Brookfield, Vermont

BROOKFIELD PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Draft Minutes

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 21, 2019, 5:30 PM

BROOKFIELD TOWN OFFICE,

40 RALPH ROAD, BROOKFIELD, VT

Mike Stoddard, Stuart Edson, Michael Rutkovsky and Lew Stowell and LT Barbara Kessler, VSP, Guest. Teresa Godfrey, James Godfrey, Robert Godfrey, Richard Pecor JR, Ron Lovejoy, Erik Nielsen, Lynn Lampson, Carl Bushey, Gene Parent, Evangeline Parent and Mike Lefebvre, Members of the Public.

1. Review and Approve Minutes of July 24, 2019. Approved unanimously.
2. Questions or Issues Brought by Members of the Public. Eleven residents of the Northfield Roadpresented safety concerns about truck and large agricultural vehicle traffic on Northfield Road.  They stated that there was a high volume of vehicles exceeding the 24,000 pound weight limit, traveling very fast, making considerable noise, often so wide it was unsafe to meet them and causing a great deal of dust.  There was also concern expressed about the odor of the liquid manure being spread and the lack of covers on trucks carrying harvested forage and crushed stone.  James Godfrey provided photos of vehicles causing them distress and of repairs that needed to be made on the Northfield Road.  A State Trooper had told James Godfrey that the Brookfield weight limits were not posted on the VTrans website and were therefore unenforceable.  LT Kessler recommended that the committee contact the DMV truck unit (LT Giolito) for enforcement of truck weight issues and clarification of laws.  L Stowell will contact DMV.  Efforts by residents to request safer and better behavior of the equipment operators and owners have been so far unsuccessful.  L Stowell stated that the town ordinance specifies 35 MPH but that there were no signs currently posted.  He promised to contact R Peck to see the status of speed sign replacement.  Committee members encouraged the residents to attend a future Select Board Meeting and promised to send recommendations to the Select Board.
3. Review of Radar Speed Cart Deployments.  Three deployments, Route 65 near the Post Office, Route 14 in East Brookfield and Stone Road at the I-89 emergency entrance were discussed.  Drive times had a significant number of speeders and were more likely for enforcement efforts. 
4. GUEST: VSP LT Barbara Kessler, Station Commander, Royalton Barracks.  Lt Kessler explained the VSP statewide and at her barracks was experiencing a shortage of personnel.  At this time accidents and other emergencies often meant that there were not many troopers to patrol rural towns.  However, the Speed Cart data was helpful and She would urge patrols on roads where Speed Cart data suggested excessive speed.  She also promised to send information on legal requirements for pedestrians for the safety message.  She suggested that the committee look into walking paths.
5.  Continuing Review of OCSD Activities, Reports and Bills.  OCSD has increased the patrol hour rate from $46 to $47.  This Summer patrol hours have increased as requested.  June had 37 hours and July had 31.5.
6. Continuing Review of Parking & Law Enforcement on Brookfield Roads.  The survey of the Stone Road Town ROW is proceeding.  The parking sign at the East end of the Floating Bridge has disappeared.  Cars are parking illegally.  Some thought will be given to a noise ordinance.
7. E-911 Sign and Traffic Sign Status.  The new price for E-911 signs from Vermont Correctional Industries is $5.25 which includes shipping to the town office.  The order form for Brookfield property owners to buy signs will go out with the tax bills soon.  Persons wanting to have their signs shipped instead of picking them up at the Town Office will incur an additional shipping charge
8. Emerald Ash Borer Progress.  Inquiries to GMP and WEC for joint efforts are being made.
9. Public Safety Advisory Committee Website Use. Efforts are continuing.
10. September Public Safety Message. There was discussion of the draft and S Edson will review the draft and make suggestions.
11. Setting the Next Meeting:  September 25, 2019
12. Inviting Guests to the Next Meeting.  L Stowell will see if LT Giolito, DMV Truck Team, or one of his officers is available to attend as a guest.
13. Adjournment. Was at 7:10 PM.

BROOKFIELD PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

(unapproved minutes)

WEDNESDAY JULY 24, 2019, 5:30 PM

BROOKFIELD TOWN OFFICE,

40 RALPH ROAD, BROOKFIELD, VT

Mike Stoddard, Stuart Edson, Michael Rutkovsky and Lew Stowell and William Bohnyak, Orange County Sheriff, Guest.

1. Review and Approve Minutes of June 19, 2019.  Approved unanimously.
2. GUEST: Orange County Sheriff William Bohnyak outlined his plans to more fully provide patrol and response coverage according to the Brookfield contract in FY 2020.  He pointed out that they provided 37 hours of patrols in June, have a good start already in July and will continue to provide more hours during the Summer months and use the resources provided in FY 2020.
3. Questions or Issues Brought by Members of the Public.The email from Gene & Evangeline Parent about speeding was read and discussed along with the fact that Lt Clouatre, OCSD has contacted the Parents and efforts to reduce speeding on Northfield Road are underway.
4. Continuing Review of OCSD Activities, Reports and Bills. The OCSD completed 64.78% of the $12,000 FY 2019 contract.
5. Review of Radar Speed Cart Deployments in 2019. LT Clouatre is following the 2019 Speed Cart Plan and has had three deployments already: Brookfield Elementary School, Pond Village and Route 65 near the Post Office.  A common thread among all three is excessive speed.  Patrols are alert to this trend.  L Stowell to send speeding locations to The VSP in Royalton.
6.  Continuing Review of Parking & Law Enforcement on Brookfield Roads. It was noted that The Select Board has selected a surveyor to determine the town ROW on Stone Road.
7. Public Safety Developments: There is a new alerting platform being rolled out in Orange County in the Fall.  L. Stowell will obtain more information.
8. Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)Progress.  It was voted to designate an EAB Subcommittee consisting of both Public Safety Committee Members and non-members to plan and implement strategies to mitigate the effects of  the spread of the EAB in conjunction with town officials such as the Town Forester and Road Foreman/Tree Warden.  The Sub Committee will keep the Public Safety Committee informed of progress.
9. E-911 Sign and Traffic Sign Status. There are 7 individuals wishing to order signs now.  Order forms will be sent out in the tax bills to encourage further orders.  Brookfield property owners wishing to order for non-Brookfield property owners will be provided another choice.  L Stowell will send the E911 Sign Order Form to T Godfrey and W Bohnyak. L Stowell to contact Vermont Correctional Industries (VCI) about the shipping costs bill.
10. Public Safety Advisory Committee Website Use.  Interest in Statistics was continued.
11. August Public Safety Message. L Stowell to submit to S Edson for the website and to Front Porch Forum for publication.  Committee group email to be displayed for comments.
12. Setting the Next Meeting. August 21, 2019
13. Inviting Guests to the Next Meeting. L Stowell to invite LT Barbara Kessler, VSP
14. Adjournment.  7:02 PM

BROOKFIELD PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY JUNE 19, 2019, 5:30 PM
BROOKFIELD TOWN OFFICE,
40 RALPH ROAD, BROOKFIELD, VT

UNAPPROVED MINUTES

The following members attended: Dan Mason, Mike Stoddard, Stuart Edson, Michael Rutkovsky and Lew Stowell with Kate Forrer, Town Forester and Russ Barrett, Northfield Tree Warden, Guest

1. Review and Approve Minutes of May 22, 2019. Approved unanimously.

2. Questions or Issues Brought by Members of the Public. No members of the public attended.

3. GUEST: Russ Barrett-Developing and implementing the Draft Emerald Ash Borer Threat Plan. Russ explained how Northfield got into removing trees from the Town ROW. The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) had not been discovered four years ago when Northfield began clearing the Town ROWs. It was led by the Town Highway Foreman, Trent Tucker as a means of making the rural roads more passable in bad weather and easier to maintain. The removal of trees in the Town ROW was just the first step. Once the trees had been removed, the stumps and debris were also removed, ditches installed or improved and the shoulders of the road final graded. Almost all of the property owners agreed to have all of their trees harvested by Limlaw Chipping & Land Clearing Inc. Limlaw provided the service free of charge in exchange for the chips which they sell to wood fired heating plants. Limlaw removed the trees during periods when they could not get into the woods because of wet or unfrozen ground. Many land owners were eager to see their roads improved. All species of trees were removed, not just Ash trees. The Select Board held several open meetings to obtain agreement and Mr. Tucker and Russ visited each land owner, some more than once. The priority of improving the ROW was based upon the road condition, worst first. The committee thanked Russ for his presentation.

4. Select Board Meeting of June 10, 2019. L Stowell related the results of his presentation of the status report to the Select Board.

5. Continuing Review of OCSD Activities, Reports and Bills. The OCSD bill and report had not been received for May so there were no updates.

6. Continuing Review of Parking and Law Enforcement on Brookfield Roads. The sketch of the parking area was discussed and it was noted that J Benson has volunteered to plan the layout of an improved parking area this Summer.

7. Review of Radar Speed Cart Deployments in 2019. The Speed Cart has been deployed in Brookfield this Spring but no data from those deployments has been provided yet by OCSD.

8. E-911 Sign and Traffic Sign Status. A few E911 signs have not been picked up yet. A number of people have expressed interest in E911 signs in the next bulk purchase of signs.

9. Public Safety Advisory Committee Website Use. S. Edson to check on progress.

10. July Public Safety Message. Several ideas were suggested and L. Stowell will form them into a safety message with assistance from OCSD.

11. Setting the Next Meeting. July 24, 2019

12. Inviting Guests to the Next Meeting. Sheriff William Bohnyak will be invited.

13. Adjournment. At 6:49 PM.