Board of Selectmen January 22, 2001

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MINUTES

JANUARY 22, 2001

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Robert Mack, Jr.

John Rosenthal

Charles Russell

James Sheldon-Dean

OTHERS: Bob Chapman

Dan Zucker

Bill Fogg

Tom Blonski

Alison Lockwood

Hugh Lewis, Sr.

Mary Beth Freeman

Ed Everts

Ed Stone

Sylvia Sprigg

Stephen C. Brooks

Martha Perkins

Laura Cahners-Ford

Wallace R. Smith

Frances Foster

Hugh Lewis, Jr.

Rick Pollack

Ker Walker

Gary Thibault

Mary Thibault

Mike Russell

Chris W. Davis

Paul Arthaud

Nancy Sabin

Wendy Schroeder

________________________________________________________________

Chairman Mack called the meeting of the Board of Selectmen to

order at 7:06 p.m. in the Charlotte Town Offices.

APPROVE MINUTES

Chairman Mack noted the first item on the agenda was to approve

meeting minutes. Russell noted all references to Carol Russell

should be Kara Russell in the appointment of a Lister in the

minutes of January 8, 2001.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 8, 2001 AS

AMENDED."

Vote: All in favor.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 13, 2001."

Vote: All in favor.

Board of Selectmen -2- January 22, 2001

SIGN WARRANTS AND BILLS

Board members signed warrants and bills. Mack noted the board

had to approve the borrowing of the $100,000.00 for the new fire

station, as was approved by the voters.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN TREASURER TO BORROW

$100,000.00 TO COVER EXPENSES."

Vote: All in favor.

PUBLIC ACCESS TV - CHANNEL 15 - ROBERT CHAPMAN

Rob Chapman, Public Access Manager for Adelphia Cable and Dan

Zucker, Chair of the Vermont Community Access Board, discussed

changes that would be coming to Charlotte with more cable TV

subscribers now being serviced by Adelphia Cable and use of

public access television by Charlotte residents. Zucker

explained that cable subscribers are charged a fee to cover the

expenses involved in public access TV and residents can decide

how that pooled money will be used to serve their community.

Chapman suggested the town could have their meetings taped and

said that he had talked with some town residents and they were

interested in public access television. Nancy Sabin and Alison

Lockwood said they were in favor of taping Selectboard meetings

and Ed Everts said he had taped some meetings before and put

them on public access TV. Sylvia Sprigg suggested that tapes of

meetings could be kept in the town library.

CHAMPLAIN VALLEY WAITSFIELD TELECOM - BILL FOGG

Bill Fogg, a Representative from Champlain Valley Telecom, said

he brought a permit for an easement for a utility box to be

located off Mt. Philo Road. Fogg explained this box would

provide better service to customers by "shortening the loops" in

the system, and showed board members photos of other utility

boxes to give them an idea what the box would look like. Mack

asked if Fogg had talked to the neighbors in the area and Fogg

said no, but his company normally locates these boxes in a

town's right-of way and he was asking for permission and/or what

the procedure he needed to follow to be able to install the box.

Mack and Rosenthal said they didn't have a problem with

installing the box and Road Commissioner, Hugh Lewis, Jr., said

he had reviewed the proposed site and had no problem with it

either. Mack suggested Fogg talk with Zoning Administrator, Tom

Mansfield first.

Rosenthal moved and the motion was seconded by

Russell:

* "TO ALLOW CHAMPLAIN VALLEY TELECOM TO PLACE A PAD

MOUNTED CABINET IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY ON MT. PHILO

ROAD, CONDITIONED ON APPROVAL OF ZONING

ADMINISTRATOR, TOM MANSFIELD."

Vote: All in favor.

Board of Selectmen -3- January 22, 2001

CLT - FRANCES FOSTER - THIBAULT FARM

Frances Foster, the new President of the Charlotte Land Trust,

said her group was asking for approval of $20,000.00 in matching

funds from the Conservation Fund to purchase a conservation

easement on the Thibault farm. Sylvia Sprigg asked whether this

was a development rights purchase or land and Foster answered

development rights. There was a discussion on how the easement

would be enforced, and Foster said she would be willing to

discuss the matter with the Vermont Land Trust and get back to

the board with answers, but noted the closing on the easement is

scheduled next month.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO APPROVE SPENDING OF $20,000.00 OUT OF THE

CONSERVATION FUND FOR THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON

THE THIBAULT FARM, SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE TOWN

ATTORNEY."

The motion was tabled until the next meeting.

FIRE & RESCUE - TOWER

Rick Pollack and Ker Walker from the Fire and Rescue Department,

advised the Department will be faced with the insurance and

maintenance costs of the WIZN radio tower and they have spent

$33,000.00 to date to maintain the tower because of legal

action. Pollack said the department would like another tenant

on the tower when WIZN is no longer using the tower.

Russell asked about the plans to use Mt. Philo as a site and

Pollack answered the state owns the tower and the state won't

guarantee when they will be able to use that site and the

coverage of radio signal on that site is unknown.

Ed Stone said he spent 30 years working in the radio business

and had been involved in siting a tower on in Killington and

would be willing to lend his expertise to help solve the

problem. Pollack said the Department was receptive to all

offers of help and would be happy to have Stone lead this

effort.

The board took at 5 minute break, beginning at 8:35 p.m.

ZONING - EAST THOMPSON'S POINT ROAD

Russell asked whether the board was going to put the zoning of

the area at East Thompson's Point Road and Route 7 on the

ballot, noting the board could not deal with the issue at the

last meeting, as it was not on the agenda. Russell said he had

followed up on the issue and the Planning Commission had

intended to forward the petition to change the zoning at that

site to the Selectboard. Mack noted the Planning Commission had

not acted on the petition for a long time and Russell and Mack

discussed what would need to happen if the matter was put to be

put before the voters.

Board of Selectmen -4- January 22, 2001

There was a discussion of whether a Commercial/Industrial site

was needed in town and the impact Act 60 has had on the tax

rate. Mack said he thought that letting home businesses expand

in town would help, rather than forcing them to relocate. Paul

Arthaud discussed his business, which has expanded to the point

of considering a warehouse.

The board discussed a need for approval by a two-thirds vote in

order to change zoning per state law.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO PUT THE PETITION ON THE ARTICLES FOR TOWN

MEETING REGARDING THE ZONING OF THE PROPERTY ON

ROUTE 7 AND EAST THOMPSON'S POINT ROAD."

Vote: 1 in favor (Russell), 3 opposed.

BUDGET

Mack said he wanted to fund a Halloween party again this year

and Alison Lockwood reviewed the financial report she had

prepared on the last party, outlining monies that had been

raised and spent and asked that the board include the party in

their budget. There was a discussion of putting the expense for

the party in the Recreation Fund budget.

Sheldon-Dean moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO ADD $500.00 TO THE RECREATION BUDGET TO ALLOW

THEM IF THEY SO SEE FIT TO FUND A HALLOWEEN PARTY."

Vote: 4 opposed.

Ed Stone suggested passing the hat at Town Meeting for the party

expense.

Wendy Schroeder discussed the $30,000.00 the board expected to

receive from a state roads grant. Mack said the figure is what

the town normally receives and Road Commissioner, Hugh Lewis,

Jr., said he thought that since the town had been receiving that

sum two years straight the chances were slimmer of getting it a

third year in a row and that the state might see other towns as

a priority. Sheldon-Dean suggested allowing $10,000.00 instead

in the budget.

Russell reviewed the budget for town land maintenance at a cost

of $21,000.00. Russell suggested combining line items for

mowing and adding one line item for park security.

Russell discussed the assigned work hours for Gloria Warden,

noting they were cut back from 35 to 32 hours a week and the

board decided to keep Warden's Hours at 35 per week.

Wendy Schroeder noted the contract with the Wastewater Treatment

Operator at Thompson's Point is coming up for renewal and the

Thompson's Point Committee has asked for $2,500.00 per year for

2 years and board members recommended the contract be for 3

years.

Board of Selectmen -5- January 22, 2001

Mack noted for the board a letter from Amanda Lafferty regarding

the school on Michael Lazar's property.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR TO SIGN OFF ON THE MICHAEL

LAZAR MATTER AND SEND A BILL FOR THE COSTS

INCURRED."

Vote: All in favor.

Mack noted a memo from Zoning Administrator, Tom Mansfield,

regarding his recommendation for a rate for a Certificate of

Compliance fee.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO ADOPT A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FEE AT A RATE

OF $75.00."

Vote: All in favor.

Having no further business, Chairman Mack moved:

* "TO ADJOURN."

Vote: All in favor.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:33 p.m.

Minutes submitted by:

Debby Flynn