Treasurer to collect the taxes
DUMMERSTON — DUMMERSTON-Because of changes from the Vermont Legislature dictating how towns collect current taxes, a Special Town Meeting on April 15 addressed a matter of procedure: which officer collects the taxes in town, in all of three minutes.
That will become the task of Town Treasurer Laurie Frechette.
Vermont requires Town Meeting to directly vote to empower the treasurer to do so; if Town Meeting votes “nay,” this responsibility automatically falls to the Constable.
Previously, as Selectboard Chair Zeke Goodband explained, the state authorized the Selectboard to collect current taxes.
The motion passed unanimously via voice vote, and it was noted that Frechette did not ask for a paper ballot.
Special event liquor permits approved
DUMMERSTON-The Selectboard, acting as the town Liquor Control Commission, approved three temporary permits to serve alcohol at special events, all at Scott Farm.
The commission reviewed three permits, and with some amendments to conform to Scott Farm's Act 250 permit, it approved them all.
Although these permits were sought by caterers, and Zeke Goodband, Scott Farm's orchard manager, says he would not benefit financially from the permits, he recused himself from the proceedings to remove any appearance of conflict of interest.
Town to change banks
DUMMERSTON-Town Treasurer Laurie Frechette presented to the Selectboard her recent experiences managing the town's bank accounts.
At the April 15 Selectboard meeting, Frechette said she wants to switch the town's banking from TD Bank to Merchants Bank because of new policies that TD Bank implemented that are less friendly to the town.
Also, the representative who had been helping the town manage its accounts has moved to Merchants Bank.
Frechette noted Merchants Bank has offered the town earned interest on its general fund, which TD Bank does not.
Frechette noted, “the local people at TD Bank have been great to work with, but at the corporate level, things have changed,” and not for the better.
Because of these concerns, Frechette asked the Selectboard to authorize her to switch the town's accounts to Merchants Bank.
The Selectboard voted to do so, then created, and passed, a motion empowering Frechette to write a letter to TD Bank notifying them of the change, which Goodband will sign.
Hubbard returns to emergency management director post
DUMMERSTON- The Selectboard has interviewed two candidates for the position of emergency management director.
One, Rick Davis, currently holds the position; the other, Dawn Hubbard, used to.
Hubbard had resigned the post when her other work requirements precluded her from continuing.
Because Hubbard's responsibilities have since changed, and because it is the time of year when the Selectboard appoints and reappoints people to positions, she sought to return.
Hubbard explained the work of the emergency management team: it's a crisis team that responds when a disaster requires a response that is beyond the town's resources and the town has to draw from outside the community.
When the Selectboard asked her why she wanted her job back, she said: “I miss it.”
After interviews and discussion, the Selectboard unanimously voted to award Hubbard the one-year position.
On the table
DUMMERSTON-The Selectboard tabled a scheduled personnel policy review at its April 15 meeting so members can research other towns' personnel policies.
The board has also tabled its work on developing a request for proposals for painting the Dummerston Community Center, again because further research is needed.
Mobile home permit renewed
DUMMERSTON-The Selectboard has voted to renew Charette's Mobile Home Park license after reviewing a request submitted by Amy Wall and the park's owner, the Housing Foundation, an affordable-housing nonprofit based in Montpelier.
The park, built in 1999, is comprised of 14 units.
Good revenue report
DUMMERSTON- At its April 15 meeting, the Selectboard received the treasurer's revenue report.
“We're looking good, pretty much,” noted Selectboard member Zeke Goodband.