Board of Selectmen July 26, 1999

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MINUTES

JULY 26, 1999

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Marty Illick

Robert Mack, Jr.

John Rosenthal

James Sheldon-Dean

OTHERS: Stanley Lane

Richard C. Cunningham

Stephen C. Brooks

Didier Murat

Sylvia Sprigg

Nancy Sabin

Albert Moraska

Sandy Mayo

Jack Clemmons

Susan Peyton

Nancy Richards

Harley Allen

Phoebe Siemer

Hugh Lewis, Jr.

Richard LeBoeuf

Louis F. Laberge

Judy Laberge

Doug Peyton

Wendy Schroeder

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Chairman Illick called the meeting of the Board of Selectman to

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

APPROVE MINUTES OF JULY 12, 1999

Chairman Illick asked if the board wished to approve the minutes

of the Selectboard meeting of June 28, 1999. Illick noted an

insertion of the name Monniere as the party who had filed for

bankruptcy under the heading DELINQUENT TAXES.

Sheldon-Dean moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES JULY 12, 1999

SELECTBOARD MEETING."

Vote: All in favor.

Board of Selectman -2- July 26, 1999

PUBLIC DISCUSSION

Stanley Lane discussed adjusting fencing at Lane's Lane by a

roadside ditch at on the east side of the road.

Illick discussed getting 18 white cedars for Thompson's Point

and asking the Tree Warden, Larry Hamilton about it. Mack

suggested that Walker Tree Farm in Orleans, VT would give the

town a good price on the trees.

Stephen Brooks discussed providing the town with two (eight by

four feet) foot bridges to go over ditches to access the town

green. Illick said she was generally in favor of the foot

bridges, but wished to review maps or drawings of where the

bridges would be placed before giving final approval. Sylvia

Sprigg added that rights-of-way may need to be looked at in

considering Brooks's offer. Brooks also discussed having a log

book at Demeter Park and Illick suggested approaching the

Advisory/Oversight Committee.

PLANNING AND ZONING 98/99 BUDGET

REGIONAL PLAN DRAFT

Illick asked board members if they had received a copy of the

Regional Plan and reminded them they had until September 15th to

review the plan.

Al Moraska, Chairman of the Planning Commission discussed with

board members the 1998/99 fiscal year budget. Moraska said that

the Planning and Zoning office had found Kit Perkins to work as

a Planner for a short time and her working hours had been

increased while she was available, but now the town is without a

Planner, Moraska added that the engineering budget had been

canceled and $5,000. had been deducted from mapping fees to fund

the operating budget. Moraska noted that two months ago the

Selectboard had allowed Planning and Zoning to go $4,000 over

budget to cover legal expenses incurred in the past year and

that since the office was short-handed that Gloria Warden and

Louis Cox had to take on more hours to get the work done and

their pay went over what was budgeted. Moraska also discussed a

computer that needed to be replaced in the P & Z office. Illick

and Mack stated that the Selectboard needs to be apprised of any

budget overruns prior to exceeding a budget. Moraska suggested

increasing fees for Certificates of Occupancy by $50. and Illick

said the fee for zoning violations was approved by the

Legislature to be increased from $50. per day to $100. per day.

Illick discussed an Environmental Protection Agency grant for

livable communities that is due August 23rd. Moraska said he

had talked to Dana Farley about the grant and Illick said she

would put matter on the agenda for the next board meeting,

August 8, 1999.

Board of Selectman -3- July 26, 1999

SET TAX RATE

Wendy Schroeder reviewed the factors involved for this year in

setting the tax rate and her recommendations to the board,

including the impact of Act 60 on the town. Schroeder suggested

that since the revenues were higher than expected last year,

that the town should set aside a working capital of $100,000.

Schroeder also said the grand list with the recent reassessment

and grievances of appraisals in progress was a moving target for

the town in budgeting. Illick and Mack said they agreed with

setting aside the working capital.

Mack moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO SET THE TAX RATE FOR THE 1999/2000 FISCAL YEAR

AT 21 CENTS."

Vote: All in favor.

Mack moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO SET THE SCHOOL TAX RATE FOR THE 1999/2000 FISCAL

YEAR AT $1.65."

Vote: All in favor.

The total tax rate for the town for the 1999/2000 fiscal year

was set at $1.86.

FILMING AT CHARLOTTE MUSEUM

Schroeder said she had been contacted on behalf of the town by

people involved in producing the upcoming filming of the movie

"What Lies Beneath" starring Harrison Ford and Michelle

Pfieffer, who were interested in the filming at the Charlotte

Museum on Church Hill Road, October 9th. Schroeder said the

film crew wanted intermittent traffic stopping and road usage at

the site. Richard Cunningham said he felt the museum had

nothing to gain by consenting to the filming and said film

representatives had been in touch with museum personnel and then

never showed for a meeting to discuss the filming. Schroeder

asked what the board would want from the movie producers to do

concerning their intentions and Illick said they should come in

and represent themselves to the board and the board would

discuss the matter with them.

TRANSPORTATION, LOCAL ROADS, AOT GRANT

Hugh Lewis, Jr. the Road Commissioner for the town, reviewed his

progress on town roads. Mack mentioned a culvert problem on

Greenbush Road south and Lewis said he had already taken care of

it. Lewis said he had reposted the 40 m.p.h. speed limit signs

on Greenbush Road and had yet to hear any feedback from

residents on the postings.

Board of Selectman -4- July 26, 1999

There was a discussion on dry and dusty road conditions due to

drought weather conditions recently. Illick asked Lewis if he

had been putting down chloride to help aid the situation and

Lewis said he had when possible, but advised that the road needs

to be wet by rain first to apply chloride. Illick said she

wished to go on record as advising town residents the roads are

in poor dusty condition because we are in a drought year; it is

atypical and they need to be patient. Lewis added that if

residents wanted to water down their roads, they may do so.

Lewis outlined the paving for this summer:

Hinesburg/Charlotte Road from the Hinesburg town liner to east

at Vallincourt;

Spear Street north from the Shelburne line to Peter Bergs

property;

450 feet of Carpenter Road (as outlined at the last Selectboard

meeting);

Spear Street by Bob Titus's property to Mt. Philo Road

(including filling a sag in the road);

finishing State Park Road;

Lake Road to Whalley Road to the covered bridge;

and Route 7 to the Old Brick Store, including town property on

Ferry Road. Lewis said he was unsure exactly when the pavers

would be arriving in town to start work and if any money was

left over in the budget for paving, he would pave Greenbush Road

south.

Sylvia Sprigg said she had noted that Charlotte was not listed

in a recent Burlington Free Press article on upcoming road work

on Route 7 and she thought that residents along Rote 7 would

like to be contacted by the state about the road work when plans

were firm. Sheldon-Dean said road work will happen next summer

and Illick added that she would try to get an update on the

issue for the next meeting and the town had received a letter

from the state for a pedestrian underpass on Route 7. Mack

asked Lewis to put rocks by the covered bridge by the beach and

Lewis said he would look into it.

BURNS PROPERTY PROJECT

Sandy Mayo asked what the plan for the town vote was in

September on the proposed Burns property acquisition. Illick

said the town was looking to have the town vote on the issue

either the 14th or the 21st of September. Schroeder asked if it

made sense for the town to have a planner draw something up to

illustrate the town's plans and Illick said yes and authorized

Schroeder to take that project on her own, including optioning

the whole and part of the Burns property, adding that the town

meeting taught the board townspeople want choices presented in a

project.

Board of Selectman -5- July 26, 1999

SCHOOL BOARD PLANNING FEE WAIVER REQUEST

Illick note to board members a letter from Charlie Brush on

behalf of Charlotte Central School, requesting the Board waive

all fees due to the Town in conjunction with planning and

construction of the new playing field on the east side of the

property.

Mack moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO WAIVE THE FEES FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD."

Vote: All in favor.

SENIOR CENTER UPDATE

Rosenthal said he had met with Dick LeBoeuf to see if LeBoeuf

and the town could work in conjunction to create a Senior Center

in town and take advantage of the money bequested by Walter

Irish to the town for said purpose. Rosenthal said LeBoeuf had

offered land to build the Senior Center, but was concerned about

incorporating the center with his plans for building senior

housing in Charlotte in terms of losing control of his project.

Rosenthal said the town needs to look at the feasibility of the

piece of land being offered to the town and either look at

putting that project before the voters or exploring other

options.

Nancy Sabin said that she had spoken with seniors who were

interested in attending meeting on the center, but the subject

was slated too late on the meeting's agenda for seniors to

attend.

Rosenthal suggested having a feasibility study on the senior

center and he would report back on his progress at the next

meeting on August 9th.

WIZN TOWER & PERSONNEL - EXECUTIVE SESSION - LEGAL ISSUES

Mack moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE WIZN

TOWER, PERSONNEL AND LEGAL ISSUES."

Vote: All in favor.

Board members went into executive session at 9:27 p.m. and

returned to regular session at 10:43 p.m.

Sheldon-Dean moved and the motion was seconded by

Mack:

* "TO AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR TO SIGN THE PURCHASE AND

SALES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF CHARLOTTE AND

THE A. JOHNSON COMPANY."

Vote: All in favor.

Board of Selectman -6- July 26, 1999

Mack moved and the motion was seconded by

Sheldon-Dean:

* "TO MAKE THE RATE OF PAY $12. PER HOUR FOR

THE 1999/2000 BUDGET YEAR."

Vote: All in favor.

Mack moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO MOVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON AUGUST 9, 1999

TO RECONSIDER THE KELLY/PROUT PUBLIC HEARING BY

REQUEST OF JUDITH KELLY REGARDING THE JULY 8, 1999

DECISION BY THE SELECTBOARD."

Vote: All in favor.

BILL SIGNING/DISCUSSION

Mack discussed a fence at the landfill on Greenbush Road that

was hit by a bushhog. Illick reviewed a letter from the Rape

Crisis Center asking to do a presentation for the board and Mack

suggested to slate the presentation for the first meeting in

October.

Illick outlined a letter from Zoning Administrator, Louis Cox on

contaminated drinking water at the town beach. Mack said he

would continue to work with Cox on the situation including

building a cover for the top of the well. Board members

supported Cox's efforts to rectify the contamination problems at

the town beach well.

Board members reviewed and signed bills.

Mack moved and the motion was seconded by

Illick:

* "TO ADJOURN THE MEETING."

Vote: All in favor.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:56 p.m.

Minutes submitted by:

Debby Flynn