Board of Selectmen May 1, 2000

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MINUTES

MAY 1, 2000

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Robert Mack, Jr.

John Rosenthal

Clark Hinsdale, III

James Sheldon-Dean

Charles Russell

OTHERS: Nancy Sabin

Beverly Mayo

Jack Clemmons

Hugh W. Lewis, Sr.

Walter Gates

Bob Shapiro

Mary Beth Freeman

Deborah K. Ramsdell

Helen Philippe

Shirley W. Allen

Harley D. Allen

Jim Donovan

Stephen C. Brooks

Jim Dickerson

Moe Harvey

Spin Richardson

Rose Ann Lombard

Rolf Sennhenn

Sharron B. Balabar

Tricia Coleman

Peter Coleman

Gloria Warden

Martha Perkins

Eric Van Vlandren

Linda Radimer

Diane Rosenfeld

David Miskell

Louise Brown

David Brown

Mary Anne Gatos

Joel Woolum

Wendy Schroeder

________________________________________________________________

Chairman Mack called the meeting of the Board of Selectmen to

order at 7:00 p.m. in the Charlotte Town Offices.

SIGN WARRANTS AND BILLS

Board members signed bills and warrants.

Board of Selectmen -2- May 1, 2000

APPROVE MINUTES

Chairman Mack asked board members if they wished to approve past

meeting minutes, beginning with Town Meeting Day. There were no

changes to the minutes of March 7, 2000.

Sheldon-Dean moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

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

Vote: 4 in favor, 1 abstained (Russell, as he was

not present for most of the meeting).

Mack asked if board members wished to approve the minutes of

April 10, 2000. Rosenthal requested 2 changes on page 3 where

speed limits were being discussed, to state the engineer who did

the traffic study was the one who suggested signs to slow

traffic in the village and in the next paragraph that Mack said

"it had been studied enough." Russell asked to strike the

reference of the senior center being sited near the Burns

property and to corrected the spelling of Jim Sestokas.

Rosenthal moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL 10, 2000 AS

AMENDED."

Vote: All in favor.

Russell asked for references to CCL be Changed to CCT (Charlotte

Community Trust in the minutes of April 17.

Sheldon-Dean moved and the motion was seconded by

Russell:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL 17, 2000 AS

AMENDED."

Vote: All in favor.

Rosenthal moved:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL 19, 2000."

The motion failed for lack of a second.

Russell stated that Louis Cox had submitted his concerns in

writing regarding the minutes of April 19, 2000 and suggested

postponing the consideration of those minutes.

Rosenthal moved and the motion was seconded by

Russell:

* "TO POSTPONE CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES OF APRIL

19, 2000."

Vote: All in favor.

Mack noted a change to the agenda; the Fire Department would not

be attending this meeting as scheduled for 8:05 p.m.

Board of Selectmen -3- May 1, 2000

TOWN PLAN WORKSHOP

DEAN BLOCH LETTER

Chairman Mack said the board had received a letter from Town

Planner, Dean Bloch, who had requested a schedule and budget for

approval of the new Town Plan. Board members discussed public

meetings on May 29 and June 12, 2000 and having a work session

of the Selectboard May 15, 2000 and do town appointments at 7:00

p.m.

WENDY SCHROEDER

Wendy Schroeder said she had no news to report.

GLORIA WARDEN

Gloria Warden requested an Executive Session with the board and

board members consented.

Rosenthal moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS A PERSONNEL

ISSUE WITH GLORIA WARDEN AT HER REQUEST."

Vote: All in favor.

Executive Session went from 7:37 to 8:25 p.m. Chairman Mack

reported upon return from Executive Session that the board made

no decisions in session.

BURNS LAND

Russell reviewed some of the course information he had learned

from a conference on conflict he had attended in Bennington and

read from the textbook, referencing some of the conflict

surrounding the town's involvement in the Burns property.

Russell also handed out copies of a grid he had prepared

outlining the 3 proposals for acquiring the Burns property and

septic rights for the town. Board members and attendees

reviewed the grid and Mack asked about getting immediate septic

in the CCT plan. Spin Richardson responded that Steve Kiernan

had agreed to make the donation, but doubted it could be

immediate. Moe Harvey asked about the septic capacity, noting

that one plan called for 2,000 gallons and another was an

infinite amount. Mack stated those were what was offered in

each deal.

Mack asked about selling lots 4 and 5 in the CCT plan and Spin

Richardson replied his group was willing to sell lot 5 to the

town in exchange for the money paid to date on the option to buy

the property, adding that any further cost to the town would be

minimal.

Hinsdale said he appreciated the time various people had put

into their proposals and noted what a fortunate situation it was

for people to argue over who is going to give the town how much.

Board of Selectmen -4- May 1, 2000

Hinsdale said he valued the talent in the room and felt there

"wouldn't be any winners and losers." Hinsdale stated he

thought the proposal presented by the Vermont Land and

Preservation Trusts have the highest and best options for the

town and he was asking the town if they agree.

Mary Anne Gatos asked what the risk was in the Charlotte

Community Trust's plan and Hinsdale replied he had done the math

on the different proposals and the fee simple options of assets,

and value created for the town minus the costs. Hinsdale noted

the town is picking between goods and not bad, but a decision

has to be made soon.

Nancy Sabin said she had presented a petition to the town with

150+ signatures on it asking for a Special Town Meeting to

consider whether the town should prohibit further spending of

town funds relating to any interest in the Burns property on

Greenbush Road until a specified amount to do so is authorized

by the town. Sabin said the vote to buy 55 acres of the Burns

property had been turned down by the voters. Rosenthal said

that would preclude the town from paying the May 1, 2000 option.

Russell clarified that the town has fifteen days to respond to

the petition.

Spin Richardson stated that even if the whole deal falls flat

that at least everyone got involved and Mack noted that if the

CCT had not come forward that the town wouldn't be where it is

on the deal now, but their group had no progress in clearing up

the issues impeding the sale of the property and the town had to

look into other proposals.

Jack Clemmons said the value to the town is for the septic

capacity and asked what the total capacity on the Burns

property. Mack responded the town has no firm number and a

rough estimate has been made of 15,000 gallons, but an

engineering study must be performed.

Linda Radimer asked about housing plans on the property versus

use of land for recreation and Spin Richardson explained that in

terms of the various plans.

Martha Perkins asked how much money would come in the Vermont

Land Trust and Freedom Foundation and strings attached for the

affordable housing in the VLT's plan. Hinsdale responded that

$100,000.00 would be provided by the VLT and the gift would come

with a letter of understanding that the town would address

affordable housing.

Russell discussed why the CCT deal didn't go through sooner and

Sheldon-Dean strongly suggested that Russell not rehash the

past; the town has 3 proposals on the table and should move

forward with one of them. Sheldon-Dean stated he would not

support any proposal where the deal for municipal septic was not

in writing.

Jim Dickerson discussed his interest in the Old Lantern building

on the Burns property and that Burns was not interested in

selling off the land in anything less than one parcel.

Board of Selectmen -5- May 1, 2000

Dickerson said he teamed with Peter Coleman and Ed Von Turkovich

for a proposal to buy the whole property and wanted to close on

the property March 1, 2000 and now are 2 months behind schedule

on the renovations and upgrades to the Old Lantern. Dickerson

said his group planned to sell the parts of the property they

were not interested in as 2 lots. Dickerson described his

phone conversation with Robert Eastman, the attorney for the

Burns, who indicated the seller was getting impatient.

Dickerson said he and his group want to move forward and he has

no future plans for subdivision of the property.

Martha Perkins asked for who was paying how much in Dickerson's

deal and Hinsdale outlined that Dickerson would get the west

side of the property on Greenbush Road for $750,000.00 and the

town would get 55 acres on the east side for no more than it has

already spent to date and the town has verbal commitments of

money from the VLT and some fundraising by the town may be

needed.

Joel Woolum said he thought the price Dickerson had placed on

the 2 lots on Barber hill was below market value and Hinsdale

suggested if Woolum thought it was a good deal perhaps he should

approach Dickerson about buying them.

Nancy Sabin asked if the Selectboard would assure her that

Conservation Commission funds would not be used to purchase the

Burns property and Mack answered no. Hinsdale said 3 members of

the Conservation Commission were present and the Commission

would recommend the Burns property or not on a cost-benefit

ratio. Linda Radimer stated the decision would happen in public

meetings and noted the Conservation Commission was established

to preserve land. Moe Harvey said this was the kind of project

the Commission was intended for.

Peter Rosenthal said the money from the Charlotte Land Trust is

public money and the town voted down a proposal on the Burns

property and this was a "back door way to do business."

Hinsdale stated this proposal on the table would not raise

taxes.

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO APPROVE THE SALE OF THE WEST SIDE OF GREENBUSH

ROAD TO LANTERN VISION, LLC AND THE PURCHASE OF THE

EAST SIDE OF THE ROAD BY THE TOWN OF CHARLOTTE FOR

COMMUNITY PURPOSES, PROVIDED SUITABLE MANAGEMENT CAN

BE MADE AND NO ADDITIONAL GENERAL FUND MONIES BEYOND

THE OPTION PAYMENTS BE NEEDED, CLOSING COST

EXCEPTED."

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

SENIOR CENTER PARKING PLAN

Peter Coleman said the senior center committee had been meeting

with the Fire Department on working out the details of sharing a

driveway with the senior center. Mary Ann Gatos said they were

moving ahead on the Gaboury property as the site for the center

Board of Selectmen -6- May 1, 2000

and will submit their plans to the Planning Commission. The

senior center and the Fire Dept. will have joint parking and

septic and a holding tank with a 600 gallon capacity will be

installed. Gatos said they would be meeting with the Stratevest

Group on the Irish bequeath next week. Russell suggested having

the town attorney present at that meeting.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO AUTHORIZE THE SENIOR COMMITTEE TO HAVE STEVE

STITZEL BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING WITH THE

STRATEVEST GROUP."

Vote: All in favor.

Gatos said her committee had met with the neighbors of the

proposed site and discussed their concerns.

Wally Gates, the Treasurer of the Walter Irish Fund Board of

Directors, discussed getting a $120,000.00 advance for the

purchase of the land for the center and then doing fundraising

later on. Gates said the center would need money for a closing

on June 15, 2000 and would stay in touch on their progress with

the Selectboard and community. Sheldon-Dean said he was

thrilled with the job the senior center committee has done to

date.

AOT LETTER

Mack noted a letter to the board from Agency on Transportation

for their review.

COX LETTER, STITZEL LETTER

Mack noted a hearing in Superior Court for an injunction for

Louis Cox to acting as Zoning Administrator on May 4, 2000 at

8:30 a.m.

MISCELLANEOUS

Hinsdale noted that the option payment on the Burns property was

due for May.

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO PAY THE MAY OPTION PAYMENT."

Vote: All in favor.

Board member discussed what to do about the petition Nancy Sabin

had filed to ask for a Special Town Meeting. Sheldon-Dean said

the deal will be over before the board has to act on the

petition. Board members agreed to have the town attorney review

the petition the next day.

Board of Selectmen -7- May 1, 2000

Wendy Schroeder said she had received 3 calls on the Zoning

Administrator job: an attorney, an MPA student and a former city

manager with and MPA.

Mack said he had spoken with Spencer Harris about reviewing

permits while the Zoning Administrator job is open and he wants

$750.00 for a 10 hour day, with help from Gloria Warden.

Hinsdale suggested getting that figure down to $450.00 a week.

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO PAY SPENCER HARRIS HIS HOURLY RATE AND HAVE HIM

CONTINUE HIS SEPTIC REVIEW."

Vote: All in favor.

Mack asked Schroeder to set up meetings with the Planning

Commissions for candidates for the Zoning Administrator

position.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Hinsdale:

* "TO ADJOURN."

Vote: All in favor.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:27 p.m.

Minutes submitted by:

Debby Flynn