Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of Monday December 13, 2021 at 6:00 PM
At South Hero Town Hall and via Zoom
Board Members Present: David Carter/Chairman, Skip Brown/Board Secretary, Ross Brown/Vice Chairman,
Anne Zolotas
Board Members Not Present: Chuck Hulse
Others Present: Kim Julow, Town Clerk/Treasurer, Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA. Also see sign in sheet of in person and active Zoom participants. Attendance SB 12-13-2021
1. Called to Order:
-The meeting was called by Chairman Carter at 6:05 pm
2. Adjustment to Agenda:
-Discuss the wastewater committee during Old Business
3. Minutes:
-Anne Zolotas made a motion to acknowledge the minutes of the meeting of November 22, 2021 and November 29, 2021. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. none
5. New Business:
A. 2022/2023 Budget requests presented:
– Road Department:
-John Beaulac, Road Foreman presented the proposed 2022/2023 budget. Should the budget be approved, it is anticipated to rebuild and re-ditch Kibbe Point Rd. and pave it up to approximately Kibbe Farm Rd.
See attached. Road Budget 2022-23
B. The Listers have asked the State to take over the portion of the old railroad fill/bike causeway that South Hero owns south of the “cut”. Note that Fish and Wildlife owns the portion from Martin Rd. to the “cut”.
6. Administrative Assistant Report:
A. See the written report filed with these minutes (below on the website, or filed in Town Hall).
B. Ross Brown made a motion to re-appoint Doug Patterson and Gareth Hunt to 3 year terms on the Development Review Board (DRB). The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
Ross Brown made a motion to appoint Mike Welsh and Sherry Corbin to 1 year terms as alternates on the DRB. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. Regarding the EAB, DJ’s Tree Service, will be removing ash trees in the Town ROW along West Shore Rd. between “Branch’s Hill” and Station Rd. that were previously identified.
B. The consensus of the Board is to write an article for a 1% local option tax for meals and alcoholic beverages with the funds to be earmarked for Town recreation and municipal services. More info to follow at the next meeting.
C. The Wastewater committee has been meeting. A forgivable loan will be applied for. Should it be approved, then an engineering study to identify any wastewater possibilities in the village areas may occur. Ross Brown made a motion to register South Hero on the Vermont Bid System registry to allow South Hero to ask for project bids from State approved contractors. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
D. The possible donation of approximately 3.4 acres of land behind the Old White Meeting House for a South Hero Recreation Park was discussed. A sketch of a possible layout was presented, but more information will be forthcoming before anything will be finalized. See attached 
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. See other business
9. Other Business:
A. Skip Brown made a motion to approve and sign orders 22-12 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: see ARPA funds updates below.
C. Recreation Commission (RC) update: none at this meeting.
D. Road Department update: The new employee will start on Monday Dec. 20. The excavator’s fan seized and flew into the radiator, so repairs need to be made on it. The possible purchase of land behind Town Garage for sand/salt storage and future salt shed is progressing.
E. Old South Hero Meeting House (OSHMH): Architects and engineers have done a preliminary walk-through. An engineering study and cost analysis to raise the building and install an new foundation is estimated at $275,000. Grants are being applied for. More information to follow.
F. ARPA fund updates: There is no good way to scan or copy maps and large items. Anne Zolotas made a motion to use ARPA funds to purchase a Canon scanner/copier as specified. See Attached Map Scanner estimate. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Also, a camera and microphone system for Zoom meetings in the Town Hall meeting space was discussed. Skip Brown will look into this.
G. The general Town budget, Town Meeting warnings and articles for the Town Report was worked on.
H. There will not be a Selectboard meeting on December 27, 2021. There will be a special meeting on January 3, 2022 instead.
10. Adjournment:
-Ross Brown made a motion to adjourn 9:05 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted, Approved by,
_______________________________ ________________________________
Graham Brown David Carter, Chairman
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Administrative Officer’s Report to Selectboard December 13, 2021
Discussion Items:
1. I registered the Town today with the National Opioid Settlement and will be receiving Participation Agreement within a few days. I have no information on the settlement amount at this time.
2. The Lake Champlain-Richelieu River Flood Study Board, a joint commission of the US and Canadian governments, will host a virtual discussion on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022 from 9 to 11AM with elected officials and agency representatives. Does South Hero want a representative to attend?
3. The Zoning Office has been working on an encroachment issue concerning properties at 24 and 26 Harrington Lane. There has been a question as to the location of the South Hero/Grand Isle Town Line, which parcel maps of both Towns shows running through 26 Harrington Lane. The Vermont E911 viewer, however, located the line 35 feet further south, placing 26 Harrington Lane completely within Grand Isle. Based on a 1969 survey by Fred Dwinell that was commissioned by the 2 Towns, South Hero and Grand Isle agreed on the percentage of land and camp structure on which each Town has based their taxes. The survey is referenced in a letter recorded in the South Hero Land Records. No actual survey can be located by either Town. Because the Towns had a prior agreement and parcel maps showing the town line location, VT E911 agreed to move the line on their maps to match the parcel maps of both Towns, but said it was not legally binding unless a new survey is done. From my understanding, town line surveys may need to be approved by the Legislature. I will keep the Board apprised of any developments.
Planning Commission:
1. The Planning Commission received notification on Friday (12/10) that a municipal grant of $16,000 for the 2023 Town Plan has been awarded to the Town. The Town’s match is $1600. I received the DocuSign Grant Agreement today. Who will be the MAO on this?
2. The Commission has also been discussing issues related to regulating fences and is proposing amendments to the current regs. The question of who and how to enforce regulations related to fences is noted in State Statute as the responsibility of Fence Viewers. The Town has not appointed any fence viewers in recent years (or “Weighers of Coal”….). Fence viewers settle disagreements related to fencing. Discussion at the Nov.29 5th-Monday meeting came to no conclusion as to whether fencing should be regulated through an ordinance or remain in the Development Regulations.
3. Discussion also continues on language re accessibility structures (ramps, etc.) to make them exempt from zoning requirements, such as setbacks, etc.
4. South Hero’s Village Center Designation is up for renewal in 2022. NRPC will be assisting the Planning Commission in preparing the renewal application for the Selectboard to approve. (note** — this is different from the Village Zoning District boundaries).
Development Review Board:
I received no letters of interest for seats on the Development Review Board. Two regular members’ 3-year terms, and both Alternates’ 1-year terms, expire on December 31st. Regular members Doug Patterson and Gareth Hunt have requested to be reappointed to the Board for another 3-year term; Alternates Mike Welch and Sherry Corbin have requested to be reappointed to another 1-year term each. I am recommending that the Selectboard reappoint Doug Patterson and Gareth Hunt to 3 year terms, and Mike Welch and Sherry Corbin to 1 year terms on the Development Review Board, effective January 1, 2021.
Recent DRB hearing decisions are posted on the Board outside the ZA’s office or can be emailed upon request.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney (ZA and Selectboard Asst.)