The Norwood Town Board of Trustees met on Jan. 8 for their regular monthly meeting, during which new trustee Liza Tanguay was sworn in. Additionally, new town administrator Sara Owens made her first appearance.
Trustees discussed an MOU they have with the FRESH Foundation to keep senior meals going, and Town Clerk Amanda Pierce said the foundation would like the Town of Norwood to stay involved. The program is going well, has funding in place and shares a cook with Nucla for the West End’s senior meals.
Mayor Candy Meehan asked if the program had enough meat in the freezer, and Pierce said it did for now. Trustee Niven Drybrough asked if the volunteers practiced good food safety practices; Pierce confirmed they’ve done food-handlers’ training.
Now, the Town of Norwood is working on a commercial kitchen license.
The town voted not to enter into an agreement with human resources (HR) specialist Kathrine Fry, who’s been advising the town of HR issues. Her retainer is $30,000 a year, plus $250 an hour for any time that extends beyond 10 hours a month. Trustees voted to keep her as a resource, but use her only as needed.
“I think an on-call, as-needed basis is going to be the best,” Trustee Mike Grady said.
Meehan said the town should get a briefing from her, however, regarding the work she’s done for Norwood in the last year, so the town can keep it on record.
The town is still finalizing Owen’s new contract as administrator. Her contract approval was tabled, though, because there are “two components” left to discuss, one of which is severance pay. Owens is already on payroll, settling into her role and said she was fine to wait for the contract to be finalized.
Public Works Director Randy Harris is waiting on a town building for his department to be delivered. The metal structure is coming this week and will be assembled once it arrives. Insulation looks to be expensive, quoted at $6,000, but that portion will wait, though Mayor Meehan said insulation has to be done, so the fuels in town vehicles don’t “gel.” A bid for the electrical in that building is coming right up.
Pierce said she’s looking into heated vests for the Public Works crew. Mayor Meehan said she wanted to see Harris’ authority to purchase without approval moved from $5,000 to $10,000 for emergent situations. And, trustee Shawn Fallon inquired about the possibility of paving behind Clark’s Market of Norwood, since the alley is challenging to navigate in winter months.
Harris’ job description will be modified, so that it reads he reports to all three entities — Norwood Water Commission, the sanitation district and the town — not just town administrator.
Pierce said the Safer to Schools sidewalks grants has received an extension. And, the Telluride Foundation just granted $26,000 for the Pocket Park in Norwood.
“Grants are gong well, and people are seeing the importance of parks and open space,” Pierce said.
Norwood needs a planner, since Henry Hemphill moved up in his job. The town is taking RFPs, since he left at the end of December.
Mayor Meehan said there’s still one year left in the possibility of a greater water grant that could see collaboration between area water user groups. The grant expires in 2026. Related to water, Caroline Duncan was appointed to the San Miguel Water Conservancy District’s board.