Board of Selectmen January 21, 2000

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MINUTES

JANUARY 21, 2000

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Marty Illick

John Rosenthal

Clark Hinsdale, III

Robert Mack, Jr.

OTHERS: Wendy Schroeder

Louis Cox

Mary Mead

Marlene Mansfield

Linda Cahlers-Ford

Kay Gault

Al Moraska

Harley Allen

________________________________________________________________

Chairman Illick called the meeting of the Board of Selectmen to

order at 1:40 p.m. in the Charlotte Town Offices.

BUDGET

Board members resumed their budget discussion from the previous

budget meeting, January 12, 2000. Board members began with the

Fire & Rescue which Schroeder reviewed.

Town Clerk, Mary Mead, said she was in need of the hours she had

requested for her 2 assistants and not to have their hours cut

back. Mead said she needed 24 hours for Marlys Beck and 30

hours for Marlene Mansfield at a minimum, because her office is

constantly called on to do more things.

Board members discussed the insurance policy and Rosenthal said

he was in favor of paying $1,000.00 in lieu of insurance to any

full-time employee wishing to be covered on another plan. Wendy

Schroeder reviewed the current policy which is 30 hours or more

per week is considered full-time and half-time is defined as

working 1,000 hours or more for the town per year.

Marlene Mansfield said she felt she was being penalized when her

hours were cut back particularly in view of the fact she had a

very effective year collecting taxes and therefore hadn't needed

the town attorney's services. Mansfield noted she is the lowest

paid Tax Collector in the state. Rosenthal responded that

Mansfield had stated earlier that with her new computer program

that her job took less time and the board's action was not

intended as an insult.

Board of Selectmen -2- January 21, 2000

Harley Allen discussed his dissatisfaction with the cuts the

board had made to the Planning & Zoning budget, saying that the

Planning Commission and Zoning Board had requested salary

increases for workers in the Planning & Zoning office.

Specifically, Allen said he thought that Gloria Warden deserved

the 5% raise that was requested. Allen said he thought the

budget of $2,000.00 for legal expenses was too low and Mack said

the bulk of the legal expenses had been moved to the Selectboard

budget and the $2,000.00 was for consulting with the attorney on

legal questions, but not for litigation. Allen noted that he

makes every effort to keep cost down.

Allen and Al Moraska discussed deletion of the Deputy Health

Officer position and Illick explained that it was for budgeting

purposes that Cox's two positions were combined and the board

agreed to keep Cox at 24 hours a week. Al Moraska noted that

the P&Z office had requested a 5% raise for employees and

received a 2.5% cost of living raise instead, but the cost of

living has risen 2.75%.

Kay Gault thanked the board for approving the Listers budget and

noted she thought the chairman of the Listers should be paid

more money than the rest of the Listers.

Board members discussed the town's health insurance and Mack

stated his position that this would be the last year the town

would offer full coverage to employees and the town should

parallel with other towns. Hinsdale said he thought that health

insurance does factor in to retaining good employees. Schroeder

noted that the town's current insurer, Kaiser Permanante will

leave the state on February 28, 2000 and suggested the town go

with VLCT's Freedom Plan. Board members discussed having Louis

Cox join the policy and Cox responded he was ready to move to

the town's plan at any time. Schroeder offered there was plan

information available in the Town Clerk's office.

Schroeder reminded board members the budget needs to be

completed by Tuesday to be ready for the Town Report.

Illick reviewed the budget for land maintenance and noted that

$4,200.00 was to be budgeted for closing the gate to the park

and suggested having a separate line item for Demeter Park.

Mack suggested waiting to go to bid for land maintenance first

to define costs.

Illick noted that Jessie Bradley was unhappy with the amount

provided in the Recreation budget for taking the docks in and

out of the water, but thought she could work with the budget to

keep the same bottom line.

Schroeder and board members discussed painting the interior of

the town hall.

Mary Mead said she could save money on the town office computers

by paying $33,859.00 from the General Fund now to buy out the

lease contract instead of paying $40,000.00 over 3 years and

board members agreed it was a good idea.

Board of Selectmen -3- January 21, 2000

Rosenthal moved and the motion was seconded by

Illick:

"TO ADJOURN."

Vote: All in favor.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:17 p.m.

Minutes submitted by:

Debby Flynn