VILLAGE DISTRICT OF EIDELWEISS
Commissioners Meeting
October 17, 2019
The Board of Commissioners met at 9:00 am on Thursday, October 17, 2019. In attendance were Commissioners Adam Leiser, Jay Buckley and Kathy Koziell. The meeting was filmed for Madison TV. Mike Smith and Paula Doyle were here as well.
At 9:07am Commissioner Adam Leiser calls the meeting to order.
1. Agenda – No agenda
2. Highway Department Report - No report today because DPW is out clearing roads after the storm last night. Jay Buckley can’t locate the paving education PDF in office computer. All State should be able to resend it. Adam Leiser asks for spreadsheet that details paved and gravel roads. Adam Leiser asks Mike Smith if he has any knowledge of this. Mike Smith does not.
Jay Buckley met with Barry of Barry’s Tree service. Shawn Edwards is also giving a quote. Home Serve has supplied vendors as well. Jay Buckley mentions that the town of Freedom had 13 applicants for their full-town administrator position. Adam Leiser highlights that we can get part-time help but we need to go non-public before further discussing this issue. A water hookup application arrived on 8/29/2019. The driveway is there already. Nobody on the BOC is aware of where we are in the process. Jay Buckley says he’ll check the minutes and report back to us. A property owner has a purchase and sale agreement that is contingent upon water availability. Jay Buckley highlights a conversation he had with a potential buyer regarding the water hook application process. Kathy Koziell asks if we should have a policy regarding buyers/sellers coming to us and asking about water. Mike Smith suggests that every water hookup request go to the engineer. Mike Smith suggests we remain with Paul Fluet for these projects. Nobody knows the cost of the hydro-test. Adam Leiser says we need to check old minutes to see what we’ve done in the past. Adam Leiser suggests that an ordinance review occur.
Kathy Koziell motion: The BOC send the water application for 22 Interlaken to Paul Fluet for approval. Second Jay Buckley – Vote 3-0 yes
Jay Buckley motion: Contact Paul Fluet to find out cost to VDOE for water hook-up application review. This is to be done in writing. Second Adam Leiser. Vote 3-0 yes
Paula Doyle recommends that a policy review occur for water hookups. Mike Smith believes that the BOC is making something that is simple overly complicated.
Adam Leiser motion: The VDOE accepts the donation with a letter of thanks and a clarifying point that a promise for a bench or permanent green space is not possible due to a variety of reasons. Second Kathy Koziell. Vote 3-0 yes. Adam Leiser to draft letter.
3. Water – see above
4. Administration – Discussion ensues about third party electrical provider.
Adam Leiser motion: The VDOE contract with Neighborhood Energy for the 12 month contract so long as no early fee termination exists. Second Jay Buckley – Vote 3-0 yes – Jay Buckley to do it with Donna MacKinnon.
Modern pest to be reviewed next week.
Dinah Reiss asked for a copy of the Groundwater Trust application.
Dan Whitelaw plumbing will contact Ian to coordinate a shut down of the Lodge. Date tbd.
Saturday November 2nd at 9am will be the last meeting in the Lodge this year.
Kathy Koziell to check with library and town hall for future meeting locations.
Adam Leiser motion: The VDOE purchase equipment necessary using office equipment CRF money for materials to do presentations. Jay Buckley seconds. Kathy Koziell thinks we can get a cord for $30 to solve the problem. Vote 3-0 no.
Kathy Koziell to buy the cord this week.
Kathy Koziell spoke with Su Stacey who provided her with forms and procedure for CRF withdrawals. Adam Leiser asks Kathy Koziell to teach Donna MacKinnon how to do this.
Adam Leiser asks about Rhonda Rosand from work last week. Rhonda Rosand got Donna MacKinnon into quickbooks to do payroll. Donna MacKinnon learned a lot. Rhonda Rosand was in the office approximately two hours. Donna MacKinnon has been in quickbooks since that work session.
The BOC can’t get into the “mail chimp” system and therefore can’t send an email blast. The expectation is that this will be done by next week.
Kathy Koziell makes a motion: Isabel Pais get access to the mail chimp system. Adam second.
Vote 3-0 yes
Website revision isn’t critical but will be done.
5. Accounts Payable –
6. Minutes – Discussion about NHMA response to minute request. Email from NHMA is vague.
Motion Adam Leiser: Approve minutes of 10/3. Second Jay Buckley – Vote 3-0 yes.
Motion Adam Leiser: Grant Isabel Pais access to our website. Second Kathy Koziell – Vote 3-0 yes
Motion Adam Leiser: Approve minutes of 10/10. Second Jay Buckley – Vote 3-0 yes.
7. Commissioners Reports
Kathy Koziell reports on what the communications committee discussed the 12/7 meeting. Post card advertising the 12/7/19 meeting to go to all property owners. A 4x6 postcard through Vista Print can be done for less than $600. Discussion of card arriving between 11/15 and 11/20. Goal would be to submit to Vista Print on 11/10.
Two people responded to water delinquency/shutoff notice.
Jay Buckley summarizes the 9/25 meeting that occurred at 26 Diessbach with the resident.
Adam Leiser motion: Approve the minutes of 9/25. Second Jay Buckley – Vote 3-0 yes
Kathy Koziell reports that the newsletter should include something about VLAP, phosphorous, etc…
Kathy Koziell reports that Sara Steiner of DES suggests hiring an independent consultant to review VLAP information. Jay Buckley reports that Tin Mountain and Green Mountain both could potentially assist. Jay Buckley to follow up with both organizations.
Adam Leiser request contact info on 2 and 5 Burgdorf. Dam policy from Fire Chief no response yet.
Will respond as soon as possible regarding fall draw down.
On April 14th We asked the EPOA for mailing list info. Kathy Koziell will reach out to John Rochers.
Correspondence regarding on outhouses. Email from Larry Leonard from Tim Sweat DES.
Concern that correspondence from Nancy Cole and Tim Sweat of DES was of a different process.
Jay Buckley to provide map and Adam Leiser to create draft letter.
Adam Leiser motion: to appoint Marco Pais to the environmental committee. Second Kathy Koziell. Vote 3-0 yes.
Kathy Koziell identifies struggles with VDOE email. Ron Sandstrom wasn’t willing to help the BOC with password access the computer. Adam Leiser suggests we contact Andrew Hartveldt for assistance. A temporary solution is discussed. Discussion about VDOE-office@yahoo.com as a new email for Donna MacKinnon
Adam Leiser motion. Create email account for Donna MacKinnon to access. Second Kathy Koziell – Vote 3-0 yes
Adam Leiser motion to have Teri Cancelarich make a recommendation on financing sources for the $869,400 bond. Kathy Koziell seconds. Vote 3-0 yes – Email to be sent by Jay Buckley
9. Correspondence
10. Scheduled Appearances - none
11. Public Comment
Mike Smith asked about the budget and where we stand as of today. Kathy Koziell reports that she has been working with Donna MacKinnon and going through quickbooks. She doesn’t have a figure as of today. Roughly a month ago it appeared that we had about 18k in discretionary spending. It has not been updated. Kathy Koziell hopes to have this calculated next week. According to Kathy Koziell, Dinah Reiss ( VDOE Treasure) says “we should be fine”. CRF for highway equipment repair has been depleted.
Mike Smith asks about the water tank. Jay Buckley reports that we have a bid package that will be discussed today. Two companies are expected to bid. Mike Smith asked about a secondary source. A bypass is being put in place. Mike Smith mentions that the district has twice had prolonged power outages and he’s concerned that the district wouldn’t have water if that happens. Mike Smith suggests a generator be installed. Adam Leiser thanks Mike Smith for the suggestion.
Adam Leiser motion: The BOC tasks the water committee with making a recommendation about generators for the entire water system. Second Kathy Koziell. Kathy Koziell asks what happened in the past. Mike Smith reported that the district had no power in the past. Mike Smith suggests also evaluating a generator at the DPW and Jungfrau. Kathy Koziell asks Mike Smith what his guess the cost for the generator would be: no idea. Discussion on Groundwater Trust money that could also be used. Vote 3-0 yes.
Adam Leiser asks if we can get the historical numbers of the last five years for overtime and part time work in November and December. Kathy Koziell will work on that in quickbooks.
Jay Buckley reminds the BOC to double check that we are paying Jeff DeMartino properly after his raise.
Adam Leiser asks Mike Smith if the last two years were abnormal snow years in November and December.
Paula Doyle asks about the prior meeting and that she wasn’t notified that she would be discussed. A public discussion was initiated, and she feels like it should have been done in a non-public session. Paula Doyle describes it as “unfair and disrespectful”. Kathy Koziell says she doesn’t believe we can go in non-public to discuss someone other than an employee. Mike Smith believes that is incorrect. Paula Doyle says an agenda hasn’t been published in six weeks or more. Kathy Koziell believes it’s only been like that for two weeks: since the administrator has been out. Paula Doyle says we didn’t keep our promise. Adam Leiser identifies that he couldn’t create an agenda because he’s not allowed to go through the office with other commissioners. Jay Buckley has been tasked with ensuring that the office is still running.
Jay Buckley identifies that he and Kathy Koziell have been at the office at the same time, but they are not discussing VDOE commissioner business nor are any decisions being made. The focal point is to keep the district office operating. Jay Buckley welcomes the public to enter the office at any time.
Paula Doyle asks if memorials will be discussed today. Kathy Koziell expects it to be discussed but a decision will probably not be made. Paula Doyle recommends that we don’t have a policy. She says there are many ways to memorialize people but because we don’t have a lot of public places to memorialize. Paula Doyle believes it’s not practical, appropriate, or necessary. Paula Doyle also believes that the Library should be left because it’s already there. Further discussion ensues about the event where the memorial was placed. Kathy Koziell identifies that the process wasn’t done well. Mike Smith outlines that the prior board did approve it and asked for the design. Mike Smith highlights that the prior board did not see the design. Mike Smith agrees with Paula that memorials should not be in the district. Kathy Koziell highlights that the BOC isn’t making individual recommendations. Kathy Koziell also discusses the communication committee talked about memorials as well. Mike Smith adds that donations have been accepted in the past. Adam Leiser mentions the difference between a library and memorializing land.
December 7th state of the municipality meeting may be an appropriate time to discuss this further.
12. Other Business Town of Madison is wondering where our tax rate documents are located. Jay Buckley to contact state DRA to ensure rate information goes to Su Stacey.
Driveway permit information requested by 17 Grison Rd.
Adam Leiser motion at 12:15pm to go into non-public RSA 91a:3,II (a) employment matters. Second Kathy Koziell – Vote 3-0 yes
Motion from non-public:
Motion by Adam Leiser to place a Job advertisement for part-time administrator. Second Kathy Koziell– Vote 3-0 yes
Motion by Adam Leiser to seal non-public minutes. Second Kathy Koziell– Vote 3-0 yes
Public session resumed: 12:50pm
Discussion on having legal review of the Reinarch Tank Bid Package
Adam Leiser motion: Approve the bid package for Reinach Tank and give VDOE attorney until 10/23 for review. Second Jay Buckley – Vote 3-0 yes -- Jay Buckley to do this
Adam Leiser makes a motion to adjourn – second Kathy Koziell– Vote 3-0 yes
Meeting adjourned 1:15pm