FINAL VERSION AS
AMENDED AND APPROVED ON ___________. Attest: _________
TOWN OF CHARLOTTE
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
DECEMBER 30, 2002
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Charles Russell
Eleanor Russell
Jennifer Steele Cole
OTHERS: Daniel Senecal-Albrecht
Clark W. Hinsdale, Jr.
Nancy Binter
Bela Ratkovitz
John Hammer
Clark Hinsdale, III
Dick Greene
Bradley Carleton
Rose Ann Lombard
David Hill
Stephen C. Brooks
Tim Hawley
The meeting was called to order at
7:00 p.m.
The items on the agenda were as follows;
Adjustments to Agenda / Approve minutes of December 16th / Public Discussion / Appointments: Planning Commissioner, MPO Alternate, RPC Alternate / Path Easement across Nordic Farms / Selectboard Updates / Sign Bills and Warrants
The following items were added to the agenda:
-David Hill will address the Selectboard just prior to the Selectboard Updates on the 10% challenge to reduce greenhouse gasses.
Motion made by Eleanor Russell, second by Jennifer Cole:
Correct references on page 3 to Sportsman’s Alliance to read “Charlotte Sportsman’s Alliance” and correct Roseann to read “Rose Ann.”
Vote: All in favor.
Robert Mack asked about the status of the town budget for next year. Chairman Russell stated that it was available on the town website or from Mary Mead, the Town Clerk. Robert urged the Board to approve a final version sooner rather than later so that the public has time to read it and think about it. Mr. Mack also raised questions about the Burns Planning Process. He thinks about $10,000 was budgeted for this. Both he and Chairman Russell agreed that the process would probably cost more.
Clark W. Hinsdale, Jr. noted that the members of the Planning Commission are listed on the bottom of their agenda. The Selectboard should do the same. Chairman Russell agreed that that was a good suggestion.
Stephen C. Brooks asked if Bradley Carleton had asked to be on the agenda. Chairman Russell said no, the Selectboard had not received such a request. Mr. Brooks asked that budget data be made available as quick as possible to the public, namely the data Ms. Cole was collecting on the details of the budget for Charlotte Fire and Rescue Services. Ms. Cole stated that she hoped to have such data from them next week. John Hammer said that he will refer the Charlotte News’s readers to the town website.
Dale Knowles, the Town’s Animal Control Officer updated the Board on the situation with a pair of dogs in East Charlotte about which he had received three complaints. He has issued one warning, followed by two $25 tickets after the 2nd complaint and two more $25 tickets after the 3rd complaint. The last complaint was in late September. Since the first complaint he has made approximately 6-7 phone calls to the offending party but has not had any of them returned.
The Board, Mr. Knowles, Mr. Brooks and Mr. Mack all noted that the dog ordinance was confusing and needed clarification, particularly with regards to the Officer’s authority and when and how he could impound a dog. Mr. Knowles said he had a budget request as well. Chairman Russell said that that would be addressed at the next meeting.
Appointments: Planning Commissioner, MPO Alternate, RPC Alternate
Motion made by Eleanor Russell, second by Jennifer Cole:
Ms. Russell noted that several candidates applied and it was good to have so many candidates. She encouraged those not selected to reapply for this and other positions as they become available
Vote: All in favor.
Motion made by Eleanor Russell, second by Jennifer Cole:
Vote: All in favor.
Motion made by Eleanor Russell, second by Jennifer Cole:
Vote: All in favor.
Eleanor Russell first read into the record a two-page letter written by Linda Hamilton. A copy of the letter is attached to these minutes.
Chairman Russell said that another site walk was done the week before Christmas. The eastern boundary of the property north of Lime Kiln Road looks good for a trail location. Most of this area is below some high bluffs and is somewhat secluded. Some wet areas would be encountered near its northern terminus near the northwest corner of Jane Titus’ property. Kate Lampton, filling in for Michael Hardie of the Charlotte Land Trust, also went on the walk and recommended an engineer who could assist the town with questions about trail siting and wetlands issues. Chairman Russell stated that the town would try to do another site walk next week with that engineer. Chairman Russell also met with Patrick Leclaire who lives on the north side of Lime Kiln Road. He is supportive of the trail and even has some of his own trails along the western edge of his property that he has constructed.
Ms. Bitner and Mr. Raskovits, whose property would abut the trail, spoke vigorously against the proposed trail for several reasons, including: expense of constructing and maintaining the trail, concerns over snowmobiles, potential environmental impacts and their assessment that the Town would not get any permits from the state to allow the trail to cross the wetlands of McCabe Brook (based upon their experience with the state with getting permits to drill a well on their property).
Chairman Russell and Dan Senecal-Albrecht stated that right now the town is only concerned with securing the trail easement before the deadline of January 23rd. The issues they raised are important but would only be addressed if and when the town ever decides to construct a trail in the easement area. Furthermore, a management plan would have to be in place prior to the opening of the trail and the various users could be regulated as needed and as appropriate.
Bradley Carleton of the Charlotte Sportsmans Alliance reiterated their proposed routing which would avoid the Bitner/Raskovits property and head due north along the western edge of the Mansfield-Owens Trust property and the Budney/Stanger property. Chairman Russell stated that the Mansfield-Owens Trust had six co-owners who were unlikely to all agree to allow access. He noted that the town still might pursue such a routing in the future across those properties or others but that right now the town needed to focus on rights on the Nordic Farm since the deal on that land must be done by the 23rd of January.
Clark Hinsdale, III stated that if you delay that there is no way to know how future landowner(s) of the Nordic Farm would react to a trail. The Hinsdales are willing to work with the Town since we have and intend to remain long-term residents. Secondly, there is also no way to know how the wetland issue will be resolved. However, the wetland issue is not a legal one, rather it is a permitting issue of how one satisfies the VTDEC that appropriate mitigation and avoidance is being exercised. We have a trail going across our Berry Farm where wetland issues are being dealt with.
Robert Mack urged the Selectboard to move ahead with the proposed routing being worked on by Chairman Russell.
Stephen Brooks stated that Linda Hamilton’s letter was actually her personal opinion yet it was written on Charlotte Conservation Commission letterhead that she had created. He asked David Hill, who is a member of the Commission, if the Commission had discussed the issue. David say that they had not formally discussed it. Mr. Brooks also repeated his concern of private addresses (in this case, Ms. Hamilton’s home address) being used as the address of an official town committee. Chairman Russell asked Mr. Hill to remind the Commission as a whole to use the Town of Charlotte’s mailing address (Box 119) for official correspondence and to remind Ms. Hamilton, if she is expressing her personal opinion, to please note it as so in her correspondence.
Finally, Dan was instructed by the Chair to provide figures on the cost of maintaining the trail at the Demeter Park for the next meeting.
REQUEST BY DAVID HILL FOR
SELECTBOARD TO PLACE ADVISORY VOTE ON TOWN BALLOT IN SUPPORT OF THE “TEN
PERCENT CHALLENGE” TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASSES.
Mr. David Hill, a Charlotte resident and member of the Conservation Commission, asked the Selectboard to vote to put this issue on the ballot for Town Meeting Day. David Hill said we should all be concerned about global warming and each of us as individuals should all do our part.
The Selectboard was supportive of having the issue on the ballot. The relative merits of having the Board vote to do it or having Mr. Hill and supporters of the issue gather the necessary signatures by approximately January 27th were debated. Mr. Brooks favored the first option but Mr. Mack disagreed stating that the Selectboard should stay focused on the task of budgets and town business.
It was the consensus of the Selectboard that the Board not to vote to put it on the ballot. They noted that the supporters of this issue should have little trouble gather the requisite signatures but that they, like supporters of other issues, should be required to do the legwork of gathering such signatures as proof of the support their cause has.
SELECTBOARD UPDATES
Chairman Russell noted the correspondence received from Ms. Amanda Lafferty, one of the Town attorneys, asking for the Selectboard to authorize further work by her to seek back rent and penalties not paid by the Curtis family for a lease at a Thompson’s Point property and if necessary, begin the legal eviction process.
Motion made by Eleanor Russell, second by Jennifer Cole:
Vote: All in favor.
Motion made by Eleanor Russell, second by Jennifer Cole:
Vote: All in favor.
Having no further business, Chairman Russell moved:
“to adjourn.”
Vote: All in favor.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
Minutes submitted by: Dan Senecal-Albrecht