeah, it's exciting Gotta go Yeah, it's happening in place. Yeah Is the fire department doing lunch at telemedia? They are doing lunch at town. I gotta get a hold of rachel. That's wonderful too. That was also excellent Roundtable car I did provide a copy of the budget status report The table I've looked at it myself. So if there's any surprises in there or not find that it's been a while since you're seeing one um The other I just kind of wanted to go over the town meeting Schedule uh Saturday march second at 10 a.m. At the school will be the Traditional pre-town meeting which is where they go over the items on the australian ballot And then the actual floor vote itself For the town meeting then on tuesday March 5th from 10 a.m. To 7 p.m. The polls are open here for the australian ballots at the town office at 7 p.m. Rachel would help like anybody Who can help count the ballots to be here? I know that's a fire department night, but everybody else is Encouraged to be here for that. I will be In pre-town meeting Uh march 2nd at 10 a.m. In town meeting Immediately following So the pre-town meeting is on town meeting day? Correct. Okay. Have we done that before? Last year. I guess I didn't attempt Well, you were on the board. No, but I still try to go Okay, anything else around the table No, I do not And do we have an executive session tonight? What do you do? We've got a biggie here, so I make the motion I move that there is a specific finding of premature general public Knowledge would clear to place the town of Berlin at a substantial disadvantage Do you expect a vote? No, that's we got to we got to act on this motion first All those in favor Motion carries. Now I move to enter into executive session to discuss the police department contract under one vsa 313 a1a And also to enter into executive session to discuss personnel under one vsa 313 a3 No action is expected on either discussion Second James all those in favor Parli whispers we are now in executive session