Randolph Selex
Switch Dispatchers
By M. D. Drysdale

Randolph emergency dispatching will be handled by Barre City, ending a contractual relationship with the town of Hartford, the Randolph selectboard decided last Tuesday, April 15.

Hartford had angered Randolph’s fire departments and the selectboard by presenting Randolph with a proposal for a five-year contract that came with no established rates.

Hartford’s price and services had both come under fire, and the idea of a new contract, with rates that could change at any time, was too much for the board to swallow. A month ago it appointed a committee to study the options offered by other dispatch services.

The committee investigated services offered by Montpelier and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, as well as Barre and Hartford. The Sheriff’s Department, however, does not have adequate experience at this time, the committee found.

Committee members Kermit LaBounty and Al Floyd told the board they favored Barre’s offer, and noted that Brookfield, which had been tied into the Randolph contract, also prefers that option. Randolph Fire Chief Jay Collette recommended stayng with Hartford.

Barre offered a two-year contract with a 90-day dissolution clause, according to the selectboard minutes. Switching the equipment will require a one-time cost of $7000, while the service contract for the year would be $8600.

Selectman Jim Hutchinson, who had earlier urged the town to look beyond Hartford, moved to accept the Barre contract, and the vote was unanimous.

Other Business

In other business April 15, the selectboard:

• Rejected a suggestion by Chair Stephen Webster that the town stop publishing selectboard agendas in The Herald. Publishing the agendas is not a legal requirement, he pointed out, and the town could save up to $60 per meeting by not doing it.

Selectman Larry Townsend commented that "the more information the better, despite the costs," and that comment was seconded by Hutchinson. No motions were made on the issue.

• Called the next selectboard meeting to be next Tuesday, April 29, instead of the usually-scheduled meeting date of May 6. The meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the regular meeting place at the Randolph Technical Career Center. An agenda, which includes further discussion of the municipal building controversy, appears in the legal section of this week’s Herald.

• Agreed to apply for $3100 in matching funds for the tennis courts. The matching money is already in hand.

• Agreed to sign the "interlocal contract" with ECFiber for the proposed network of broadband internet and other communications services.

• Agreed to advertise for a new Randolph representative and an alternate to the ECFiber board. John Lutz has been Randolph’s representative but is stepping down.

• Appointed Kira Young to the Riverside Subcommittee.

• Approved the hiring of Jean Copeland as recorder and minute-taker for the selectboard meetings.

• Accepted the resignation of Town Manager Peter Butterfield, as reported in last week’s Herald.

• Tabled a request from Public Works Director John Rotter to buy an International dump truck for $157,000. Selectman Joe Voci, who previously held Rotter’s job, requested the bid process be redone and reopened.

• Granted liquor licenses to Messier’s General Store and the Bare Mexican Restaurant.

• Heard a commendation from the Agency of Natural Resources "commending the quick work done by the Randolph Highway Department to prevent a gasoline spill from contaminating groundwater near Exit 4," according to the minutes.