Springfield Select Board meeting - 03/26/12

Blessing Of The Bikers permit... Town energy meeting scheduled... LED streetlights update... Town appointments... Emergency Operations Plans updated... business licenses approved.
http://www.vermontjournal.com/content/blessing-bikers-return-springfield

Blessing Of The Bikers To Return to Springfield
Submitted by VT Journal on Wed, 03/28/2012 - 9:32am
By
Cindy Johnson



SPRINGFIELD, VT -Calvary Baptist Church received its permit from the Springfield Select Board Monday night for the 4th annual Blessing Of The Bikers. Over a hundred bikers, both children and adults, and their bikes have attended the service and cookout at the church at 156 Main Street. Attendees may even wear leather.

Town Energy Coordinator John Pugh addressed the Board and offered an invitation to attend an hour and a half talk by Weston Solutions’ Dan Ingold on the history of district energy systems similar to the one in Hanover, NH. The meeting will be at the Springfield Town Hall, Tuesday, April 17 at 7 p.m. The town energy committee felt that some information concerning the thermal loop for the proposed biomass plant in North Springfield had been touched on at the public hearings, but residents needed greater detail on the subject. If the meeting generates interest more informational meetings will be planned with Weston Solutions.

The Springfield Parks & Recreation 2012 Spring Brochure and Summer Preview, the Springfield Police Department Monthly Report of February 2012, the Springfield Regional Development Corporation Reports of January 24, 2012 and February 28, 2012 and the Springfield Senior Center Newsletter for March 2012 are available at the town manager’s office for public viewing.

Town Manager Bob Forguites gave a streetlight update to the Board. Efficiency Vermont has agreed to pay Central Vermont (CV) $20,189.26 for the unappreciated value of the town’s currently leased streetlights. Switching the town’s streetlights to LED will save approximately $26,000. The first lights to be replaced are on a circuit of about 15 lights in the Southern section of town. No timeline has been set for those replacements, but Mr. Forguites expects that all CV owned lights would be replaced by the end of this year. Lighting in the downtown is not leased from CV, and Mr. Forguites recommended that usage in town-owned areas be reviewed. Board Chairman Kristi Morris pointed out that the new lights will be more effective so fewer lights will likely be required to maintain current or brighter light levels. Board members Michael Knoras and David Yesman formed a sub-committee to update current guidelines, which have been in place since 1984, for street light usage in high traffic areas and intersections. Board member Peter MacGillivray questioned whether the new LED lights would contribute to light pollution. Mr. Pugh responded that the new LED lights would shine down rather than up. Mr. Pugh stated that if streetlights are out, residents should report the outages.

The Basic Emergency Operations Plans were updated on March 16, 2012. In an emergency the operation plans will be broadcast on SAPA-TV and on the radio. In a power outage emergency rescue personal will broadcast door-to-door.

Town appointments are as follows---Airport Commission (3 year term) Peter MacGillivray and Michael Knoras; Downtown Design Commission (3 year term) Elsie Putnam; Chamber of Commerce (1 year term) Ex-Officio Appointment- Robert Forguites; Development Review Board (3 year term) Steve Kraft, Mark Wilson (filled the term of Donald Napsey), Wilbur Horton, Jr., and alternate Donald Barrett; Energy Co-Coordinators (1 year term) Mary Ann Remolador and John Pugh; Fence Viewers (1year term) Richard Moore, James Tucker, and Keith Ferguson; Springfield Housing (5 year term) Sherry Hatt; Meals on Wheels (1year term) David Rorison; Planning Commission (4 year term) Joseph V. Wilson and Mark Wilson; Springfield on the Move (1year term as Board of Selectmen Liaison) Stephanie Gibson; Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District (1 year term) Forrest Randall with Alternate Mark Blanchard; Springfield Regional Development Corporation (1 year term as Board of Selectmen Liaison) Kristi Morris; Surveyor of Wood and Lumber (1 year term) Richard Moore, James Tucker, and Keith Ferguson; Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission (1 year term) Donald Barrett, Representative; Town Service Officer (1 year term) Stephanie Gibson; Transportation Advisory Committee (1 year term) Kristi Morris; Tree Warden (1 year term) Mark Blanchard; Weigher of Coal (1 year term) Mark Blanchard.

William Kearns was approved by the Board as a signature authority for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program.

Approved were a first class club license for Springfield Elks Club #1560 doing business as Springfield Elks Club #1560; a first class hotel license for Windsor Partners, LLC doing business as Windsor Partners, LLC with an outside consumption permit for Windsor Partners, LLC doing business as Hartness House. Approved also were first class restaurant licenses for Chavella, LLC doing business as Chavella, LLC; JDS, Inc. doing business as 56 Main Street Restaurant; Oriental Palace Restaurant, Inc. doing business as Oriental Palace Restaurant; Springfield Village Pizza, Inc. doing business as Springfield Village Pizza, Inc.; Stoddard Enterprises, LLC doing business as Stoddard Enterprises, LLC with an outside consumption permit for Stoddard Enterprises, LLC; and The Subway, Inc. doing business as The Subway. Second class licenses were approved for Annis Equities, Inc. doing business as Black River Kwik Stop; John Joseph Jasinski doing business as Jasinski’s Park St. Market; and Midway Oil Corporation doing business as North Springfield Mobil. Also approved were tobacco licenses for Annis Equities, Inc. doing business as Black River Kwik Stop; John Joseph Jasinski doing business as Jasinski’s Park St. Market; and Midway Oil Corporation doing business as North Springfield Mobil.