Killington Board Names Officers at Quiet Meeting

Vermont Standard

3/23/17 

By Curt Peterson

Standard Correspondent

Attendance was back to normal at Tuesday evening’s Killington Select Board meeting – other than Chet Hagenbarth, who was there to discuss Highway Department truck transactions, only the selectmen, the town manager and reporters were in attendance, a far cry from early March’s Pre-Town Meeting where repeal of the 1 percent retail sales options tax was hammered out.

Select Board chair Patty McGrath was re-elected by her peers, and most appointments were approved en masse by re-appointment.

Hagenbarth cautioned the selectmen to pay attention to appointment of the Tree Warden.

Although it appears the statute governing the appointment, authority and duties of town tree wardens has not been updated since 1969, Hagenbarth has been told that the job description has been recently redefined. He recommends the selectman choose someone who has forestry knowledge, who would be good at negotiating with property owners and loggers, who will be willing to undergo mandatory training, and who will be willing to hold hearings regarding the removal of healthy shade trees.

“The job has become more complicated and demanding,” he said, “and you may have to think about adding a stipend to it.”

Hagenbarth’s other issue involves purchasing two new dump trucks for the town. Along with a written presentation, the Highway Foreman said he is recommending keeping an older 2009 Mack truck that has low mileage and gives the Department little or no trouble, and trading in two newer Internationals that have been high-maintenance.

He said he has gotten bids from three vendors, dealing in Western Star, Freightliner and Mack vehicles, and he is recommending the town invest the small additional cost to purchase all trucks in the future with 4-wheel drive.

“When we go to trade them in, no one wants a two-wheel-drive so the town gets a very low trade-in value,” he said.

Hagenbarth’s first proposal is a large Mack for $185,850 from Sheldon Trucks in Williston. With a trade-in credit of $35,000 the annual payment at 3.5 percent interest would be $30,232.

The second truck is a smaller Freightliner from Patriot Trucks in Westminster with a price of $152,290 and an annual payment of $24,672 after trade credit of $30,000.

According to Hagenbarth the total cost of these trucks is within the budgeted amount. After the Board unanimously approved both of his proposed purchases, he advised that he had arranged to take delivery in August, after the first tax bills go out, to avoid straining the town’s cash flow.