Town starts counting cars on high-traffic roads
DUMMERSTON — DUMMERSTON-It's time to count the cars.
At the April 29 Selectboard meeting, Selectboard Chair Zeke Goodband announced that the Vermont Department of Transportation emailed the town with the intention to lay traffic-counting strips across “a few roads” in town.
One has been in place on Middle Road in recent weeks.
Because of continued complaints from townspeople about traffic speed along East-West Road, the Selectboard has also reached out to the Windham Regional Commission for traffic-counting strips.
Goodband expects to hear from WRC's Senior Planner Matt Mann about the strips “soon,” he said.
Town appoints new committee members
DUMMERSTON-A few town committees have new members.
Julien Geisler - who, according to Selectboard Chair Zeke Goodband, is “new to the area” - had attended a recent Energy Committee meeting and decided to seek a position with it. The Selectboard interviewed him, then unanimously appointed him.
Cami Elliott sought a position as an alternate to the Development Review Board. The alternate attends if a regular member cannot be at a meeting; that person has voting rights and can help the committee reach its quorum.
The Selectboard unanimously appointed Elliott for a one-year term.
Personnel policy
DUMMERSTON-Work continues on town personnel policy. Laurie Frechette, who serves as assistant town clerk and Selectboard assistant, said the last time the town reviewed the policy was “about four years ago.”
Although Selectboard Chair Zeke Goodband said the town's personnel policy “looks pretty good,” it is a good idea for the town to “periodically” review it.
At the April 29 meeting, the board decided to arrange a meeting with two board members and three town employees to discuss possible changes.
Selectboard Clerk Gurudharm Khalsa offered to attend.
Then Selectboard members Jerelyn Wilson and Steve Glabach also volunteered. When the board finally decided only one member would need to represent the board at the meeting, Wilson offered to arm-wrestle Glabach for the honor of attending.
Glabach conceded before the match began.
Thus, Wilson will join Khalsa, Frechette, Road Foreman Lee Chamberlin, and Town Clerk Pam McFadden to work on the personnel policy. They will then report back to the Selectboard with their findings.
Community Center closer to paint job
DUMMERSTON-The Selectboard has reviewed the wording on the Request For Proposals (RFP) for painting the Community Center.
The deadline for submitting bids for scraping, priming, and painting the building is 5 p.m., May 27.
Selectboard Clerk Gurudharm Khalsa will compile a list of the specifics of the job, including which parts of the building's exterior will need to be painted, and make it available at Town Hall.
The Selectboard will award the bid at the May 27 meeting. Board Chair Zeke Goodband said he is “hot to trot” to move this project forward and award a bid, because as the season progresses, painters' schedules fill up.
Drill, baby, drill
DUMMERSTON- The next scheduled emergency drill for the town takes place May 13, beginning approximately 8:30 a.m.
Board Chair Zeke Goodband strongly suggested Selectboard members attend “for an hour or so” because the Selectboard plays a role in emergencies.
This drill is also a graded drill, where recently hired Emergency Management Director Dawn Hubbard will “evaluate everyone's response,” said Goodband.
The emergency drill's location is upstairs in the town offices.
Goodband also noted that Hubbard completed the last details of the 222-page Local Emergency Operations Plan for Dummerston ahead of deadline.
The Windham Regional Commission had asked towns to have their plans in by May 1, and Hubbard completed Dummerston's prior to the April 29 meeting.
Liquor licenses issued
DUMMERSTON-The Liquor Control Board granted two temporary liquor licenses at its April 29 meeting.
Windham Wines sought licenses for two events at Scott Farm, one on June 19 and the other on Oct. 17.
In recusing himself, Goodband, who is the orchard manager at Scott Farm, said to the board: “I'll go see how we're stocked for copier paper or something.”
While he did so, the Liquor Control Board granted the requests.
Digging the Cemetery Committee
DUMMERSTON- The members of the Cemetery Committee are “our unsung heroes,” Selectboard Chair Zeke Goodband said at the April 29 meeting. “I want to acknowledge Terry Chapman, Mr. Sylvio Forrett, Hugh Worden, Lee Chamberlin, and Janice Duke.”
Board member Steve Glabach added, “They do a great job.”
The Selectboard noted that the committee does a lot of work, including lining up the plots and sometimes mediating when different families lay claims to the same land.