Rail Trail Opening Celebration Scheduled to Stop in Town
by Gazette Staff
WOLCOTT – At its June 21 meeting, the Wolcott Select Board discussed the opening celebration for the Rail Trail, made appointments to fill vacancies, and worked through several issues with representatives from the Lamoille Valley Planning Commission.
The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) will hold a celebration on Saturday, July 15. The Governor and Sen. Sanders will participate. There will be a celebration in Morrisville between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. A water stop is scheduled for Wolcott at 2:45 p.m. The Town Garden Committee will host a garden party that afternoon with refreshments for participants and visitors.
Notice was received from Vermont Green Energy Systems that Randy Buker, Walnut Lane, has applied for a small wind energy system. Anyone with questions can contact Linda Martin.
Next, Meghan Rodier, regional planner with the Lamoille County Planning Commission (LCPC), discussed a packet of information presented to the board on the Clean Water Service Provider (CWSP) grant application. The project involves the preliminary design for flood mitigation involving a section of the Wild Branch and the Gulf Road bridge. The applicant would be LCPC. LCPC was seeking a letter of support from the Town of Wolcott to attach to the application, which is due July 7. The purpose of the project is to reduce the energy in the Wild Branch. The board voted to approve a letter of support to be included with the CWSP grant application. LCPC should know by the end of July if funding will be awarded. If not, Rodier indicated there are other funding opportunities that can be pursued in the fall.
Seth Jensen, deputy director, and Salvador Morales, planner with LCPC provided a follow-up to information presented at the June 7 meeting regarding the waste water project. Although Agency of Natural Resources funds have already been allocated for this fiscal year, there will be funds available for the next fiscal year starting July 1. Amy Macrellis, senior water quality specialist with Stone Environmental, discussed sources for reimbursement funds, and addressed sections of the agreement being reviewed by the board. Morales outlined LCPC’s role. The board said that the public engagement component is very important. LCPC will assist with outreach.
Jensen mentioned a property in North Wolcott that had previously been considered for a buyout because it is on the flood plain. Although the property was not eligible in the past, it is now considered eligible, and funds are available for buyout. No local match funds are required. The board voted to authorize LCPC to prepare an application for the buyout of the North Wolcott property.
LCPC’s Morales has been administering the Municipal Planning Grant for the town regarding the old School House Revitalization project. LCPC proposed entering into a formal agreement to allow Morales to continue providing project manager services. The board voted to enter into a formal agreement.
Belinda Harris Clegg, Treasurer, reviewed the end-of-fiscal-year financial reports. A total of $19,881.25 remains in the budget in the selectboard manager category. The board voted to transfer $19,000 from the end balance of the selectboard department 2022-2023 budget to the equipment account. The board also agreed that the transfer station should continue with monthly payments to repay the loan from the board.
In the project manager report, it was mentioned that a notice was posted on the town’s website to remind folks of invasive plant species found along the roadsides in Wolcott. Residents are advised not to use roadside soil to avoid spreading these plants. Roadside mowing dates have been set.
Also, the LCPC conducted a road study on sections of North Wolcott Road and Gulf Road between May 25 and June 12. The board reviewed the traffic count summaries. The board had previously discussed the possibility of adopting an ordinance that would prohibit tractor trailer traffic on North Wolcott Road in an effort to reduce maintenance costs. The board will contact the Craftsbury Select Board to see if there is interest in having a road traffic study conducted on sections of the Wild Branch Road.
Sarah Lillibridge, outreach coordinator with the Lamoille Regional Solid Waste Management District (LRSWMD), will be present at Wolcott’s transfer station on Saturday, July 29, to help educate folks on proper recycling.
A draft of a green burial policy will be presented for board review at the July 5 board meeting.
The Highway Department continues to work on berm removal, culvert installations, and hauling winter sand.
The board voted to submit to the state the names of Bernard Earle as health officer, and Kurt Klein as deputy health officer, and named Sheila Halpin to fill the vacancy on the Forest Committee. Mike Green was appointed as the town’s representative for LVRT, and Linda Martin was named an alternate.
The final discussion addressed parking along Corley Road and Elmore Pond Road. People are reportedly parking there to access the Rail Trail. The town will order special no parking signs for these areas that will direct traffic to the parking area by the gazebo on Railroad Street.
