July 1st 2015 Minutes - As Approved

MINUTES OF COLCHESTER GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

COLCHESTER TOWN OFFICES

KIRKER RM
COLCHESTER, VT

July 1^st @ 9:00 a.m.

Present: Curt Taylor, Bud Meyers, Mickey Palmer and David Usher

LCATV was present. An audio recording was also made of the meeting.

1.      Call to Order: Chair David Usher called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.

2.      Agenda Changes

Mickey Palmers suggested some discussion of the Snow Plowing of Private Roads as an item.

3.      No public input

None

4.      Approval of minutes from June 24^th 2015

MOTION by David Usher

SECONDED by Curt Taylor

APPROVED by unanimous vote.

5.      Conflict of Interest Considerations

The Committee reviewed David Usher’s write-up of the Committee’s suggested Charter change relating to a conflict of interest and standards of ethical conduct. After some discussion and small wording changes David Usher’s write-was approved unanimously.

MOTION to approve write-up as written with modifications, by Mickey Palmer

SECOND by Bud Meyers

APPROVED unanimously

The Committee recommends modification of Section 901 Ethical Conduct and the addition of a section 902 Conflict of Interest Policy.

6.      Storm Water Utility

The Committee reviewed Bud Meyer’s write-up of the Committee’s position regarding the creation of a Storm Water Utility for Colchester. Small changes were made prior to the approval of the write-up.

MOTION to approve write-up as written with modifications, by David Usher.

SECOND by Curt Taylor

APPROVED unanimously

The Committee agrees with Bryan Osborne’s approach to the Storm Water Utility and recommends a continued search for appropriate opportunities for regionalization of efforts to remain compliance with Storm Water requirements.

7.      Future Committee Work

Dawn Francis, town manager, will be present at the next meeting with recommendations.

8.      Snow Plowing of Private Roads

Bud Meyers went over a write-up he submitted regarding the plowing of private roads. There was concern that the Charter enables the Selectboard to create a snow plowing policy but no one has seen such a policy.

           

After some discussion the Committee concluded that it is not within the Committee’s jurisdiction to develop a private road plowing policy. The complexity and sensitivity of the issue requires a concerted efforts with wider representation than the Governance Committee.

Bud Meyers and Mickey Palmer will rework Bud Meyers’ submission and it will be discussed again.

9.      Aaron Frank’s (Assistant Town Manager and CFO) recommendations

Aaron Frank presented his recommended Charter changes.

·         Emergency Spending: 2% cap

Section 304 of the Charter imposes a cap of 2% of aggregate budget appropriations to any Selectboard approved emergency spending. Frank mentioned that this is two weeks’ worth of operating expenses (about $200k). He would like to see this raised to 4%.

·         Municipal Budget Preparation and Submission

The Town manages two types of budgets. One is the municipal budget which is voted upon by the Town each year (section 602). The other is multi-year budgets for capital plans or bond debt. Such multi-year budgets are not voted upon each year. The Charter does not make an adequately distinction between the two.

·         Australian ballots for budgets

There was some discussion as to whether or not the Charter should specify that all budget votes (except the emergency appropriation) be by Australian ballot. Town Clerk Karen Richard said that the Town voted previously to have budgets subject to Australian ballot, but it is not in the Charter.

·         Departmental Budgets (Sections 606 and 607)

Aaron Franks recommends that is be clear in the charter that though department heads have the flexibility to allocate funds within their departments they should not exceed their overall department budget unless the town manager or Selectboard has approved a reallocation of funds. After some discussion the Committee asked Frank to combine Section 606 with Section 607 in his re-write

·         Actual vs. Budgeted expenditures

Frank also wanted to amend Section 607 such that it specifies “actual” revenues and expenditures rather than “budgeted” expenditures.

Aaron Frank will re-work his recommendation for consideration at the next meeting.

10.  Documentation of Policies

There was also some discussion regarding the documentation of Town policies. The Committee will consider making a recommendation on this at a later meeting.

11.  Governance Committee as a standing committee

In discussion the Committee favored a process for period review rather than the Committee being a standing committee. David Usher will draft a recommendation regarding same.

12.  Adjournment

MOTION to adjourn by Mickey Palmer

SECOND by Curt Taylor

APPROVED unanimously at 10:45 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Curt Taylor, Secretary

July 2^nd 2015 (Draft), July 13^th 2015 (Approved)