HYBRID MEETING … Holiday City Clerk Laurie Rupp in person with Solicitor Cara Wall on the Zoom app are seen as part of what is becoming more common in government meetings. Rupp was explaining some information sheets which she had given out to council as there are so many newer members on their council. (PHOTO BY REBECCA MILLER, STAFF)
By: Rebecca Miller
During the Administrator’s Report at the December 17, 2020 Holiday City Village Council meeting, Gary Baker informed council that a resident has asked if they can put up solar panels. The village purchases and provides the electricity for all of Holiday City, so they would be a customer.
Baker explained to council that there is a federal regulation that the village needs to be able to allow this, but that at this time they do not have any regulations, pricing or schedule to respond to the customer. Council agreed they need to address it, so Baker said he would let the customer know it will be dealt with in the new year.
Utilities Committee, which is made up of Sean Rupp and Shawn Clark, will look over the information and assist Baker in determining the route to take on this subject.
Also in his report, Baker updated council concerning:
•Storm basin – the village have gotten a permit from the turnpike and because the project estimated cost is $20,000 (less than $50,000) they do not need to advertise. He has gotten an email from on of at least seven contractors who have been alerted to the job. Bids will be opened on January 13, 2021.
•AMP – A meeting was held via teleconference with AMP and the power suppliers, and as their estimates have been consistently under what the village thought they would use this year, the costs will stay close to where they were before, at $29 per megawatt.
•Possibility of Residential Growth – The option has been signed for the piece of property which the village hopes to purchase; Baker met with Feeler Finch Associates and the preliminary layout work is done. He plans to have more to show at the next meeting. Presently they are waiting for the word from Montpelier as to whether they can hook up a residential area of 150 lots, to the water and sewer.
He also called the company that did the village’s substation and got pricing on getting power run to the site. There has been some preliminary interest already shown on building there. There was some discussion on what to do if Montpelier denies them the ability to use their system, but it was determined to wait and see if they agree or not.
In regular business, council voted to approve:
•Minutes from previous meeting
•Payment of Bills
•Mayor’s report that the village received Police reports for June through November 2020, and that she attended the WC Mayor’s Association meeting on teleconference.
•Ordinance 2020-4 Regarding Compensation (Third Reading) with council members Sean and Tyler Rupp recused for discussion and vote
•Resolution R-2020-13 Authorizing four Then and Now Purchase orders (and declaring it an emergency)
•Resolution R-2020-14 Authorizing an advance of $44,428.85 from General Fund 1000 to Debt Service fund Account, Fund 3902 (and declaring it an emergency) for second of two payments on a loan
Clerk/Treasurer Laurie Rupp reported that the village’s balance for November, when balanced was $4,037,080.34. She also updated on investments. She presented copies of some standard information to each council member.
She recommended keeping them in the front of their notebooks as it is standard info they will need to use, including what is allowed for emergency measures, what constitutes a record, and what topics are allowed to be taken into Executive Session.
The meeting which began at 7:07 adjourned at 7:57.
Rebecca can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com