Select board to resume in-person meetings next month
CASTLETON — The Select Board here met via Zoom for the last time Monday night.
Board member Joe Mark announced he had received his second vaccination and would be ready to join the board in-person at the fire station for the next meeting April 12.
Board member Richard Combs agreed, saying he would be ready to join fellow board members as well at the next socially distant meeting.
The decision stems from the new meeting and training criteria passed down from the Department of Public Safety to Town Manager Mike Jones.
“I’ve spoken to the (fire) chief about resuming training and meetings as long as the guidelines are followed and they want to start as soon as Wednesday of this week with some classroom-type training,” Jones said.
Combs then brought up the issue of the March 22 revision of the Castleton COVID-19 Safety and Health Work plan.
Jones provided the revised copies of the plan to the board members, however not all members had the opportunity to review the document.
Chairman Jim Leamy suggested the matter be tabled until the next meeting.
“I think it would probably be wise to wait until the next meeting so that everyone has a chance to read it,” Leamy said.
Combs again interjected about the time sensitivity of the matter.
“I have to ask the town manager if not acting on this today would create any problems in the next three weeks before the meeting,” he said.
Jones responded by detailing what would be postponed if the matter was not addressed.
“It will impact us lifting some of the restrictions of Town Office operations. This would allow two people to be in the lobby, so you would no longer have to make an appointment to come in. I recommend April 1 for that as well as, if there are people who have been vaccinated and working in the same office, and it’s just them in the room, they should, by the current guidance, not have to wear a facial covering,” Jones explained.
The matter was ultimately tabled until April 12 to allow all members to review the changes.
In other news:
Police Chief Peter Mantello joined the meeting to report a slight increase in domestic dispute and mental health calls during the months of February and March. Also, Mantello mentioned an uptick in calls to assist the Castleton University public safety officers with medical emergencies at the college.
A memorandum of understanding for the maintenance of the Castleton Free Library was signed. Nancy Mark explained that the library board is applying for a 1772 grant from Preservation Trust that would help the library repair the chimneys. The grant requires that the library is responsible for maintenance of the building and grounds despite being under town ownership, which this memorandum now outlines.
The board expressed the need for more first-responder volunteers. The town is operating with fewer than 10, according to Mantello. Students in town are encouraged to volunteer and sign up for the EMS training.
