Coordinator report June 18, 2015

In response to the discussion about net zero building standards and the
nonprofit Fireman's Association project, I was asked to consult our
legal counsel. He says that a court has ruled in a case, not appealed,
that if a town imposes design standards on an independent project then
30b procurement and prevailing wage applies. He does not agree with the
court's interpretation and feels when volunteer and donated, as is our
case, it should not apply. However, the AG he says, casts a wide net. I
will add that from a financial standpoint, the Town doesn't need any
more legal cases. Test cases are for the well-heeled.
I asked counsel, "Who decides to accept a donation?" He says that it is
the prerogative of the Town Meeting, not the Selectboard to accept a
gifted building and at that point the Selectboard can make its
recommendations. He further stated that the Fireman's Association should
be incorporated, which I informed him is the case. The Association broke
ground last week and poured concrete footers a few days ago.

The Selectboard and Broadband Committee had a meeting with Crocker
Communication and AXIA, both fiber network operators who propose to be
network operators and Internet Service Providers on a fiber network we
would own, as opposed to the WiredWest model of an undivided interest in
a cooperatively owned system. AXIA proposes to itself invest $600 per
potential customer and shoulder the cost of the run from the curb to the
home, provided the extension is not longer than 300 feet. In our case it
would be a capital contribution of about $200k for a fiber to the curb
build. Neither Crocker nor AXIA seemed to hold out much hope of a system
amortizing the cost of the initial fiber build. Crocker shared a
business operating expense model that while not extensive passed the
smell test. Today I got hard copy of the WW draft business plan and have
begun to absorb it. I am becoming convinced that we need to look
seriously at growing our wireless system so as not to become a "Detroit
with Trees". We'd need six or eight more towers. Is that acceptable to a
town that tried to have a tower taken down?

We will try again to recognize long serving outgoing elected town
officials and will do so at this meeting in advance of the sometimes
lengthy public comment period.

Broadband committee member Scott Seago is working on the minutes of the
joint meeting which we will act on when we get them.

Since the Tech School is reimbursing the cost of the upcoming special
election I ask the board to establish an accounting Fund for this
purpose. This will mean we don't have to deposit the funds in the
general fund and will get to use the money a year or more earlier.

At the request of Planning Board Chair Cady, I edited Northfield's
letter requesting a local pipeline scoping session request to FERC. The
letter is in the board packet.

Highway Superintendent Larry Delaney has proposed the attached Highway
Chapter 90 project for Northfield Rd. Signature by the chair needs to be
authorized. If it pleases the
board, we are working on a dirt road
project to include the Quarry Rd. Your authorization of this one in
addition will help move these requests along.

It is time for annual appointments. I haven't heard any comment on the
slate which has been before you for a few weeks. These run from July 1
to June 30. The execution of five-year transfer station recycling
contract also needs to be done.

I have some pay rate requests for action by the board. In the first
instance the BoH acting clerk is a member of that board and I want the
Selectboard to instruct the accountant to treat this as hourly not a
stipend. The FRCOG wage survey cites this as a 7 hour per week position
which translates to $14.50 per hour. I request that the rate be set at
$15 per hour and be based on a timesheet submission. The accountant
absent other clear instruction paid Nancy the salary of $203 for 8 1/2
hours worked.

In addition I request the board vote to increase John Bradford's hourly
rate as broadband installer to $27.50 / hour which represents a 10%
increase from our starting hourly rate for installers. John is critical
to our success and I desire that he be recognized for his contribution.
Finally I request that Kerry Cooke's hourly rate, currently $10.40 be
set to be not less than the rate of the town secretary, currently $13.65
/ hour. I suggest $14 / hour. She assists with broadband billing and
collections, the town report, and anything I can explain to do that can
be done by a lower paid competent employee and frees me for the next
thing. It is a challenge to have this work be a priority when she makes
better than $18 at her day job and gets paid here what we pay a high
school kid to mop a floor.

Warwick Broadband has a wireless repeater site at the Wheeler Pond dam,
a site at which the MBI123 fiber passes. I have a revised quote for
installing a fiber lateral there to better serve about 10 customers in
the vicinity of Barber Hill and south. We have one customer who I've
been talking to who want fiber badly and now and may be willing to pay
half of the $10k cost for this extension. Before I go very far I want to
get the Board's approval to proceed with this cost sharing.

We got a letter signed by some elementary aged children wanting to be
able to use the Rec Committee's soccer nets and goals. I conversed with
the WCS principal, outgoing Rec committee member Colin K., and the
mother who spearheaded the matter. As of now the Rec's collection of
sporting goods including nets and balls is now in custody of the school
who will be responsible for their storage and use. Colin is leaving the
Rec and we do not have many kids to participate in sports nor an adult
to take charge.

Over the summer the highway department will assist in completion of
restoring the grounds at WCS that were disturbed by the recent
construction. This will involve replacing a few trees we killed, putting
down loam and seed, sand for the sandbox, and a few raised bed gardens
to take the place of the old garden we moved a few trees into.

I took delivery of a police tactical handheld radio for use by the
school in case of dire emergency. This is part of our answer to new
recommendations that will become a mandate to have a school resource
officer at each of the District's schools. We used
EMPG funds to buy
digital upgradable radios for the new to us firetrucks. These were
matched by a $tab ATM appropriation which will cover installation and
moving a radio from the Dodge to the former Northfield truck. Highway
garage insulation will occur this summer. Binding quotes are due the end
of this week.

We got our Green Communities grant paperwork and are nearing the point
where some projects are approved including pioneering project for GC
WindCerts at Town Hall. Likely air sealing at Library won't be approved
giving the 77 year payback period for the investment. Thanks to Janice
Kurkoski are due.

The Fire Department needs a reserve fund request to cover repair to a
new to us truck. In fairness the estimate was for half. By the time I
saw the bill it was already six weeks old. Lacking the funds the work
should not have been ordered if we play be the reserve fund rules. I
worked with the accountant and in addition, the department looks like
they are further underwater to the tune of -$70 so need a $2117
transfer. Other requests in the hopper are $200 for town clerk and $318
to cover actual cost of Accountant software.

Diesel fuel contracted at $2.75 / gallon. Thanks to Andrea Woods for her
work to obtain this savings for Warwick and other FRCOG towns.