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At a glance: Somerset council votes to award contracts, adopt amended fee schedule and support local grant
Summary
Council approved routine permits and contracts — including tree removals, a leaf-vacuuming contract and an amended fee schedule that removed a proposed food-truck deposit — and voted to provide a conditional letter of support for Somerset House’s stream-restoration grant.
Somerset — At its regular meeting the Town Council took several formal actions, approving permits, a service contract, an amended fee schedule and a grant-support letter.
What passed - Tree removals: Council approved four homeowner tree-removal permits in a single motion after staff and the town arborist described reasons (decay, lightning strike, significant deadwood). (Motion and vote: Speaker 4 moved; motion approved.)
- Leaf vacuuming contract: After an RFP that generated six bids, the council awarded the three-year leaf vacuuming and removal contract to Ray Brothers Landscapes, the incumbent, citing a complete proposal, local experience and a budget-consistent bid. (Motion and vote: moved from the dais and approved.)
- Fee schedule amended and adopted: Council debated a $250 refundable deposit for food trucks. Public comment and pool-committee input identified the deposit as a potential barrier to small operators. Speaker 2 moved to remove the deposit; the amendment carried and the fee schedule as amended was approved. Town Manager explained the deposit’s intended purpose: to cover staff costs for damage, curb repairs or trash removal if necessary.
- Letter of support for Somerset House grant: Council voted to approve drafting a letter supporting Somerset House’s Little Falls stream-restoration grant application, conditioned on confirmation from the local review committee (PNRC) and receipt of the grant application for council review.
Other actions and items - The council introduced ordinances related to a real property sale disclosure and a landlord-tenant chapter (both introduced for future consideration and possible amendments).
- A proposed ordinance to extend a no-parking zone on Cumberland Avenue was pulled for additional outreach after a resident submitted opposition; the council asked staff to return the item to a work session.
- The council approved a resolution closing Cumberland Avenue for the town’s Halloween event (Oct. 31) and amended the pedestrian-safety resolution to note the town’s Safe Sidewalk Day on Oct. 20.
Why it matters: The fee-schedule amendment removes a cost that residents and vendors said could reduce participation by small, local food-truck operators, and the council’s contract decisions affect local service providers and town operations.
