Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of Monday April 28, 2024 at 7:00 PM
At South Hero Town Hall and via Zoom
Board Members Present: David Carter/Chairman, Skip Brown/Board Secretary, Steve Robinson, Anne Zolotas
Board Members Not Present: David Lane/Vice Chairman
Others Present: See sign in sheet. *Attendance SB 2025-04-28-2025
1. Called to Order:
– The meeting was called to order by Chairman David Carter at 7:00 pm.
2. Adjustment to Agenda:
– Add discuss Rockwell cemetery to Announcements
3. Minutes:
-Steve Robinson made a motion to approve the minutes of April 14, 2025. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. Joan Falcao asked if the Grannies Attic group would ever go back into the Old South Hero Meeting House. She is not affiliated with the group, but she says people have asked her about it. There was never a motion to exclude them. They were asked to vacate the building with the assumption that restoration would begin soon. But as of right now, there is an issue with lead contamination of the surrounding ground and the estimates to remediate it run from +/- $26,500.00 to +/-254,000.00. That, combined with the loss of federal grants, means that much more information is needed to decide on the funding, timeline and future restoration of the building. There will be more information and a public meeting once the solutions are known.
5. New Business:
A. Chairman of the Planning Commission (PC), David Roy was present to discuss the new Act 181 that limits the need for Act 250 in designated Village Centers, of which South Hero has currently mapped. Catherine Dimitruck of NRPC did a presentation about this to the Board in February of 2025. This is a State legislative change and Town should be able to abide by Act 181 without any changes to the Town’s regulations, but that will be confirmed. All storm water and waste water regulations are still in effect and the current zoning should still apply. The NRPC is preparing new maps showing the Village Center designation slightly enlarged to the east. There is also a ¼ mile “buffer” zone that is in effect until 2027. The new mapping will be clarified at a future meeting. Anne Zolotas made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Planning Commission that the Town comply with Act 181 as noted above. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. Steve Robinson made a motion to allow Rootstock Racing bicycling event to pass through the Town between June 21 and 28, 2025. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
C. KAS, Inc. environmental engineers have submitted estimates for lead remediation around the Old South Hero Meeting House. See above in Public Input with an explanation, as it is still too soon on how to proceed.
D. Painting and/or siding the Town Garage was discussed. Anne Zolotas will speak to some contractors on how to proceed.
Note: The internet blipped off for on the computer for about 2 minutes, so the meeting was suspended until it came back. The television feed in the room would not reconnect for about 10 minutes, but the Zoom was on the computer.
6. Town Administrator and ZA Reports:
A. None at this meeting
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. none at this meeting
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. About 230 or more years ago there was a small cemetery between Eagle Camp and West Shore Rds. on land currently owned by Eagle Camp. The location of this cemetery has not been known for over 100 years. A descendant of a Col. Sawyer, who was supposed to be buried there, is requesting that a headstone be placed over his grave, but the location is not know and the land is on private property. FYI, his son is buried in the South Hero Cemetery. More information will be necessary on what to do with the headstone that she bought.
9. Other Business:
A. Skip Brown made a motion to approve and sign the orders 25-22 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 Treasurer submitted fund balance paperwork.
C. Recreation Commission (RC) update: See https://southherovt.org/rec/ for more info.
D. Road Department update: Trees and/or a fence will be installed around the new salt shed. They are waiting for the seasonal neighbor to return to continue discussions.
E. Lister Updates: None at this meeting
F. Wastewater (WW) update: See https://southherovt.org/wastewater-committee/ for more info.
G. Town Hall Committee update: See https://southherovt.org/town-office-building-committee/
H. Tree Warden Update: None at this meeting
10. Adjournment:
-Anne Zolotas made a motion to adjourn at 8:40 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted, Approved by,
_______________________________ ________________________________
Graham Brown, Secretary David Carter, Chairman
For a video of the meeting, see: https://lcatv.org/south-hero