Font ResizeHALIFAX -- The Selectboard at its re-scheduled Thursday meeting appointed John LaFlamme and Ross Barnett as co-emergency management directors.
The board’s usual Tuesday night meeting had to be rescheduled due to the heavy snowfall and poor road conditions.
"We really want to focus on planning and administration and improving our readiness for all types of disaster," said Halifax Selectboard Chairwoman Edee Edwards.
The position that has been discussed at the past couple of Selectboard meetings was the Emergency Management Director. Edwards said the board wanted to make the best decision for this position. Applicants had been interviewed before the board made its final decision.
"We really want to thank people for their past service in these positions," Edwards said.
Several other positions were filled during Thursday’s meeting.
Sirean LaFlamme and Mark Gunkel were appointed to the two open positions on the Halifax Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustments.
Cara Cheyette was appointed as the representative to talk to Rescue Inc. on behalf of the town. Christina Moore had resigned from that position a few months ago.
"We had an absence to fill," said Edwards.
The Selectboard decided to send a letter to the Whitingham Selectboard to make plans for the upcoming meeting regarding the Whitingham Ambulance Service Inc. The board wanted to offer its assistance with "meeting
At the last Selectboard meeting, board members thought having a facilitator at the meeting with WASI and the Whitingham Selectboard would be in the best interest of both towns.
"We want to make sure everybody feels heard and everyone can contribute and participate," said Edwards. "We want to make sure everyone’s issues are addressed. We have a lot of commonalties too and we want to make sure we’re getting those captured."
The Halifax Selectboard also adopted new Highway and Bridge Codes and Standards, which were recommended by VTrans.
"(The codes and standards) are designed to give us the best policies for how to design our roads and also ensure that there is clarity on standards when building roads," said Edwards. "Adopting those policies helps the town get better matching state and federal funds for grants or during disasters."
Employees from the Halifax Highway Department came to the meeting on Thursday to discuss the Town Truck Ride-Along Policy, which will be brought up again at the next meeting.
"A lot of folks from the Highway Department talked about concerns on how we might implement that (policy) and how the Ride-Along Policy would come in to play," said Edwards. "We had a very good discussion."
Currently, in order for an employee of the Highway Department to be able ride with a passenger, the employee must be granted permission through confirmation from both the Halifax Road Crew and the Selectboard.
The Selectboard came to no resolutions, but heard from town employees on how the policy might be changed for the benefit of the town and its citizens.
"I think there were some good conversations about real life situations where having a passenger was seen as advantageous for certain scenarios," said Edwards. "At the same time, we want to make sure everyone is safe and understands that this is a work situation and everybody knows this. They want to make sure we’re aware of what conditions out there that may lend themselves to situations where a ride-along makes sense."
The Selectboard is currently moving forward on trying to get DSL Internet service at the Town Offices.
"It seems like a possibility now," said Edwards.
The Broadband Committee had done some testing of the satellites and found that connecting to a DSL service "should be faster" and the price for the service would be cheaper, too.
The Halifax Town Garage will be audited for energy efficiency. Selectboard members thought that it was a good time to do that because the board is "in the process of getting some bids in for repairing the roof."
The Town Garage has had leakage problems in recent years, since the building was constructed a few years ago.
Edwards mentioned that the board had told attendees about proper snow removal.
"People have to remember that it is a state law that they should not be leaving snow in the roadways," said Edwards. "I know we’re all pretty tired of shoveling and the snow and the winter. (People who are) privately plowing and (plowing) as a service need to make sure they don’t leave snow in the roadways."
A fine can be imposed upon anyone who leaves snow in the road, she said.
Chris Mays can be reached at 802-254-2311, ext. 273, or cmays@reformer.com. Follow Chris on Twitter @CMaysReformer.
