VILLAGE DISTRICT OF EIDELWEISS
Commissioners Meeting
October 24, 2019
The Board of Commissioners met at 9:00 am on Thursday, October 24, 2019. In attendance were Commissioners Adam Leiser, Jay Buckley and Kathy Koziell. The meeting was filmed for Madison TV. Residents Gloria Aspinall, Mike Smith, Mark Graffam, and Bill Rein also attended
At 9:07am Commissioner Adam Leiser calls the meeting to order.
1. Agenda – No agenda
2. Highway Department Report - Kelly got hurt exiting an Eidelweiss vehicle on 10/23. No DPW report as a result. Paving warrant article has been completed. Gravel warrant article is in the works. Upper Lakeview and West Bergamo are prepped for final level of gravel. DPW wants a culvert on Upper Lakeview to drain onto 33 Upper Lakeview. DPW wants the BOC to communicate with property owner. Property owner could potentially benefit.
Motion by Jay: Jay will contact property owner at 33 Upper Lakeview to initiate a discussion about a culvert. Second Kathy. Adam opposes because this is not time sensitive and he’d like to visit the site. Motion tabled to next week. Vote yes to table 3-0.
Little Loop material has arrived. Catch basin and header are stored now. Tree work quote from Shawn’s to arrive next week. Adam asks if quote from Barry’s has arrived. It has but it has not been shared. Adam asks for it to be shared.
Motion by Jay: The VDOE hire the tree company that can remove the trees on Little Loop first, so long as the price is comparable: not necessarily the least expensive. Second Kathy. 2-0-1 with Adam abstaining because the trees are on his property.
Mark Graffam had suggested protecting the fence at the playground from damage due to snow pushback. Adam wants the DPW to make a suggestion/plan for protection.
Continuing gavel road repair can still happen with Kelly out.
3. Water –
4. Administration – Kathy reports Libby computer service came in on 10/23 to set up a new password for Microsoft exchange (granting us email access on main computer). The VDOE now has full access to email but not the website for updates. Ron may be able to help get us website access. Gloria asks if the district has hired anyone. The district has not. Isabel Pais of the communications committee knows how to modify the website. Adam asks if we have reorganized the office so that access will never again be limited by a single person. A cloud will likely be used to help protect the district. Gloria recommends someone with a business degree/background be the next hire. She wants more than just a bookkeeper or secretary.
Kathy has put together the forms for the two CRF withdrawals.
Adam motion: The BOC sign the two CRF withdrawals. Jay second. Vote yes 3-0.
Kathy has been working on updating the budgets for accurate information to be publicized. Kathy located the budget spreadsheet that Nancy used as well as creating Qujckbooks report thru 10/24. Nancy would transfer budget numbers into a more logical format, this won’t be available for a few days. This will not include an updated discretionary spending report thru the year end, though Kathy will try to do it.
Jay has been working with the DRA. The tax rate will be forwarded to the town of Madison in the next 7 days. We expect to have it shortly. The $59,000 for the Reinach Tank has been included. Jay has a letter for resident Joe Farnese that he wants to have signed. Discussion about Mr. Farnese’s prior driveway permit occurs. This has been a temporary permit.
Jay motion: Sign the letter to Joe Farense, out of session. Kathy seconds. Adam asks Jay to send the letter to him for slight revision. Amended to sign revised copy out of session. Vote 3-0 yes.
5. Accounts Payable – 16 checks totaling $39,785.60.
Adam motion: Sign the 16 checks. Jay second. Vote 3-0 yes
Payroll 9/21-10/4 --- total payroll $6956.02
Nancy 41.5 and 40
Kelly 40 and 40.5
Jeff 40 and 40
Tony 24 and 24
Gina 4 and 4
Donna 4 and 6
Payroll 10/5-10/18 --- total payroll is $7368.04
Nancy 40 and 40
Kelly 40 and 42
Jeff 40 and 42
Tony 32 and 24
Gina none
Donna 13.5 and 9
Adam motion: Approve payroll for both pay periods. Kathy seconds. Vote yes 3-0
6. Minutes – Adam motion: Approve minutes of 10/17. Jay second. Vote yes 3-0.
Motion Adam: All minute revisions be put into bold, underlined, and italicized font to reflect modifications voted on in subsequent meetings. Kathy second. Vote yes 3-0.
Review and discussion of prior proposed modifications occurs. This was done from an email sent by Adam to the BOC and is a public document.
Adam motion: to have the minutes of 9/5, 9/9, 9/17, 9/19, and 9/23 amended as written in an email by Adam to the BOC a few weeks ago with a slight proposed modification from Kathy. Kathy second. Discussion ensues. Vote yes 2-0-1. Jay abstained because he was not present at two of those meetings.
7. Commissioners Reports
Adam motion: Invite Bill Rein to the Communications committee. Second Kathy. Vote yes 3-0.
Kathy discusses the VDOE newsletter. Discussion ensues.
Adam motion: Jay can post the two job openings. The BOC allows an expense of $100 combined. Jay second. Vote yes 3-0.
Two employees, Nancy and Kelly filed for pension recapture. The expense to the district is approximately $12,220. The VDOE has to pay their share in 30 days unless appeal is filed. Adam wants to discuss this more in non-public.
Adam asks Jay for clarification on an email from Chris Albert to Rick Skarinka. Jay states that the word “offset” should not have been used.
Adam motion: Adam is given permission by the BOC to contact Chris Albert and ensure that the correct wording is used with Rick Skarinka regarding the ground water trust fund grant. Kathy second. Vote yes 3-0.
8. Signature Items
9. Correspondence
10. Scheduled Appearances - none
11. Public Comment
Gloria wants to discuss the memorial/Little Library. Gloria supports a discussion and vote. Adam states that a decision wasn’t finalized. Gloria is concerned that a precedent may have been set. Mike states that the prior board only discussed a library and not a memorial. Mike believes other people are more deserving for a memorial.
Jay states that it deserves a public hearing or at least further discussion.
Dinah asks when the water operator will be attending a meeting. Adam states that he spoke with Ian Hayes during the weekend and Ian will begin attending the meetings on the second meeting of the month. SCADA alarms have been occurring. Ian emailed the office suggesting shutting down Jungfrau until Tom can fix the SCADA system. Mark wants additional information regarding the Reinach Tank and the overflows that have occurred in the area. Mark encourages the BOC to visit the site. Mark encourages the board to backfill the tank more effectively to confirm insulation.
Adam motion: The DPW remove rocks and cover tanks more thoroughly after an evaluation of each tank under the direction and guidance of Ian Hayes. Second Kathy. Vote 3-0 yes
Sump pump at Reinach has been constantly running for years due to a poor installation. Kathy wonders if it makes sense to fix it this year when we have significant work next year happening at the site. Jay says it is. The question now is what is the status of the sump pump? Jay highlights that a work order should have been made regarding the overflow. Adam and Kathy agree. Mike believes the sump pump was changed but isn’t certain and doesn’t have a date. Mark suggests drainage becoming a part of the design.
Adam motion: The BOC contact Chris Albert to ensure that overflow drainage be a part of the new construction design. Kathy second. Vote yes 3-0.
Jay motion: The BOC create three new work orders for prior motion’s in today’s meeting: cover tank, evaluate SCADA, drainage at Reinach. Second Adam. Vote yes 3-0. Jay to write work orders.
Jay motion: Sign the letters out of session to the property owners at 10 Lucerne and 34 Interlaken. Adam second. Vote yes 3-0
Adam motion: The BOC grant Adam permission to contact Tim Sweat of DES regarding the outhouses. Jay second. Vote yes 3-0.
Adam to get the distances from outhouse structures to the ponds.
Dinah has requested a copy of the Grant request. She will get a hard copy from Jay at the office.
Mike asks about the new water tank. Discussion ensues.
Adam reports that we are down 2 inches on the dam. Gloria reports that the draw down is starting in other towns. Have not heard back from the Madison Fire Chief regarding water level as the dam.
Adam motion: Accept the dam policy effective on 11/2. Kathy second. Discussion ensues. Vote 2-1 yes. Jay opposed.
Adam motion to enter non-public per RSA 91a:3,II (a) Employment matters. Second Kathy Koziell – Vote 3-0 yes
Enter Non-Public at 11:50am
Exit Non-public at 12 Noon
Adam motion to seal the minutes: Kathy second. Vote 3-0 yes
Kathy Koziell leaves the meeting at noon.
Discussion on job applicant Kristen Johnson.
Adam makes a motion to contact Kristen Johnson for an interview on Thursday, November 7 at 10:30am. Jay seconds. Vote yes 2-0. Jay to contact.
Adam reports that Ann Perry stopped at Adam’s house and give him a petition for plowing Grandval. Adam suggests that the BOC do this rather than the residents. Jay agrees. This to be added to BOC warrant articles.
Adam asks about 2 and 5 Burgdorf. Jay to give Adam the contact information.
Jay to contact Fire Chief about the current Reinach Tank and whether to use the current tanks for fire protection.
Jay to compare design of old tank and new tank to ensure that water lines are comparable.
Letter needed to go to 47 and 49 Eidelweiss Drive. It hasn’t been written. Jay to find last letter sent and send to Adam so he has something to go by on new letters. Intent is for work to be done next year.
Adam reports that Yahoo groups is ending. Jay isn’t sure if his private group will end like the public groups.
Adam discusses finding ways to get community input. Something that needs to go the communications committee. Jay suggests using some of the available free services.
Per call for on-call. Discussion ensues. Jay to research and recommend. Andrew has information on this.
Adam makes a motion to adjourned at 12:20pm , Jay seconds, passed 2-0
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Koziell - Commissioner