Board of Selectmen May 24, 2000

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MINUTES

MAY 24, 2000

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Robert Mack, Jr.

John Rosenthal

Clark Hinsdale, III

Charles Russell

OTHERS: Alison Lockwood

Peter Coleman

Nancy Sabin

Sandy Mayo

Deborah K.Ramsdell

Mary Beth Freeman

Wendy Schroeder

________________________________________________________________

Chairman Mack called the meeting of the Board of Selectmen to

order at 8:15 a.m. in the Charlotte Town Offices.

SPECIAL TOWN MEETING - ARTICLES FOR WARNING

Chairman Mack stated the purpose of the meeting was to set the

agenda for the Special Town Meeting, June 28, 2000.

Mack left the room momentarily for a phone call.

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Russell:

* "TO ELECT JOHN ROSENTHAL AS ACTING CHAIR IN THE

ABSENCE OF CHAIRMAN MACK."

Vote: All in favor.

Wendy Schroeder noted she had learned since the last meeting

that Jerry Schwartz would be unavailable as moderator for this

meeting and from the town attorney that Recreation Committee and

Conservation Commission funds are both considered "town funds."

There was a discussion of how to proceed if Article 1 it did or

did not pass. Hinsdale offered that if Article 1 doesn't pass,

it was still possible to move on to Article 2.

Mack read the draft of Article 2.

Board members discussed the wording of Article 2 and resolved to

have it read as follows:

" Will the Town vote to expend a sum not to exceed $80,000.00

($59,000.00 from the Recreation Fee Fund and $21,000.00 from the

Conservation Fund) to purchase 55 acres of the Burns property on

the easterly side of Greenbush Road plus other reasonable

closing costs not to exceed $10,000.00."

Board of Selectmen -2- May 24, 2000

Hinsdale suggested having members of the Recreation Committee

and Conservation Commission review this Article first, but noted

the will of the voters supersedes action of committees.

Hinsdale noted the Vermont Land Trust is working with Lantern

Vision, LLC on closing the deal on the Burns property, and went

on to outline the Land Trust's recommendations.

Alison Lockwood asked if the Vermont Land Trust had any plans

for the Burns property beyond septic capacity and Hinsdale

answered, no, but they did recommend goals.

Nancy Sabin stated she thought the voters had not addressed

interest in trails on the Burns property and Hinsdale offered

the townspeople would be afforded the opportunity to express

interest in anything they want.

Mary Beth Freeman stated she thought the west side of the Burns

property was about to be sold for less than market value and

Hinsdale replied that a fair market appraisal had been performed

on both the east and west sides of Greenbush Road. Wendy

Schroeder added that the land currently has no permits and

permitted property would have a higher sale value.

Sandy Mayo addressed whether voting on Article 2 supersedes

asking town committees for funds and Russell answered no.

Hinsdale suggested drafting memos for the committees and asking

them to be available for Town Meeting, and suggested having a

chart to outline where the monies have come from to date and

would be coming from to purchase the land.

Shirley Bean asked to address Article 3, as she had a pending

meeting. Bean asked what the board was looking for the senior

center and Mack answered they wanted an engineering study for

septic usage. Hinsdale added the town needed to know how much

to ask the town for septic that would pass. There was a

discussion of how much septic would be needed for current and

future uses and Hinsdale offered it was better to overbuild a

little rather than to have to ask the voters for money again.

Russell read from the study by Civil Engineering Associates.

Mack suggested Bean meet with the senior center Board of

Directors on what figure they thought was reasonable. Bean

thanked the Selectboard for their support.

Rosenthal moved and the motion was seconded by

Russell:

* "APPROVE ARTICLE 2 AS AMENDED."

Vote: All in favor.

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "THAT WENDY SCHROEDER BE AUTHORIZED TO AMEND ARTICLE

2 WITHOUT CHANGING THE MEANING OR INTENT ON ADVICE

OF COUNSEL."

Vote: All in favor.

Board of Selectmen -3- May 24, 2000

Mack read Article 3, dealing with municipal septic. There was a

discussion on different options/scenarios and costs associated

with crossing from current municipal buildings as well as the

proposed senior center to the proposed septic fields on the

Burns property. Hinsdale stated his reasons for estimating the

overall septic costs at $195,000.00.

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "THAT WE CITE $195,000.00 AS THE COST STATED IN

ARTICLE 3."

Vote: All in favor.

There was discussion as to how to make it clear to the voters

that previous votes for municipal septic had not been financed,

i.e., Lavalette property, etc.

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "THAT WE AUTHORIZE ARTICLE 3, RESCINDING THE

$150,000.00 FOR A SEPTIC SYSTEM ON GREENBUSH ROAD

AND AUTHORIZED THE CHAIRMAN AND SELECTBOARD

ASSISTANT TO MAKE CHANGES ON THE ARTICLE ON ADVICE

OF COUNSEL."

Vote: All in favor.

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "THAT WE INSERT THE FIGURE OF $195,000.00 IN THE

BLANK OF ARTICLE 4."

Vote: All in favor.

There was discussion of talking with Richard LeBoeuf about

getting a septic easement across his property to the Burns

property.

Russell noted the wording in Article 4 sounded as if the

municipal buildings were on the Burns property and board members

agreed to a wording change.

There was a discussion of Article 5, for completion of the

construction of a fire station and it being the only bond issue

by Australian ballot.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO APPROVE ARTICLE 5."

Vote: All in favor.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Mack:

* "TO ADJOURN."

Vote: All in favor.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:40 a.m.

Minutes submitted by:

Debby Flynn