Derry offers drive through voting option, Fire Co. signs up for state mask program

By Bruce Frauman
© 2020 Telegraph Publishing, LLC

Emergency Management Director Kevin Beattie told the Londonderry Select Board at its Monday, Aug. 3 meeting that Champion #5 Fire Company in South Londonderry has signed up for the state program Operation Cloth Face-Covering for Everyone, which should make available 400 masks locally.

Board member Tom Cavanagh said Recycling Coordinator Esther Fishman should receive 500 masks if they are still available, and that, like the rest of the state, visitors to the Transfer Station are required to wear face masks.

Town Treasurer Tina Labeau said the Tuesday, Aug. 11 primary election will feature a drive-through election for those who wish to vote in person.  See map to the right for the plan.

Transfer Station employee Steve Twitchell told Cavanagh that he has seen “record numbers” of people coming to the Transfer Station who have never been there before and that the overall volume is 50 percent higher than in previous years.

Town Administrator Shane O’Keefe will ask the Vermont Agency of Transportation if signs can be posted indicating the entrance to the Transfer Station on Route 100. David Jarvis says he has seen many near-misses as people turn around on his property after overshooting the entrance.

The board accepted a bid of $7,860 from Lawrence and Lober Electric of Bellows Falls to connect the Town office generator with the Town garage. The road crew will dig the trench.

While O’Keefe suggested having professionals deliver heating oil to town buildings — after seeing a road crew member almost fall though a window while making a delivery — a decision on whether to have Cota & Cota take over delivery of heating fuel was put off once again due to confusion over the various grades of heating oil and diesel and delivery to the transfer station’s 200 gallon tank. Road Commissioner Taylor Prouty will check on which oils the road crew uses and which types of oils Cota & Cota delivers.

The price of Cota & Cota delivery would be about $1,000 per year greater than current bulk delivery.

The board will invite Lt. Anthony French of the Vermont State Police to the next board meeting to discuss community policing. In addition, O’Keefe will also ask the sheriffs from both Windham and Bennington counties as well as the Winhall Police for proposals for policing in Londonderry.

Several years ago, in response to a number of burglaries and other crimes, the town of Londonderry contracted with the State Police to provide 25 hours a week over and above its regular patrols at a cost of $86,000 per year. Board chairman Mora said that since the VSP has been having personnel issues, the extra coverage has dropped to about eight hours a month.

Mora also said that traffic control seems to be the public’s main concern right now while in 2016, the big issue was drug activity.

Mora also acknowledged the death of Joan Dayton, who for many years was the town’s Delinquent Tax Collector. Mora said that she “found her a delight to be with,” and she will be sorely missed.

The board ended its meeting with an extensive executive session to deal with “pending or probable civil litigation or a prosecution, to which the public body is or may be a party.” They came out of executive session with no action.