ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – Rockingham town manager Scott Pickup updated the selectboard on several municipal projects at the Tuesday, Dec. 17 meeting.
Pickup shared that during the last heavy rainfall, the roof of the town hall experienced a drainage issue which created a water leak, damaging the ceiling and wall. Due to this event, the roof repair project would have to be scheduled sooner, Pickup said, and unfortunately, the town’s request for funds from the Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP) was rejected, meaning the expense will fall to Rockingham residents.
Stating that the work will require several cranes to move HVAC equipment and roofing materials, Pickup commented that the project will “not be inexpensive.”
Pickup told the board about a temporary fix for the Williams Bridge, which will reduce the weight restriction currently in place, and allow for fuel deliveries and access to Vermont Vines and the businesses and residences across the bridge. Pickup said the state is funding the upgrade, and once he was given the schedule, he’d report back.
The selectboard ratified an article to be presented at Town Meeting on March 1, that would seek voter approval for the creation of a single municipal fire and rescue department with three stations managed by the town of Rockingham.
Resident Joel Love asked the board if this was considered a “public question [or a] budget matter,” reminding the board that at an October meeting the option of voting on this matter via a special meeting and Australian ballot was suggested “if it was not illegal.”
Board member Peter Golec remarked that the meeting Love was referencing was a Tri-board Meeting. “Tri-board does not set the agenda for the town warning, the selectboard does,” Golec said.
After Golec and Love debated the legality of utilizing an Australian ballot vote, the board approved the language of the article as presented. Love firmly stated the board was incorrect, and he would be contacting an attorney to follow up on the matter.
Heather Hitchcock, personnel resource manager for the Town of Rockingham, was appointed as ethics liaison to the state of Vermont. “We don’t know exactly what they are going to ask us to do,” Pickup laughed, stating that he’d spoken to Hitchcock, and she had agreed to take on the role.
Resident Jamey Berrick questioned the reason behind the state’s request, as this is not a position the town has had previously.
Cowan replied that the state ethics office was requiring each municipality to employ someone in this position by Jan. 1.
Berrick continued, “Typically an ethics liaison would be somebody independent so there was no conflict, but we went ahead to have our HR person that’s under our employment [to the position].”
Cowan explained that the state encouraged the town to use an employee, if possible, and there was no perceived conflict of interest.
The board reviewed the status of ARPA funds, heard a progress report on the restoration project at the Rockingham Meeting House, and watched a presentation from development director Gary Fox regarding plans for the train station and proposed development of the downtown area.
Fox went over the Area Wide Plan (AWP) for the Island District and Under the Hill District, a “conceptual redevelopment plan [which] includes elements of transit-oriented development, public infrastructure and transportation, bridge and streetscape projects, historic preservation, adaptive reuse of existing structures, and wayfinding.”
The AWP packet presented by Fox at Tuesday’s meeting is posted on the town
website.
There was discussion about proposed upgrades to the town’s website, and Berrick spoke up to ask the board if they would consider it an “official” website and adopt a policy on how business is conducted on the site. Cowan asked Pickup if he would follow up on this request through Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT), and evaluate the pros and cons of the town website’s designation as “official.”
Pickup mentioned that town auditors would attend the budget presentation at the next meeting on Jan. 7, and the board will receive a “first cut” of the budget and articles for Town Meeting.
Just prior to close, Pickup announced new and holiday hours for Town Hall. Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, and New Years Eve, Dec. 31, the town hall offices will close at 11:30 a.m. Effective Jan. 2, the offices will be open Monday-Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; and Friday, 7:30-11:30 a.m.