M E E T I N G   N O T I C E
BENNINGTON SELECT BOARD
Monday, July 24, 2017
Bennington Fire Facility
Multi-Purpose Room – 3^rd Floor
130 River Street
Bennington, VT 05201

A G E N D A
6:00 PM

1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Consent Agenda (6:00 PM – 6:05 PM)
A. Minutes – July 10, 2017
B. Warrants
C. Second Class Liquor License Application–Beshara’s 99 Cents & Up
3. Citizens (6:05 PM – 6:20 PM) – sign- up sheet provided
4. Bennington Oral Health Coalition Presentation (6:20 PM – 6:40 PM)
5. Plantation Lot Sale Proposal (6:40 PM – 6:50 PM)
6. Encore Redevelopment (Former Landfill Solar Farm)(6:50 PM – 7:20 PM)
7. Hazard Mitigation Plan Review (7:20 PM – 7:30 PM)
8. Set Tax Rates (7:30 PM – 7:40 PM)
9. Manager’s Report (7:45 PM – 7:55 PM)
10. Other Business (7:55 PM – 8:05 PM)
11. Executive Session
A.Litigation

Town of Bennington Project List

Week of July 24 – 28, 2017

Construction Notice: DEWEY STREET PARTIAL CLOSURE

Please be advised Dewey Street will be closed to through traffic between Monument Avenue and Blackberry Lane (only).  A private contractor will be cleaning up construction debris and paving this section. Local traffic only will be accommodated Monday through Friday from 7:00am to 5:00pm

Berard Street will be Closed Wednesday through Friday.  Highway Crews will be installing drainage, subbase and new pavement.

Division Street will be Closed to through traffic all week.  Local traffic will be accommodated.  Water crews will be replacing valves in preparation for paving.  Men and equipment will be in the roadway.  Please find alternate route.

Harrison Avenue & Imperial Avenue: Roads will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday 6:30am – 3:00pm to through traffic.  Local traffic will be accommodated.  Highway & Sewer Crews will be working on both Harrison Avenue & Imperial Avenue rebuilding manholes and storm drains in preparation for paving this summer.  Please find alternate route.  Men & equipment will be in the roadway.  Please use caution.

Jefferson Avenue, Jefferson Heights, Stonedhedge Drive, Greenview Drive: A Private Contractor will be paving all of the above-mentioned areas and side streets.  Lane restrictions will be in place; Men & equipment will be in the roadway.  Please use caution.

Rice Lane – will be Closed to through traffic; Local traffic will be accommodated.  The Highway crew will be replacing culverts in preparation for paving.  Please find alternate route.  Local traffic should use caution when approaching as men and equipment will be in the roadway.

Townwide Work:

Roadside mowing, tree trimming and weeding also will continue in numerous areas in Bennington.  Please use caution when approaching these areas and leave plenty of room for the tractor and men or equipment on side of the road.

Reminder:

Please DO NOT rake or blow grass and/or leaves into Town streets or Highways as these clogs storm drains and creates flooding and driving hazards for the entire community.

Residents and Contractors – Please make sure all loads are covered when taking leaves and or brush to the transfer station.

ALL ABOUT TOWN

Stuart A. Hurd, Town Manager

At its first meeting in July, the Select Board voted to select the Charter Review Committee members. They are Jon Cohen, Robert Ebert, Lynn Green, Michael Keane, Dan Malmborg, Sean Marie Oller, and Bob Plunkett. The Select Board has not yet worked out its charge to the Committee. The Committee will elect its own Chair. The Town will supply a secretary and handle all meeting notices, postings, etc.

The Committee will meet soon to organize and begin its work.

The work on the development of a Tax Increment Financing District (TIF) has begun in earnest. Dan Monks and Michael McDonough are handling the lion’s share of the staff effort. Working with the consulting firm, White and Burke, we must identify the boundaries of the District, identify potential developments, identify infrastructure and its estimated cost, and analyze the potential Grand List growth. The formal Letter of Intent was signed by the Chair and the Manager and mailed today. Under current legislation, once the District is identified and an application for a TIF District developed, it must be presented to the Vermont Economic Progress Council (VEPC). It is important in this process that the community understand the impacts of the District and that the viability of the District can be shown to VEPC. I am told the process and review are rigorous and detailed. Once approved by VEPC, the Town must seek approval from the voters. The approval sought is to allow the Town to incur debt for the identified infrastructure improvements, roads, lighting, sidewalks, storm sewers, parking, etc., which will then stimulate development in the District. The debt incurred is then paid off utilizing the tax revenue generated by the incremental increase in the Grand List resulting from the new development within the District. There is no impact on the taxpayers because the TIF allows the Town to use increased education tax revenue that would normally flow to the State to pay off local bonds.

The negotiations between Saint-Gobain and the State continue. There continues to be positive movement towards a resolution for those wells contaminated and located west of the railroad tracks that run to North Bennington from Bennington. That is the good news. For those properties east of the tracks, Saint-Gobain is preparing a plan to test soils, surface waters, and subsurface waters to identify to its satisfaction the source of PFOA in this area. The Town is awaiting a final review of those plans by the State and EPA before signing on.

We continue to move forward with necessary work at the Wastewater Treatment Facility to get ready for the bond vote in October. The plans are at the 90% stage. The focus of our efforts will be on replacing the RBC’s, a new pre-screening facility to remove debris at the Headworks, upgrading the anaerobic digestion by upgrading both the Primary and Secondary Digesters, and Control Building upgrades including a small addition and electrical work. We hope to unveil the plans and cost estimates very soon to get the community behind this very necessary project.

I am pleased to announce that we have hired a new Community Development Director. She is Zirwat Chowdhury, a Bennington resident, with an impeccable educational background in economics and art history. She will begin her tenure with the Town on July 31, 2017. I am also pleased that our current interim Director, Michael McDonough, will stay on in a contract capacity to continue work on several very important projects including the TIF District application and the Request for Proposals on the two highway garages once our new Public Works Facility can be occupied.

Remember, if anyone has any questions or suggestions arising from this column or on any town matters, please contact me at 442-1037 or stop in at the Town Offices on South Street.

Stuart Hurd is Bennington’s Town Manager. He writes a monthly column on town issues.

M E E T I N G   N O T I C E

TOWN OF BENNINGTON
CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE
Friday, July 21, 2017

Bennington Town Office – Conference Room
205 South Street
Bennington, VT 05201

A G E N D A

12:00 NOON

1. Introductions & Organization of Committee
2. Determine Method of Public Communication
3. Establish Meeting Dates & Times
   Including Possible Forums & Hearings
4. Information the Committee May Want to Gather
5. Resources Available to Committee
6. Other Business

Town of Bennington Project List

Week of July 17 – 21, 2017

 Bank Street (Bennington): Bank Street will be CLOSED to through traffic Wednesday 6:30am-3:00pm so Highway crews may repair storm damage on Bank Street (Bennington).  Local traffic will be accommodated. Please find alternate route during those hours.

 Grant Street: Sewer Crews will be rebuilding Manholes.  Lane restrictions will be in place.  Men & equipment will be in the roadway.  Please use caution.

 Harrison Avenue & Imperial Avenue: Highway & Sewer Crews will be working on both Harrison Avenue & Imperial Avenue rebuilding manholes and storm drains in preparation for paving this summer.  Lane restrictions will be in place; Men & equipment will be in the roadway.  Please use caution.

Jefferson Avenue, Jefferson Heights, Stonehedge Drive, Crestwood Drive Greenview Drive Prospect Street (West): Water & Sewer Crews will be working on of the above-mentioned areas rebuilding manholes and storm drains in preparation for paving.  A private contract MAY begin paving mid-week.  Lane restrictions will be in place; Men & equipment will be in the roadway.  Please use caution.

Mt. Anthony Road: Damage Repairs – The Highway crew will be finishing repairs due to recent storm.  Please use caution when approaching as men and equipment will be in the roadway.  Gravel will be spread in numerous locations along Mt. Anthony Road.

Orebed Road – A private contractor will finish paving Orebed road

Townwide Work:

Crews will continue to repair storm damaged roads across town.  Please yield to traffic and use caution when approaching these areas.

Roadside mowing, tree trimming and weeding also will continue in numerous areas in Bennington.  Please use caution when approaching these areas and leave plenty of room for the tractor and men or equipment on side of the road.

Reminder:

Please DO NOT rake or blow grass and/or leaves into Town streets or Highways as these clogs storm drains and creates flooding and driving hazards for the entire community.

 Residents and Contractors – Please make sure all loads are covered when taking leaves and or brush to the transfer station.

M E E T I N G   N O T I C E
BENNINGTON SELECT BOARD
Monday, July 10, 2017
Bennington Fire Facility
130 River Street
Bennington, VT 05201

2nd Floor Conference Room
5:30 PM – 6:00 PM

1. Executive Session
   A. Charter Application Review Interviews (5:30 PM – 6:00 PM)

Multi-Purpose Room – 3^rd Floor
A G E N D A
6:00 PM
1.  Pledge of Allegiance
2. Consent Agenda (6:00 PM – 6:05 PM)
A. Minutes – June 26, 2017
Minutes – June 27, 2017
B. Warrants
3. Citizens (6:05 PM – 6:20 PM)- sign-up sheet provided
4. Apple Hill / Chelsea Solar Projects (6:20 PM – 7:20 PM)
5. Maplewood Subdivision – Road Acceptance Questions (7:20 PM – 7:40 PM)
6. Charter Review Committee Appointments (7:40 PM – 7:50 PM)
7.  DPW Facility Bond Bank Sale (7:50 PM – 8:05 PM)
8.  Manager’s Report (8:05 PM – 8:15 PM)
9. Other Business (8:15 PM – 8:30 PM)

The Bennington Select Board Meeting of Wednesday, July 5, 2017
has been canceled and rescheduled for Monday, July 10, 2017 at 5:30.

Town of Bennington
BOARD OF CIVIL AUTHORITY

Town Clerk’s Office
205 South Street, Bennington, VT

Wednesday July 12, 2017

5:00 PM

 Agenda
1. Assessment Grievances

Please find the link below for Chelsea Solar and Apple Hill Solar plan sets as they were presented
at the Bennington Select Board Meeting on June 26, 2017:

Revised

M E E T I N G   N O T I C E
BENNINGTON SELECT BOARD
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Bennington Town Office
Conference Room
205 South Street
Bennington, VT 05201

AGENDA

5:15 PM

1.  Executive Session
   A. Charter Application Review Interview