Board of Selectmen November 22, 1999

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MINUTES

NOVEMBER 22, 1999

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Marty Illick

John Rosenthal

James Sheldon-Dean

Robert Mack, Jr.

Clark Hinsdale, III

OTHERS: David Perrin

Harley Allen

Sylvia Sprigg

Hazel Prindle

Charles Russell

Jonathan Fisher

Nancy Sabin

Louis Cox

Al Moraska

Dean Bloch

Hugh Lewis, Jr.

Bill Peter

John Hammer

Richard LeBoeuf

Jim Donovan

Marlene Mansfield

Martha Perkins

Jackie Baker

Wendy Schroeder

________________________________________________________________

Chairman Illick called the meeting of the Board of Selectmen to

order at 7:03 p.m. in the Charlotte Town Offices.

APPROVE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 8, 1999 MEETING

ADJUSTMENTS TO AGENDA

Chairman Illick asked board members if they wished to approve

the minutes of November 8, 1999, noting that she had no

corrections. Rosenthal noted on page 2, that Marty Illick and

not Marlene Mansfield had placed the petition regarding the

senior center in his mailbox.

Sheldon-Dean moved and the motion was seconded by

Mack:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 8, 1999."

Vote: All in favor.

Chairman Illick asked if the board members had any adjustments

to the agenda and noted she wanted to address the Burns property

at the end of the meeting and move reviewing the Selectboard

budget to the end of the meeting.

Board of Selectmen -2- November 22, 1999

PUBLIC COMMENT

Charlie Russell noted in the Selectboard minutes of November 11,

1999, that there were multiple issues for an Executive Session,

stating his contention that an Executive Session should only be

for one purpose. Illick responded that the two reasons stated

were inter-related and she felt the issue was simply one of

semantics.

MARLENE MANSFIELD - DELINQUENT TAX BUDGET 2000/2001 AND 1999

DELINQUENT TAXES

Tax Collector, Marlene Mansfield reviewed the list of Delinquent

taxes as of November 16, 1999, which totaled $261,199.85, noting

three payments since she compiled her list. Mansfield said some

of the taxpayers had been contacted about their debts and she

expected the above figure would be lower by December 15, 1999.

Their was a discussion on whether collecting taxes more than

once per year would be more cost-effective and Mansfield

outlined the amount of work that would be involved in doing so.

Board members reviewed Mansfield's budget for next year and

Mansfield noted her budget was similar to last year's and

Mansfield said she was asking for a 4% cost of living raise in

her salary, but there was no reason for a significant change in

her office expenses. Illick asked why there was no legal

expenditures in the Tax Collector's budget and Mansfield replied

there were no tax sales this year, which is the only reason she

would require the use of the town attorney.

PLANNING & ZONING BUDGET

Town Planner, Dean Bloch gave board members copies of the

Planning and Zoning budget for the coming year. Planning

Commission Chairman, Al Moraska, reviewed the budget items with

Selectboard members, noting the Commission was asking for a 2.5%

each cost of living and merit raises for salaries of the

Planning & Zoning office and suggested that minute taker, Nancy

Lane, discuss her rate of pay with the Selectboard as she is an

independent contractor. Moraska noted that the Planning

Commission was interested in adding a temporary clerical

position to for filing old files into the new filing system for

approximately 200 hours at a rate of $10.00 per hour. Cox added

the temporary person would free up time for employees to devote

time to other projects, such as GIS mapping. Moraska discussed

combining the Deputy Health Officer and Zoning Administrator

positions into one position and the cost of adding a new phone

line to their office at approximately $500.00. Harley Allen

reviewed the P & Z office request for a 11" x 17" color printer

for mapping. Dean Bloch discussed anticipated costs of

implementing the Town Plan, such as by-law changes and

consulting fees. Hinsdale asked about the P & Z's income-side

budget and Moraska roughly estimated it at about $14,000.00, and

Hinsdale responded that perhaps fees for services should be

reviewed to insure they are cost-effective. Illick suggested

putting revenues on the agenda for the next meeting.

Board of Selectmen -3- November 22, 1999

LISTERS BUDGET

Lister, Jackie Baker reviewed the Listers' budget projecting

Listers would be working about 15 hours each per week, with more

hours devoted to data entry with the new GIS mapping. Baker

said the listers were asking for a salary increase to $8.25 per

hour for the next year. Baker noted that many projects had to

be put on hold while the listers dealt with reappraisals this

year and said she expected the Listers would have more time for

training in January. Rosenthal asked if the office computers

were networked and Illick responded that the town offices were

working on that issue together. Hinsdale suggested it would be

nice to be able to print out a tax map and there was a

discussion of sharing a large common printer between offices.

Hinsdale noted to Baker he had heard lots of compliments on the

Listers' work on the town reappraisal and handling of appeals.

Sheldon-Dean said he was impressed that the Listers' proposed

budget was only at a 1% increase overall.

CHARLOTTE GRANGE REQUEST FOR TAX EXEMPTION

Illick noted the request by Lorraine Titus to have the taxes

abated for the Town Grange Hall was on the agenda and noted the

request needed to be properly warned, so no action was taken at

this time.

ROADS - HUGH LEWIS, JR. & JOHN HAMMER

Road Commissioner, Hugh Lewis, Jr. reported he had put shale

down on the road by Peter Bergh's property and reviewed the need

for a guard rail and culvert on Greenbush Road which Nancy Sabin

had mentioned at the last Selectboard meeting, where there is

no shoulder on the road. Lewis also reported he had done

ditching by Jim Dickerson's property and Dickerson was satisfied

with the job.

John Hammer, the Alternate Chittenden Solid Waste Representative

for the town, outlined the draft document he had prepared for

the town on road standards for FEMA reimbursements after natural

disasters. Hammer reviewed the need to have the standards

established in order to have FEMA monies replace roads and

bridges with the same level of quality as originally installed.

Hammer explained that the town and state would pay 12.5% each to

replace roads and bridges after a disaster and that FEMA would

pay the last 75%. Hammer said he had prepared his document by

taking the Vermont Agency of Transportation boiler plate

document as a start and defined the town roads as "arterial,

collector and local" roads by their use, width and surface.

Hammer noted the document was not finalized and he was

interested in input. There was a discussion of road usage,

conditions, widths and the tendency for drivers to speed on

wider roads. Wendy Schroeder discussed town road conditions,

noting that heavier vehicles are currently using town roads than

the roads were originally built to handle. Hazel Prindle

thanked Lewis for cutting brush along Spear Street and Illick

said she would put the item on the next meeting agenda.

Board of Selectmen -4- November 22, 1999

BURNS UPDATE - DISCUSSION: OPTION PAYMENTS

Illick asked Hinsdale for an update on the Burns purchase option

for land and septic usage for the town. Hinsdale briefly

reviewed the terms of the AGREEMENT with the town on the table

for Richard LeBoeuf to assume the option to purchase the Earl

and Mary Burns property, that LeBoeuf would make payments on the

option and if he chose to discontinue his intent to buy the

property, he would give the town 15 days notice and reconvey the

option to the town in the amount of one dollar and lose any

payments he made on the option. LeBoeuf would in turn give the

town its money back for the payments on the option it has made

to date, land for a senior center and the town would get the

easements it needed on the Burns land for municipal septic and

trails. Hinsdale said LeBoeuf's attorney, Michael Clapp, would

be getting the finalized AGREEMENT to him the next day. Nancy

Sabin asked for details about the trails and Hinsdale responded

the trails would be situated on what has be identified as

"parcels 3 and 4" on the Burns property and trail easement would

be mutually agreed upon. Hinsdale added this was the most

specific deal the town has investigated to date and the town

would only be involved in the town's needs for the Burns

property and Illick added she was pleased with the deal.

Mack moved and the motion was seconded by

Hinsdale:

* "TO AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SELECTBOARD TO

ASSIGN THE BURNS OPTION TO RICHARD LEBOEUF."

Vote: All in favor.

There was a discussion on using the Conservation Fund to let the

$40,000.00 paid to date on the Burns option come out of their

budget and whether that request met the criteria for the goals

of the Conservation Fund (agriculture, wildlife and conserving

open land). Illick said she would ask the Conservation Fund

Advisory Committee for their opinion. Charlie Russell asked if

the board wasn't just trying to make their actions look better

on paper and Hinsdale responded it was a matter of housekeeping

with the Auditor's report to have expenses under the right

columns and Mack added he thought that was a concern that should

have been addressed earlier on.

Nancy Sabin asked what the progress was with the A. Johnson

project and Illick replied that when final permits are in place

it will be finished and the money for that project is in the

bank.

ACCEPT TWO NEW ROADS - PERRY SUBDIVISION

Illick noted the board had been asked to approve two new roads

for a subdivision and Mack said the project was too early in the

development process to do so. Illick said she would reschedule

the agenda item for the next meeting on December 6, 1999.

Board of Selectmen -5- November 22, 1999

TOWN PLAN SCHEDULE

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

Dean Bloch's proposed schedule for reviewing the Town Plan.

Illick noted that a meeting had to be warned and Rosenthal said

the schedule called for the Plan to be finalized by January 17,

2000, and in preparation for that the town would have to inform

the public, discuss the Plan and get a final product printed.

Illick stated she felt the window of time, particularly with

year-end budget reviews anjd the holidays coming up was just too

tight to give the Plan the consideration it deserved.

Sheldon-Dean and Martha Perkins both made the point that the

schedule had been reviewed by the Planning Commission and this

was the time frame they wanted. Hinsdale suggested having the

Selectboard direct a hearing with the Planning Commission

providing answers on the issues in the new Town Plan. Sylvia

Sprigg offered the Planning Commission knows that the old Town

Plan can be renewed in the interim of new town approval.

Hinsdale moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN CLERK TO SCHEDULE THE FIRST

HEARING ON THE TOWN PLAN ON DECEMBER 20, 1999, IF

THAT MEETS WITH THE LEGAL SCHEDULE REQUIREMENTS."

Vote: All in favor.

APPROVE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR/DEPUTY HEALTH OFFICER JOB

DESCRIPTION

Illick noted that approval of the new combined job description

for Lewis Cox was on the agenda. Harley Allen said the Planning

Commission and the Zoning Board had yet to review the job

description and Selectboard members agreed to table the issue in

the interim.

AUDITOR'S REPORT - APPROVE

Hazel Prindle reviewed the Auditor's Report and discussed her

questions on a surplus of revenues at Thompson' Point, town

donations to local charities and costs of computer services.

Prindle noted a concern by the Auditor about the Town Clerk both

reconciling books and writing checks on the same account(s).

Sheldon-Dean moved and the motion was seconded by

Hinsdale:

* "TO APPROVE THE AUDITOR'S REPORT."

Vote: All in favor.

SELECTBOARD BUDGET

Illick reviewed the Selectboard budget and distributed a

worksheet for board members to suggest changes for the next

year. Bill Peter asked for $3,500.00 for upkeep of the Little

League field at Lake Field.

Board of Selectmen -6- November 22, 1999

BILL SIGNING/DISCUSSION

Board members reviewed and signed bills.

Illick noted a petition that had been circling the town hall

asking for more staffing of Vermont State Police and a letter

from Secretary of State, Deb Markowitz's office in response to

the town's questions on trees cut at Thompson's Point. The

thrust of Markowitz's letter was that Thompson's Point is town

land and therefore the issue falls under the Tree Warden, Larry

Hamilton's domain.

Sheldon-Dean moved and the motion was seconded by

Hinsdale:

"TO ADJOURN."

Vote: All in favor.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:32 p.m.

Minutes submitted by:

Debby Flynn