Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of June 10, 2019
South Hero Town Hall, Monday 7:00 PM
Board Members Present: Jonathan Shaw, Skip Brown (also Board Secretary), Sharon Roy, Anne Zolotas, David Carter
Board Members Not Present:
Others Present: Janet Yates, Town Clerk and Martha Taylor Varney, ZA and Admin. Assistant. Also see sign in sheet.
1. Called to Order:
-The meeting was called to order by Chairman Shaw at 7:00 pm.
2. Adjustment to Agenda:
-add to Other Business: Discuss Rec. Comm. Whites Beach budget
3. Minutes:
-Anne Zolotas made a motion to accept the minutes of the meeting of May 13, 2019 as written. The motion was seconded, David Carter abstained, the others in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. Mike Gammal, owner of Keeler Bay Campground was present to discuss a noise issue from a dirt bike track adjacent to the campground. He suggests that the Town look into possibly implementing a noise ordinance for the future village districts of Keeler Bay and South Hero areas. Also, Bridgett Kerr, Anne Quinn and Robin House discussed a noise issue when Island Racing tests loud engines. Per the conditional use permit that Island Racing got in 2004, it was stated that all testing was to be indoors, but it was not stipulated that the doors had to be closed during testing. Jonathan offered to speak to them and see if there is a solution.
B. Bridgett Kerr also mentioned that recently agricultural hay and manure trucks use South Street and appear to be speeding. It was suggested that the Sheriff be notified if speeding is suspected.
5. New Business:
A. Everett Dubuque submitted a draft of a Delinquent Tax Collection Policy for the Town of South Hero. It will be reviewed and discussed at a future meeting.
B. David Carter made a motion to appoint Bob Buermann as rep. to the Northwest Solid Waste District, with Bill Rowe as alternate. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
6. Administrative Assistant Report:
A. A written report was submitted. A hard copy with discussion points can be seen in Town Hall filed with these minutes or on www.southherovt.org.
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. PFAS was found in one of the test wells at the closed landfill. The State is adding regulations for landfill testing regarding PFAS. The Town has used Johnson Environmental Services to monitor the landfill since it was closed and a rep. from the company will be asked to come to a future meeting to explain the next steps necessary.
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. See other business
9. Other Business:
A. Anne Zolotas made a motion to sign orders 19-23, 19-24 and 19-25 and to pay the bills associated with the orders. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. Part of East Shore Rd. and all of Whipple Rd. are now paved and it was noted that driving speed may be rising and that speed limit signs are missing. The Road Crew will be asked to check for missing signs so that enforcement of the speed limit can be done.
C. David Carter made a motion to sign the engagement letter from Ted Nelson of Vermont Appraisal Co. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
D. David Carter made a motion to sign the contract with the auditors, Sullivan and Powers, PC. The motion was seconded, Sharon Roy voted no, the others in attendance voted yes and the motion carried.
E. Anne Zolotas made a motion to sign the Grand Isle Sheriff contract at the amount budgeted. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
F. Anne Zolotas made a motion to establish a separate fund for the Recreation Commission operating account. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Also, any funds from the White’s Beach sticker program will be used to offset the cost of the new signage.
G. Anne Zolotas made a motion to go into executive session for legal and financial matters regarding the Zlotoff tax appeal case at 8:05 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Executive session ended at 8:18 pm. There is currently no settlement agreement and our attorney has advised that he will submit a letter to the Supreme Court before the next deadline.
10. Adjournment:
-Skip Brown made a motion to adjourn 8:25pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted, Approved by,
_______________________________ ________________________________
Graham Brown Jonathan Shaw, Chairman
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Administrative Officer’s Report to Selectboard June 10, 2019
Discussion Items:
1. No word yet on whether South Hero will receive a Northern Border Regional Commission grant for $95,000 for the replacement of the 2” water pipe from Hill Rd. to the proposed future site for senior housing (behind the Heath Center) to a 4” pipe. The total cost for the replacement is estimated to be $190,000 and Cathedral Square can apply for 50%. Ken Little and I wrote letters of support as part of the grant application. Cathedral Square says this is a longshot but felt is was worth a try. Although slated for South Hero specifically, Cathedral Square is the applicant.
2. The Vermont Community Development planning grant ($60,000) application is still under review.
3. The Spring Planning and Zoning Forum is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18 at Lake Morey. I plan to attend. The Tuesday schedule makes it more convenient to my schedule given that there are evening meetings here on Wednesdays.
4. Planning Commission members Doug Patterson and Michele Gammal have requested to be re-appointed to the Commission for another 3-year term. Michele has served for the past year finishing the term of a previous member whose term ends this month. I recommend the Selectboard re-appoint both Doug and Michele to another 3-year term.
5. The 5th Monday meeting with the SB, PC, and DRB, scheduled for July 29th will be warned as a special Selectboard meeting. The discussion will include a continuation of the discussion begun on May 1st with Taylor Newton of NRPC regarding opportunities, challenges, and potential funding sources for water and wastewater-related planning and infrastructure in South Hero Village.
-Planning Commission: The final draft of the Development Regulations will be produced by the end of the month and will be forwarded electronically to the Selectboard members. The Planning Commission will host a public session for the Old White Meeting House Outreach Committee at their June 19th regular meeting. Taylor Newton will be attending and will also be available to discuss the final draft of the Regulations with the Commission after the OWMH public session.
-Development Review Board: -On May 29th the DRB denied the Zlotoff appeal to 2 Notices of Violation issued by the ZA re: the car museum at the resort and the garage on Landon Rd. The deadline to appeal the Board’s decision to Environmental Court is Friday, June 28th. As of this afternoon I have received no notice from ECourt that the DRB’s decision is being appealed.
– Hearing scheduled this Wednesday (6/12) are a change in conditional use for a non-conforming seasonal replacement home that will reduce the degree of non-conformity, and a conditional use and site plan review for a food truck to be located at 456 US RT 2. Copies of recent decisions are posted on the board outside the ZA’s office.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA and Asst. to the Selectboard