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.