Board of Selectmen June 27, 2000

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MINUTES

JUNE 27, 2000

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Robert Mack, Jr.

John Rosenthal

Charles Russell

James Sheldon-Dean

Clark Hinsdale, III

OTHERS: Nancy Sabin

Art Ridge

Clark Hinsdale, Jr.

Edward Melby, Jr.

Joan Gates

Wally Gates

Hazel Prindle

Rick Pollack

Eric Van Vlandren

Sylvia Sprigg

Tom Clark

Ker B. Walker

Laura Cahners-Ford

Ed Amidon

Debbie Ramsdell

Jim Dickerson

Richard Cunningham

Trisha Coleman

Peter Coleman

Moe Harvey

Stephen C. Brooks

Dale Knowles

Sandy Mayo

Dave Nichols

Neil Burton

Michael Yantachka

Hugh Lewis, Jr.

Hugh Lewis, Sr.

Stanley Lane

Wendy Schroeder

________________________________________________________________

Chairman Mack called the meeting of the Board of Selectmen to

order at 7:12 p.m. in the Charlotte Town Offices.

SIGN WARRANTS AND BILLS

Board members began the meeting signing warrants and bills.

Board of Selectmen -2- June 27, 2000

FIRE & RESCUE $100,000. BOND VOTE (ARTICLE V) FIRE STATION

RENOVATION PROJECT

Chairman Mack introduced Rick Pollack and Ker Walker from the

Fire/Rescue department. Rick Pollack explained the need for the

additional money: the original estimates were based on

renovating the existing building, which was later deemed

impractical and the Planning Commission suggested a design that

would better fit with existing buildings in the village and

expenses went up as they were caught in a building boom.

Pollack explained the additional money would provide the

Fire/Rescue department with a shell of a building and the squad

would do much of the work themselves and noted that most of the

squad lives out of town and needs housing while on duty.

Pollack said his department had worked diligently and frugally

to contain the budget and wants to continue to deliver a

valuable service to the town. Mack asked when work might start

and Pollack said Morton Building Systems had been retained for

the project to start August 1, and they have a good reputation.

Clark Hinsdale, Jr. asked if the set back from the road would be

the same and Pollack answered the set back would be the same,

but the footprint would be enlarged at the rear of the building.

Rosenthal asked when the building was erected and Stanley Lane

said about 1949 and it was then renovated in 1972.

DALE KNOWLES - DOG PROBLEM

Dogcatcher, Dale Knowles, apprised the board of and incident he

had been called on June 20, 2000. Knowles said he had a

complaint that dogs come off the Palmer property and into the

road chasing after a runner and he talked with Jody Palmer on

June 20th and gave her a warning. Knowles said he received

another complaint of one of the dogs chasing a runner on June

23rd. Knowles stated his understanding was that the 3 dogs

living at the residence are often at large and are not currently

registered in Charlotte, but may have been registered in

Burlington. Board members discussed what to do and Mack advised

Knowles to send a dog at large ticket to the owners for each of

the 3 dogs and look into whether the dogs are registered in

Burlington. Hinsdale added that if the dog owners feel the

tickets are erroneous, they can come discuss the matter with the

board.

APPROVE MINUTES

Chairman Mack noted there were meeting minutes to be approved.

Rosenthal noted the minutes of June 12, and 19, 2000 were in

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

June 12, 2000.

Rosenthal moved and the motion was seconded by

Russell:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JUNE 12, 2000."

Vote: All in favor.

Board of Selectmen -3- June 27, 2000

Russell asked in the minutes of June 19, 2000, on page 4 that

the reference to him stating what needed to be completed in the

engineering study be deleted.

Rosenthal moved and the motion was seconded by

Hinsdale:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JUNE 19, 2000 AS

AMENDED."

Vote: All in favor.

SENIOR CENTER

Mack said he had received correspondence on the senior center

last week. Water Gates, the Treasurer for the senior center,

said that town attorney Stitzel said the board should vote on

his letter to the Stratevest Group and the Grant Agreement.

Gates noted there are some permits outstanding, but it was

Stitzel's intention to give an advanced copy to the Stratevest

Group the next day. Mack said his recollection was that Stitzel

suggested having the Chairman sign the documents when all the

parts are true.

Hinsdale noted an error on page 2 of Stitzel's letter to the

Stratevest Group; the site for the senior center to be built is

.80 acres and not .08 acres.

Art Ridge asked if the documents would be available to the

public and Rosenthal answered yes.

Gates reviewed Stitzel's letter.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR TO SIGN THE LETTER OF

COMMITMENT WHEN THE NECESSARY PERMITS HAVE BEEN

APPROVED WITH THE CORRECTION ON PAGE 2 (ubi supra)."

Vote: All in favor.

Gates reviewed the Grant Agreement, putting it in laymen's

terms.

Nancy Sabin asked whether the $500,000.0 grant would come in one

or more payments and Gates said he expected it would be paid in

a lump sum.

Sandy Mayo asked about the $30,000.00 for septic for the senior

center and Mack responded that wastewater is a construction cost

and would come from the expected Grant.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR TO SIGN THE GRANT AGREEMENT

WITH THE WALTER IRISH SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER."

Vote: All in favor.

Board of Selectmen -4- June 27, 2000

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Russell discussed a motion from the floor at Town Meeting in

March where the town voted to give a 5% raise to the Planning

Office and the Selectboard gave Dean Bloch an 8% raise. Board

members agreed to consult with the town attorney on the issue.

Nancy Sabin asked about the $1,000.00 in lieu of insurance the

town has offered to full-time employees and Mack said the board

did not intend to make changes to that policy.

Russell asked whether the board had an updated Agreement with

the VLT and Hinsdale said no, but Paul Bruhn would be available

to answer questions at the Special Town Meeting the next

evening.

Hugh Lewis, Sr. asked where cars would be parked for an event on

June 8th and Mack suggested the cars could park on the grass.

Mack asked for a break beginning at 8:06 p.m. The board resumed

the meeting at 8:23 p.m.

HUGH LEWIS, JR. - ROAD ISSUES

Road Commissioner, Hugh Lewis, Jr. said he and his crew had been

grating roads and putting down chloride.

Neil Burton asked what roads would be paved this year and Lewis

answered that Pike would be paving on Spear Street to the north,

Sheehan Green toward Hinesburg, parts of Greenbush Road to

Ferrisburg and on Lake Road.

Lewis said the town had received a grant from the state for road

work of $38,000.00 and stated One mile Road had been built up,

but needed to have some culverts replaced.

Lewis asked the board members if they had decided on his raise

in prices, noting that truck rates had been approved.

Rosenthal moved:

* "TO INCREASE THE RATE FOR THE GRATER, LOADER AND

BACKHOE BY $2.50."

The motion failed for lack of a second.

Sheldon-Dean moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO ADOPT THE RATE SCHEDULE AS PROPOSED BY LEWIS

CONSTRUCTION, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2000."

Vote: All in favor.

Sheldon-Dean discussed renewal of a lease on a shale pit and

Mack said he would have town attorney Stitzel draw up the

renewed contract.

Board of Selectmen -5- June 27, 2000

There was discussion on which culverts in town would be

replaced.

Hinsdale stated he had heard positive comments around town about

road work and Lewis's crew.

Sheldon Dean discussed on Spear Street west to the bridge, the

site needs reflectors.

There was a discussion on the Bean property with what Lewis

thought was a water line break in a driveway dumping water into

the road. Mack asked Lewis to go look at the site and get back

to the board.

Mack stated that Stitzel's office was still working on village

speed limits.

Hinsdale discussed a yellow flyer that was circulating around

town concerning the Burns property acquisition and had some

erroneous statements about him personally that are documentally

and factually untrue and that he was concerned about this coming

out so close to the special election. Hinsdale stated his

belief that Sandy Mayo was one of the authors of the flyer.

Mayo responded that she was one of the authors of the flyer, but

did not write the statements about Hinsdale. Rosenthal

questioned whether the board should respond in any way to the

flyer, but no action was taken.

Sheldon-Dean moved and the motion was seconded by

Hinsdale:

* "TO ADJOURN."

Vote: All in favor.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.

Minutes submitted by:

Debby Flynn