Coordinator Report
January 15, 2015
The Warwick Conservation Commission sent a letter about the pipeline and
wetlands to FERC and many other recipients. It was reported on in the
newspapers and a copy for the board's information is included. Not sure
where we are on the all boards' effort. 

Our Chapter 90 highway grant has been increased in FY15 from $227,645 to
$341,467. The new governor despite state revenue shortfalls has released
the legislatures voted increased funding.  In addition we have readied
the Chapter 90 project request form for $125,100 (new JD loader). Since
the Accountant is out of town I am seeking the board's vote to permit
the acting accountant (Dale) or treasurer (Beth) to sign for the
accountant. I need the Select board's signature as well.

Broadband questions need to be answered. Miryam has asked about the
Select board's expectation regarding committee's role in the town's FTTH
/ WWest decision. I think it makes sense that the committee lead the
investigation and advise the town in conjunction with the Finance
Committee.  Ted Cady suggest the board clarify its December WW
resolution. I counter that all the county WW towns signed the resolution
and if they are not worried we shouldn't be either.

The basis to allocate the state subsidy to the FTTH project has not been
decided. It will be by the MTC board at a future date. Candidates
include actual build cost; basing on number of poles and potential
customers; or using the bond funding to do the pole make ready work
which is a substantial expense. 

Nick has suggested the Selectboard consider rescinding our voted WW
resolution.  I hope to have an update from John B on last Saturday's WW
board meeting.  I have been provided the current fiber operating model
and 30 day access to the software but haven't yet been able to open the
password protected file. I'll keep working to do so. If we want to buy
the software it is $5k. We might want to.

WBS hosted its first winter workshop this week. The topic was Ubuntu
Linux and was spearheaded by Rich Field.  We use old retired electronic
scrap computers that used to run XP and demoed four flavors of Ubuntu
each with a different graphic user interface. The machines are connected
and on a table outside my office for now, so folks can try them out. I
plan to hold more workshops with Smartphones and "The Cloud" as future
topics.

Finally on broadband Miryam has objected to my suggestion to change the
Broadband Committee's charge -adding Cellular - and has characterized
cell phone service as "David's project".  If that is all it is, I have
enough to do so for now; do you want to drop it until after the WW vote?
Is it important? Will the wider charge weaken the case for fiber?

Regarding electricity and the Soltas settlement, both an AMH (hospital)
board member who has been very helpful to Warwick and the AG's office
request solidarity in that we seek a fair outcome for all four entities,
both nonprofit and governmental and not break off. I explained that we
see our counter offer as having the same effect.  While the AG's office
conveyed a higher settlement offer from Soltas to us, they request that
conversations we are having be "privileged" and they recommend against
settling. For these reasons our counsel has held off on extending our
counter-offer to Soltas until I get your consensus regarding going with
the new or old figure time three or perhaps abandoning counter offer and
let the AG's office work for us.

I have begun to serve on the Pioneer District union contract negotiation
committee. Since all our substantive work is in executive session I
can't share our progress. Jed Proujansky who is a Selectboard member
from Northfield is the District Selectboard representative and he will
be able to share some overview as we proceed. I have learned that the
employment steps increase 3% per year in years 1 - 7 and 3 1/2% in years
8 - 15 under the current contract. This is I am told an improvement as
the previous contract was at 7%.  80% of the school budget is labor
related.

I have ordered new pendant signboards for the welcome sign on the
common. We will use the old letters.  Getting some recycled recycling
containers for events from our solid waste district.  

Things I am working on include the Green Communities requests to fund
our projects (there are ten of them for the first round), the FY16
budget process, and getting town report moving ahead. The conversion to
IP phone at town hall is advancing thanks largely to Terry. Strangely
both our old Verizon service and the new IP service are working for the
same numbers.