Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of Monday January 27, 2024 at 7:00 PM
At South Hero Town Hall and via Zoom
Board Members Present: David Carter/Chairman, David Lane/Vice Chairman Skip Brown/Board Secretary, Steve Robinson, Anne Zolotas
Board Members Not Present: none
Others Present: Sue Arguin/TA. Public: Bob Fireovid and Joan Falcao. No Zoom attendees.
1. Called to Order:
– The meeting was called to order by Chairman David Carter at 7:00 pm.
2. Adjustment to Agenda:
– none
3. Minutes:
-Steve Robinson made a motion to approve the minutes of January 13, 2025 and January 20, 2025. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. Newly elected State Senator Pat Brennan introduced himself and gave a brief biography. He has been a small businessman and was a member of the Vermont House since 2003, so he knows his way around the Vermont legislative process. Now that he is a State Senator, he is a member of the appropriations committee and the transportation committee. He acknowledges that Vermont is in trouble due to aging populations, high taxes, rising health insurance costs and lack of housing, but he feels that the house and senate legislatures seem more willing to work together to find solutions. The Governor is giving the budget address on January 28, 2025 and more information about this legislative session should become clearer.
5. New Business:
A. Liquor license applications were presented:
-Steve Robinson made a motion to approve the 1st Class liquor license application for Pan’s Pizza. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-Anne Zolotas made a motion to approve the 1st Class and 3rd Class liquor license applications for the Sand Bar, LLC restaurant. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
6. Town Administrator and ZA Reports:
A. See the written reports posted with these minutes.
B. Sue Arquin advised that the US government portal for the System for Award Management (SAM) has been renewed. She is working on grant maintenance reports.
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. none at this meeting
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. A special meeting executive session will be held on Wednesday to discuss real estate and legal matters re: the Lavin property.
9. Other Business:
A. David Lane made a motion to approve and sign the orders 25-16 and to pay the bills associated with the orders. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. Town Clerk/Treasurer updates: The Town Report is finalized and will be sent out when back from the printer.
C. Recreation Commission (RC) update: See https://southherovt.org/rec/
D. Road Department update: The sand/salt shed is complete, but the contractor still has a piece of his equipment stored there.
E. Old South Hero Meeting House (OSHMH) project: Fundraising is ongoing. See https://southherovt.org/meeting-house-project
F. Lister Updates: Reappraisals are being started.
G. Wastewater (WW) update: See https://southherovt.org/wastewater-committee/
H. Town Hall Committee update: See https://southherovt.org/town-office-building-committee/ There will be a public informational meeting on February 4, 2024 to discuss updates.
I. Tree Warden Update: The Town has signed a contract for work to be done at the beach and the work is scheduled for later this month.
10. Adjournment:
-Skip Brown made a motion to adjourn at 7:48 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted, Approved by,
_______________________________ ________________________________
Graham Brown, Secretary David Carter, Chairman
January 27, 2025 ZA’s report to the SB
1. I received 2 Environmental Notice Bulletins from VT Agency of Natural Resources with
updates of two South Hero projects – The application for the Wetlands after-the-fact
permit for the parking on Martin Rd. by the bike access is finally complete and a draft
decision has been reached. It is now in a 30-day public comment period. The date of
the notification was January 22 nd . After the 30 days, ANR will issue a final decision
followed by another 30-day appeal period before the permit is issued.
I also received notice that the decision reclassifying the wetland at the quarry on RT 2
from Class 2 to Class 3 is now in the 30-day appeal period. That bulletin was dated
January 16.
2. Sue Arguin and I will be attending a webinar on Tuesday, January 28, on the new (and
improved?) GEARS online grant management system required by VT Community
Development. We’ll see if this one is in English…
3. I am attending a webinar on Wednesday, Jan 29 on the 2025 Omnibus Housing Bill,
sponsored by the Agency of Commerce and Development. This bill was designed to
address Vermont’s and infrastructure challenges. I will have more information at the
next SB meeting.
4. My approval of the boundary adjustment between the Town’s Meeting House property
(RT318), the red fire station building (RT310), and the 1.88- acre lot being donated to the
Town for a Town Park will become effective on January 28, 2025.
Planning Commission
The Planning Commission’s January 15 meeting included a presentation by Nate Hayward on
the Town’s purchase of the remaining lots on the Lavin parcel and the associated wastewater.
This was essentially the same discussion planned for the public meeting with the wastewater
committee, held at the Library on January 16. The Commission next meets on Wednesday,
February 5 th at 6PM.
Development Review Board
The DRB is on an extended vacation. Tere are no hearings scheduled for the first meeting I
February and I don’t anticipate any for the February 6 meeting.
Recording: https://lcatv.org/node/218261