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Rutland Development and Industrial Commission
Meeting Minutes –5/25/2017
Community Hall Annex
Meeting opened at 6:32AM. Attending: Mike Sullivan, Doug Briggs, Mark O’Clair, Michele Van Reet, Dick Williams
Guests: Gary Kelleher, DPW; Margaret Nartowicz, Town Administrator; Karen Greenwood
- Review and approve past minutes.
- 4/27/2017 minutes were reviewed. A motion was made (Briggs) and seconded (O’Clair) to accept the minutes as amended. Unanimously approved.
- 5/6/2017 minutes were reviewed. A motion was made (Briggs) and seconded (Sullivan) to accept the minutes as amended. O’Clair abstained. Approved 4-0-1.
- Van Reet mentioned that we had a meeting scheduled for 2/28/2017 at 6:30AM and mentioned that she did not attend. She questioned whether there was a meeting or minutes from that meeting and it was determined that there was no meeting was held that day.
- Sullivan mentioned that he is concerned about the payment status for invoices for Kurt Leslie and Michele Van Reet given our financial situation due to lack of support at the Annual Town Meeting. It was determined that Mr. Leslie has been paid, but that Van Reet has not yet been paid. Margaret Nartowicz indicated that there is enough of a balance in the RDIC account to pay that bill.
- Van Reet presented that she has reviewed the RDIC meeting minutes to date and has not been able to find where there was a vote to not hold the public walk through at the property. Briggs asked if Van Reet found in the minutes that it was contingent on a walk through. Van Reet has documented that on 1/12/2017, a motion was made by Dufault and seconded by Van Reet to move forward with filing the permit and hold a public walk through information session with DCR and Kurt Leslie before making a final decision. That motion was approved unanimously following much discussion about trusting that this committee will follow through. Van Reet stated that the RDIC cannot tell me when the vote was taken to not hold the walk through and she can’t find it in any of the minutes.
In the subsequent meeting, which Van Reet did not attend, a motion was made and approved to move forward with the tree cutting as soon as possible. Van Reet contended that vote is fine but it’s not possible to do it without the public walk through. Sullivan insisted that the committee discussed this at a meeting and elected to move forward, he just doesn’t know why it didn’t get in the minutes. Van Reet questioned if members of the committee are having meetings without her based on these comments and the fact that she can’t find the vote in the minutes. Sullivan stated that they have never, ever, ever, ever had a meeting that has not been posted. Van Reet asked why they can’t produce the minutes stating that we wouldn’t hold the public walk
through. Sullivan suggested that it’s because whoever took the minutes didn’t put it in. Van Reet stated that she thinks this is a violation. Briggs asked “a violation of what?” to which Van Reet question that if a vote is not in the minutes, does it count? Van Reet confirmed that the committee voted to move forward as soon as possible, but it’s not possible yet because we did not have the public walk through. Sullivan stated that after the vote about the walk through, they voted to move forward as soon as possible and that vote supersedes the previous vote. Van Reet disagreed with that interpretation. Sullivan stated that at one meeting they decided to do something and the next meeting they decided to do something different. What’s wrong with that? Van Reet responded that Sullivan and Briggs keep saying that they voted to not hold the walk through but can’t produce the vote. Sullivan asked if Van Reet was
saying that they didn’t have a vote. Van Reet asked the committee to prove they had the vote.
Briggs made a motion to null and void their vote to have a walk through. No second was made.
Sullivan suggested they restate the motion to proceed as soon as possible.
Van Reet stated that she is going to file a complaint with the attorney general’s office because she’s done. Briggs asked if she’s resigned. Van Reet stated that she is not resigning at all and is asking for Briggs and Sullivan to resign.
- Town Meeting Article(s) –
- Solar possibilities at Rutland Heights – Sullivan received a notice from Margaret Nartowicz that the Heights is being considered with other town properties for a solar overlay district.
- Van Reet commented that Briggs has mentioned that several people have talked to him expressing interest in the Heights property, such as Mr. Mosio and Mr. Takala, and questioned why these interested parties have not come to our committee to discuss their ideas/concerns about developing on the property. Briggs reported that Mr. Takala is interested because he has property abutting the Heights and is concerned about the potential impact that development will have on his property. He’s interested in a health business up on the property. He would like to talk to Briggs about other possibilities on the property. Mr. Mosio is interested in buying land that abuts his property, but does not want to go through the RFP process.
- Van Reet also brought up the issue of changing our meeting time from 6:30AM. It has been discussed in the past, but has not yet happened. Sullivan asked when we would want to change the time of the meetings. He suggested that we change the meeting time to 6:00PM for a few meetings to see if people come and if not, we can consider coming back. Sullivan agreed to schedule our next meeting for 6:00PM.
The committee discussed various days that would work for members and potential meeting sites that would be available. He was going to try to post for a Monday or Tuesday at 6:00PM. Van Reet suggested that Sullivan check with members prior to posting the next meeting to ensure that all members would be available.
- Sullivan mentioned that he heard that Chris Stark has biking events scheduled in June at the Rutland Heights property. He would like Chris to notify the RDIC of all planned events to ensure that there isn’t an issue with availability/tree cutting. Sullivan asked Van Reet to contact Mr. Stark and have him get in touch with Mr. Sullivan.
- Sullivan also reported that the Sheriff’s department would not be able to help us remove the fence at the property due to safety issues. Van Reet suggested contacting Bay Path, but Briggs and Sullivan agreed that it would not be an appropriate project for them – they build things, not removal.
- 5:45PM on 5/6/2017 at Glenwood Elementary School (prior to Special Town Meeting).
- Monday, May 8 at 6:00PM at the Community Hall Annex.
- Sullivan motioned to adjourn. O’Clair seconded. Unanimously adjourned at 7:29AM.
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