VERMONT LEAGUE OF CITIES AND TOWNS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Thursday, April 21, 2022
MINUTES
VLCT Board Members Present (in person): President Jessie Baker, Bill Fraser, Mary Ann Goulette, Ken Linsley, Miro Weinberger, Georgette Wolf-Ludwig, and Lucrecia Wonsor. (via zoom) Julie Hance, Charlie Hancock, George Putnam.
VLCT Staff Present (in person): Executive Director Ted Brady, Jessi Hill, Karen Horn, (via zoom) Elena Esteban, Abby Friedman, Linda Mahns, and Gwynn Zakov.
Agenda Item #1: Call to order by the President
President Jessie Baker called the meeting to order at 12:21 p.m.
Agenda Item #2: Additions and Deletions to the Agenda
Jessie Baker asked if there were additions or deletions or a motion to approve the agenda as is. Mary Ann Goulette made a motion to accept the agenda as is. Ken Linsley seconded the motion. The agenda was adopted unanimously.
Agenda Item #3: Consent Agenda
The consent agenda, including the minutes from March 17, 2022, April 5, 2022, and the Personnel Report for April was motioned to approve by Lucrecia Wonsor and seconded by Georgette Wolf-Ludwig. Approved unanimously.
Agenda Item #4: Organizational Update
Ted Brady gave an overview of the Organization Update including the Association Management System, Risk Management Services, Office Space Update, Internship Program, Equity Committee, Town Officers Training Series, Database Update / New Member Welcome, 2022 Member Guide, and various VLCT in the News for March and April. Board members offered positive feedback to keep receiving more VLCT News in these updates.
Agenda Item #5: Appoint Board Members
Jessie Baker introduced this agenda item and asked Ted Brady to provide summary from the VLCT Nominating Committee. Ted Brady stated the Nominating Committee met on April 5th to go over the 4 nominations and came to the consensus to invite the Board to appoint Mayor David Allaire (Rutland City) and Anne Lawless (Wheelock) to the VLCT Board. Bill Fraser made that motion and Lucrecia Wonsor seconded. Approved unanimously.
Agenda Item #6: VLCT Equity Committee Members
Jessie Baker introduced this item and asked Ted Brady to provide the report summary from the VLCT Equity Nominating Committee. Ted Brady stated the Equity Nominating Committee met on April 4th to review the 5 nominations and came to the consensus to invite the Board to appoint Cate Cross (Shelburne), Alyssa Johnson (Waterbury), Charles Keir (Brattleboro), Kathleen Ramsay (Middlebury), Donna Toneattie (Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi) to the VLCT Equity Committee. Mary Ann Goulette made the motion and Georgette Wolf-Ludwig seconded. Approved unanimously.
Agenda Item #7: How VLCT Serves Local Elected Officials (Including Clerks)
Lucrecia Wonsor and Georgette Wolf-Ludwig summarized a recent dispute between a clerk and a selectboard in Fair Haven that highlighted the difficulty VLCT sometimes has serving co-equal local officials when disputes arise. Specifically, Lucrecia and Georgette explained that the clerk in this instance was unsatisfied with the assistance provided by the VLCT Municipal Inquiry Service. Abby Friedman and Ted reminded the Board of the existing Municipal Inquiry Service Policy that outlines how inquiries are handled, the complexities of providing legal services due to ethics and professional standards, and previous legal opinions that define the municipality’s governing board as our client. Lucrecia and Georgette thanked Ted and Abby for arranging a meeting between VLCT and the Vermont Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Association to discuss how VLCT and VMCTA could work together to provide more robust services to clerks and treasurers. Georgette said that meeting led to a plan for VLCT and VMCTA to work together to help clerks meet their educational needs, better orient clerks and treasurers to the robust services VLCT offers them (in addition to the Municipal Inquiry Service), and re-evaluate the VLCT Municipal Inquiry Service policy to ensure it is current, up-to date, and easy to understand. Jessie Baker requested that the Board spend time reviewing the Municipal Inquiry Service policy at a future Board meeting.
Agenda Item #8: Break
A break occurred from 1:25 – 1:33 pm.
Agenda Item #9: Legislative Update
Karen Horn and Gwynn Zakov led a discussion and updates on VLCT priorities and concerns as the legislative session progresses including H.740, S. 287, S.210, S.226, Vermont Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Program, H.159, H.736, S.234, H.492, S. 254, the $1.2 trillion infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the expansion of VLCT’s ARPA Assistance and Coordination Program.
Agenda Item #10: Executive Session to Review Executive Director Compensation and Benefits
Jessie Baker asked for a motion to move into executive session to review the Executive Director’s compensation and benefits. Mary Ann Goulette made the motion and Lucrecia Wonsor seconded. Approved unanimously.
Mary Ann Goulette motioned to come out of Executive Session, Ken Linsley seconded. They returned to the regular meeting at 2:27 p.m.
Lucrecia Wonsor motioned to provide the Executive Director with an 8.5 percent salary increase effective next pay period. Mary Ann Goulette seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item #11: Other Business
Jessie Baker asked if there was any other business to discussion. There was none.
Agenda Item #12: Adjourn
Jessie Baker asked for a motion to adjourn. Mary Ann Goulette made the motion and Lucrecia Wonsor seconded. The meeting adjourned at 2:40 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Mahns
Executive Administrative Assistant