Board of Selectmen April 17, 2000

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MINUTES

APRIL 17, 2000

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Robert Mack, Jr.

John Rosenthal

James Sheldon-Dean

Clark Hinsdale, III

Charles Russell

OTHERS: Sylvia Sprigg

Stephen C. Brooks

Ruah Swennerfelt

Nancy Sabin

Ben Pualman

Hugh Lewis, Sr.

Susan Peyton

Harley Allen

Shirley W. Allen

Marty Illick

Bob Shapiro

Janet Foster

Edward Melby

Jack Clemmons

Hugh Lewis, Jr.

Josie Leavitt

Linda Cahners-Ford

Rolf Sennhenn

Jim Dickerson

Daniel T. Cole

Al Moraska

Mike Russell

Carolyn Sennhenn

David Brown

John Hammer

Deborah K. Ramsdell

Dean Bloch

Linda Hamilton

Larry Hamilton

Didier Morat

Richard LeBoeuf

Louis Cox

Beverly Mayo

Spin Richardson

Joel Woolum

Wendy Schroeder

________________________________________________________________

Chairman Mack called the meeting of the Board of Selectmen to

order at 6:40 p.m. in the Charlotte Town Offices.

Board of Selectmen -2- April 17, 2000

APPROVE MINUTES - ADJUSTMENTS TO AGENDA

Chairman Mack asked board members if they wished to approve the

minutes of April 7, 2000. There were no changes.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Hinsdale:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL 7, 2000."

Vote: 4 in favor, 1 abstained (Sheldon-Dean).

Chairman Mack asked board members if they wished to approve the

minutes of April 12, 2000, at 8 a.m., concerning the personnel

evaluation for Louis Cox. Board members had no corrections, but

Louis Cox had several. Wendy Schroeder, who was the minutetaker

for that meeting would make the agreed upon changes.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Hinsdale:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL 12, 2000 AS

AMENDED."

Vote: 4 in favor, 1 abstained (Sheldon-Dean).

There was a discussion on the state statutes for the appointment

of a Zoning Administrator and Russell read the regulations

aloud.

SIGN BILLS & WARRANTS

Board members reviewed and signed bills. Mack noted a request

for a 911 Response Coordinator and stated that Town Clerk, Mary

Mead, had agreed to serve.

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO MAKE MARY MEAD THE 911 COORDINATOR."

Vote: All in favor.

WENDY SCHROEDER

HUGH LEWIS JR.

Wendy Schroeder updated board members on the situation with the

Horsford leases at Thompson's Point. Schroeder said the

Horsfords insist they paid for 2 sewage connections and will

send proof via facsimile to the Town offices. Mack asked Road

Commissioner Hugh Lewis, Jr. if he has any updates and Lewis

stated he did not. Sylvia Sprigg said she thought Lewis and his

crew had done a great job on Thompson's Point Road.

PERSONNEL EVALUATION - DEAN BLOCH - PLANNER

LOUIS COX, ZONING/DEPUTY HEALTH

Hinsdale noted a letter from Zoning Administrator, Louis Cox

requesting the agenda item for his personnel evaluation be moved

to Wednesday at 5 p.m. so that members of the Planning

Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustment could attend.

Board of Selectmen -3- April 17, 2000

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO HONOR THE REQUEST BY LOUIS COX TO DEFER HIS

EVALUATION UNTIL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2000 AT 5 P.M.

TO BE ABLE TO CONSULT WITH MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING

COMMISSION."

Vote: All in favor.

Chairman Mack gave a copy of the board's letter to Dean Bloch

and read it aloud outlining the board is pleased with Bloch's

work, ending his probationary status and rewarding an 8 percent

raise. Al Moraska asked if the raise in the letter was in

addition to the 2.5% that was voted on at Town Meeting and Mack

responded it was included. Russell asked if the board's action

was legal and Mack said he thought so and he would confirm that

with the town attorney the next day.

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL REVIEW LETTER WHICH WAS

JUST READ BY THE CHAIRMAN, INCLUDING THE SALARY

RAISE."

Vote: 4 in favor, 1 abstained (Russell).

BURNS LAND

Chairman Mack reviewed a recent teleconference he had with Gil

Livingston and Paul Bruhn of the Vermont Land Trust and the

Preservation Trust on proposals for the purchase of the Burns

property.

Joel Woolum reviewed a letter concerning the Burns property from

his group, the Charlotte Community Trust, of April 17, 2000.

Woolum stated the CCL feels its proposal is superior to others

submitted, because the source of funds come from residents of

Charlotte.

Jim Dickerson read his proposal for the land on the west side of

the Burns property only.

Hinsdale stated he appreciated all the proposals submitted and

reviewed the proposal by the Vermont Land Trust and the

Preservation Trust dated April 12, 2000. Hinsdale went on to

discuss the similarities between proposals and noted in the

proposal submitted by Bruhn and Livingston the final $250,000.00

would have to be raised by private fundraising.

Hinsdale said in less than 30 days the town needs to decide on a

direction and move in it and the Selectboard was wanted to gauge

community interest in the deal and was looking for input.

Sylvia Sprigg requested that Mack recuse himself from issues

dealing with the Burns land purchase as he is an abutting

landowner. Mack said he would continue to sit on the

Selectboard and may recuse himself from voting on some motions

related to Burns.

Board of Selectmen -4- April 17, 2000

Jack Clemmons suggested the Planning Commission should have more

input into the Burns deal as issues of placement of future

schools, affordable housing and community development.

Hinsdale noted the Vermont Land and Preservation Trust's

proposal lists these issues.

Mike Russell said he was speaking only for himself and not as

the formal counsel for the CCL, when he said the $250,000.00 for

purchasing part of the Burns property was the figure that was

turned down by the town in a special election last September.

Hinsdale said it was possible for some of that figure to be used

for recreation and come from the Conservation Fund. Hinsdale

said Livingston and Bruhn had spoken with many Charlotte

residents and there was a high degree of interest in town in

conserving Barber Hill and the view on Greenbush Road.

Charles Russell said he had reviewed the Vermont Land and

Preservation Trust's proposal, but thought the $250,000.00 to be

raised by the town was too much money and would be the same as

what was voted down last fall. Russell said the issue should be

decided by town residents.

Marty Illick said she thought the recreational fields in the

September election were what was voted down.

Sheldon-Dean said the trails proposed in the Burns property deal

were part of an overall town plan, connecting with existing

trails.

There was a discussion on the septic capacity needed for the

proposed senior center adjacent to the Burns property.

Sylvia Sprigg discussed housing in the village and the progress

of the Village Plan and suggested thinking creatively about

where the town wanted housing in the village.

Laura Ford asked Joel Woolum whether his group (CCL) was for

profit or non-profit and Woolum responded non-profit. Rosenthal

asked who the members of the CCL were, and Woolum said himself,

Spin Richardson, Steve Kiernan and Paul Arthaud.

Dave Brown asked if trails were necessary in the plans,

suggesting they destroy wildlife habitats. Hinsdale responded

the Land Trust is threefold in its goals of supporting farmland,

wildlife and recreation.

Ben Pualwan asked if the Vermont Land and Preservation Trust had

interviewed members of the Selectboard on their proposal and

Mack and Hinsdale responded yes.

Jim Dickerson discussed his proposal and stated he had put

together his proposal because town residents felt he could make

the deal happen.

Board of Selectmen -5- April 17, 2000

Dan Cole said he would prefer whatever deal that requires the

least amount of tax money used and suggested the town look for

an endowment.

Marty Illick said she was pleased to see in the VLT's proposal

affordable housing in the village.

Linda Hamilton asked about the timetable on the Village Master

Plan and Dean Bloch responded there would be several public

meetings on the issue coming up and it would probably be

completed by late summer or fall.

Rosenthal said the board had a lot of information to be

digested. Mack added the board needs to look at its legal and

financial exposure on options.

Hinsdale said democracy is a long and awkward process, but he

had good feelings about this property deal and the town's

ability to find a good solution and stated he appreciated the

work that had been done to date.

Rosenthal asked for a five minute recess and board members

agreed. The board recess began at 9:17 p.m.

Board members discussed when they could meet to discuss

proposals after having ample time to review the three submitted

and it was decided the board would meet Wednesday, April 12,

2000 at 3:30 p.m.

Mack said he had spoken with Robert Eastman, the attorney for

Earl Burns and was assured that the town's option to buy the

Burns property ending in August was firm.

Hinsdale said he was pleased with the proposals received by the

board and felt the deal could be worked out to streamline the

high points of each proposal into one direction and suggested

board members "sleep on it."

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO ADJOURN."

Vote: All in favor.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:21 p.m.

Minutes submitted by:

Debby Flynn