Board of Selectmen June 12, 2000

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MINUTES

JUNE 12, 2000

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Robert Mack, Jr.

John Rosenthal

Charles Russell

James Sheldon-Dean

Clark Hinsdale, III

OTHERS: Daniel T. Cole

Thomas Nola

Dale Knowles

Hugh Lewis Sr.

Lisa Osborn

Shirley Bean

Nancy Sabin

Trisha Coleman

Peter Coleman

Sylvia Sprigg

Eric Van Vlandren

Stephen C. Brooks

Sandy Mayo

Debbie Ramsdell

David Miskell

Mary Beth Freeman

Laura Cahners-Ford

Joel Woolum

Wendy Schroeder

________________________________________________________________

Chairman Mack called the meeting of the Board of Selectmen to

order at 7:10 p.m. in the Charlotte Town Offices.

SIGN WARRANTS AND BILLS

Board members began the meeting signing warrants and bills.

APPROVE MINUTES

Chairman Mack noted there were meeting minutes to be approved.

Rosenthal noted the minutes of May 24, and 29, 2000 were in need

of approval. There were no corrections to the minutes of May

24, 2000.

Rosenthal moved and the motion was seconded by

Russell:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MAY 24, 2000."

Vote: 3 in favor, 1 abstained (Sheldon-Dean, as he

was absent). Hinsdale had yet to arrive to the

meeting.

Board of Selectmen -2- June 12, 2000

Mack noted on the first page the to correct the reference to the

"Conservation " Commission . Russell noted the enhancement

grant discussed in the Town Plan work session was not related to

the Burns property. Nancy Sabin wanted to note the discussion

to the poor quality maps currently included in the new Town Plan

and to clarify in the discussion about lot sizes in the Town

Plan the larger lot sizes in agricultural areas were what was

being referred to. Russell asked in the last paragraph on the

Town Plan work session that the word "proposed" in reference to

industrial zoning be changed to "existing." Mack noted the

reference to a bridge grant was for the crossing by Black

Willow.

Rosenthal moved and the motion was seconded by

Russell:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MAY 29, 2000 AS AMENDED."

Vote: 3 in favor, 1 abstained (Sheldon-Dean, as he

was absent). Hinsdale had yet to arrive to the

meeting.

TOM NOLA - LOOSE/NUISANCE DOGS

Tom Nola said he has been running along Spear Street in

Charlotte for 9 years and has been repeatedly chased in the road

by the same dog. The last time he was chased was June 1, 2000.

Nola stated he has repeatedly asked the dog owner to call his

dog, but the dog owner has not complied. Mack asked if the dog

comes into the road and Nola responded yes and that he has never

done anything to agitate the dog and is afraid of being bitten.

Dale Knowles said he had talked with the owner of the dog, Larry

George, and gave him a warning on June 4th and the dog now has

"one incident" on record as a nuisance dog. Knowles stated he

told George that fines would be imposed if there were any more

incidents. Mack told Nola his concerns about the dog would be

followed up by the town as possible.

Knowles discussed a phone call he had received about dog on

Meadowside Drive that has allegedly bitten delivery people,

however there has been no complaint made. Mack suggested

Knowles write a letter to the dog owner about what he has heard.

LISA OSBORN - GRASSLAND BIRD STUDY REQUEST

Lisa Osborn said she is a Wildlife Biology graduate student at

UVM and has a project to document birds in grasslands. Osborn

stated she would need to visit the chosen location 7 times and

was looking for a site that would not be disturbed during her

study by haying. Mack suggested a location on Thompson's Point.

Stephen Brooks asked if the town would get any benefit from her

research and Osborn said she would provide a copy if anyone

wanted one. Sheldon-Dean suggested the Conservation Commission

would appreciate a copy.

Board of Selectmen -3- June 12, 2000

WENDY SCHROEDER - THOMPSON'S POINT

Schroeder reviewed her written report to the board on Thompson's

Point. Mack asked about the status of Lane's Lane and Schroeder

responded that the town was looking for a good time to add

Lane's Lane onto the sewage system. Mack noted a letter from

the Horsfords stating they wanted to use the Bennett camp

wastewater hookup. Schroeder noted there were 2 parties with

the surname Horsford who were interested in the same hookup.

Mack suggested Schroeder write letters to both parties inviting

them to a Selectboard meeting to discuss the issue.

APPOINTMENT CCRPC

Mack noted Marty Illick was interested in serving as the town

CCRPC representative.

Sheldon-Dean moved and the motion was seconded by

Russell:

* "TO APPOINT MARTY ILLICK TO BE OUR TOWN

REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CHITTENDEN COUNTY REGIONAL

PLANNING COMMISSION."

Vote: All in favor.

Rosenthal suggested the board thank Eric Van Vlandren for his

time as the towns CCRPC representative.

MEMBERSHIP IN COVERED BRIDGE SOCIETY & NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE

PRESERVATION OF COVERED BRIDGES

Stephen Brooks reviewed the benefits of membership in the NSPCB

and the recently formed Vermont Covered Bridge Society. Brooks

said he thought the town would benefit from membership,

particularly in light of the fact that Charlotte has 3 of the

100 covered bridges in the state. Brooks stated the lifetime

membership in the Vermont Society is $100.00 and the NSPCB is

$250.00 and the Chairman of the Conservation Commission was in

favor of membership. Rosenthal suggested the Chairman of the

Conservation Commission write a letter to the board supporting

membership and the board would then consider it.

Mack asked for a 5 minute break beginning at 8:32 p.m.

WALTER GATES - SENIOR CENTER UPDATE

Wally Gates, the Treasurer of for the Senior Center said the

Senior Center Committee had received a letter from town

attorney, Steve Stitzel, that had been reviewed by their

attorney, Bill Schroeder, who was pleased with it. Gates gave

board members copies of the letter. Gates reviewed that Walter

Irish had bequeathed to the town $500,000.00, which the Senior

Center Committee had until July 7, 2000 to take advantage of.

Gates said his committee had been fundraising to buy the Gaboury

property to build the center on, as land acquisition was not

included in Irish's will.

Board of Selectmen -4- June 12, 2000

Gates discussed the easement needed for a parking lot which was

being negotiated with the Fire Department.

Gates stated his committee needed a letter of intention from the

Selectboard to request the $500,000.00 from the Irish Trust.

Gates discussed the permits which have been applied for to build

the center. Mack said town Attorney Stitzel was supposed to

send him information to prepare for this meeting, but it did not

yet arrive. Board members discussed meeting the following week

and agreed upon June 19, 2000 at 8:10 a.m.

BURNS PROPERTY

Hinsdale said he had contacted Gil Livingston and Paul Bruhn of

the Vermont Land and Preservation Trusts on being available to

answer questions from the public at the Special Town Meeting,

June 28, 2000 and Bruhn would be attending. Hinsdale discussed

the terms and conditions of the proposed Agreement with the

Vermont Land Trust. Mack suggested that town attorney, Stitzel,

review the proposal and then the board review Stitzel's comments

at their meeting on the 19th. Hinsdale said he would make

copies of the proposed Agreement for board members.

Mack asked if board members would like him to invite Bob Eastman

(the attorney for Earl and Mary Burns), to the Special Town

Meeting to answer any public questions and Hinsdale said he

thought it would be a good idea. Board members agreed to Mack

writing a letter of invitation to Bob Eastman.

Mack noted Jerry Schwartz was unavailable for the Special Town

Meeting, but Greg Cluff was willing to be the Moderator.

Rosenthal moved and the motion was seconded by

Russell:

* "TO APPOINT GREG CLUFF TO BE MODERATOR FOR THE TOWN

MEETING, JUNE 28, 2000."

Vote: All in favor.

Russell asked about the current status of the Burns property on

the west side of Greenbush Road and his concern for how many new

houses would be built there. Hinsdale stated the matter was

before the Planning Commission, but illustration maps could be

prepared for Town Meeting Day.

Sandy Mayo noted in the Vermont Land Trust recommendations was

an engineering study for septic capacity on the Burns property.

Mack responded the town is barred from spending money on the

Burns property until Article 1 is voted on, but the town has

obtained an engineer's proposal. Russell discussed what

questions are yet to be answered on the Burns septic.

Mayo suggested town residents be made aware of abutting property

owner, Dick LeBoeuf's absence from town meetings of late is

because of his wife's illness and not lack of interest.

Peter Coleman noted Jim Dickerson has paid the June 1, 2000

option on the Burns property.

Board of Selectmen -5- June 12, 2000

Mack moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO ADJOURN."

Vote: All in favor.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:32 p.m.

Minutes submitted by:

Debby Flynn