Selectboard Minutes
Public Hearing + Regular Meeting of Monday February 26, 2024 at 7:00 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 and Chuck Hulse
Board Members Not Present: none
Other Staff Present: Sue Arguin, Town Administrator, Naomi King Town Clerk. Also see sign in sheet of in person and Zoom attendees. *Attendance SB 2024-02-26-2024
1. Called to Order:
– The meeting was called to order by Chairman Carter at 7:00 pm.
2. Public Hearing re: proposed Livestock Running at Large ordinance:
Joan Falcao asked some questions:
-Poultry running at large probably pose less of a public safety hazard than larger animals. Why the equal weight in the ordinance? Note that any action will be investigated on a case by case basis and that any remedy will most likely be appropriate for each case.
-Why equal fines? Any fines will be set by a judge. Fines listed in the ordinance are a guide, not final number.
-When there is a second or third offense, what is the time between offenses? For instance: A year or more. Or less? That is not specified and would be determined by a judge.
Mitchel Richardson asked if this ordinance has been “vetted” by a court.
-This ordinance was originally used in the Town of Calais and has been reviewed by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT). It has stood up in court.
-The Senate agriculture committee has knowledge of this ordinance.
The public hearing was closed at 7:08 pm.
3. Adjustment to Agenda:
-none
4. Minutes:
-Chuck Hulse a motion to approve the minutes of February 12, 2024. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
5. Public input:
A. none
6. New Business:
A. Anne Zolotas made a motion to approve and adopt the Livestock Running at Large ordinance as presented. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Note that it will take effect in 60 days.
B. The Town Meeting informational session will be Saturday March 2, 2024 at the Folsom Educational and Community Center at 9:00 am. The School Board presentation will go first, followed by the Town presentation.
C. Ross Brown made a motion to rescind the vote made at the last Selectboard Meeting stating: “…that the concept of locating a new Town Hall building across the street in the vicinity of the former red fire station be explored pending land acquisition, all necessary engineering studies, permit approvals, financing and a Town vote.” The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
D. There was a discussion about the possible decision to build a Town Hall on the north side of Route 2, and why not leave the location where it is. Since March of 2023, there was a Town Hall feasibility committee studying the future of the Town Hall. Since then, there was building inspection and engineering study done to the existing building. Due to water intrusion and lack of building maintenance, it has been determined that the current building is nearing its useful life and is probably not worth trying to repair.
-Questions were raised as to why move the location and not just rebuild where the current Town Hall is located? Some issues with that scenario are where would a temporary Town Hall go if this one was razed and rebuilt? Note that per State regulations, public records have to be in a secure fire resistant vault and available during the hours that the building is open. Renting office trailers does not seem like a viable solution and records cannot be secured. It would take upwards of 4-5 years to acquire the land, get permits, bond financing, construction, etc. The current Town Hall could still be utilized while this occurs.
-Questions were also raised about the cost of staying where it is or building in a different location. No comparisons were actually made, but the price per square foot would be similar no matter where it was built. The costs of a temporary move have not been assessed, but would surely add to a total cost.
-More information will be ongoing at the Town informational session on March 2 and at the next Selectboard meeting on March 11, 2024. See documents related to this attached: * Town Hall Relocation 2-26-2024 paperwork
7. Town Administrator and ZA Reports:
A. See the written reports from the ZA filed with these minutes (Below on the website or in Town Hall).
B. Chuck Hulse made a motion to approve and have the Board sign resolutions to apply for the Northern Border Regional Commission grant and for the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) grant. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
8. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. see below
9. Announcements and Communications:
A. David Carter has testified before the State senate regarding the South Hero Town Charter. It appears that it will be approved and hopefully will be signed by the Governor in this legislative session.
10. Other Business:
A. Chuck Hulse made a motion to approve and sign the orders 24-17, 24-17A, 24-18 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 above. Also, Town Hall will be closed for regular business on March 5, 2024 during the Town Meeting vote, which is 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.
C. Recreation Commission (RC) update: none.
D. Road Department update: none at this meeting.
E. Old South Hero Meeting House (OSHMH) project: see above re: the grant resolutions.
F. Wastewater (WW) update: There will be a public hearing at the Worthen Library regarding current progress on February 27, 2024.
11. Adjournment:
-Chuck Hulse made a motion to adjourn at 8:45 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted, Approved by,
_______________________________ ________________________________
Graham Brown, Secretary David Carter, Chairman
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February 28, 2024 ZA’s report to the SB
1. Rebecca Pfeiffer, State Floodplain Manager and VT NFIP Coordinator with the VT Agency of
Natural Resources was scheduled to be a guest speaker at the February 29 Zoning 101 class.
She has notified me that she will not be able to attend. I have canceled the Feb. 29 meeting
and hope to re-schedule it for later in the spring.
Planning Commission
The PC is currently discussing adding to the performance standards in Sec. 508, used by the DRB
in Conditional Use reviews by the DRB rather than attempting to define “small, low-impact
industry”. The Commission is researching the performance standards of several nearby towns
as part of their discussions. Also included in the discussion was updating the definition of
storage and adding marine (boat) storage and repair to Table 2.1 (Allowed Uses). Discussion
will continue at the Commission’s March 6 meeting.
Development Review Board
-The Board’s February 28 meeting will include 2 hearings – Pest Pro will be back for a site plan
amendment for their expanded parking area, which received a notice of violation from the ZA
last summer. The site plan amendment is to bring the parking area into compliance with the
Town’s development regulations and conditions of the Town’s 2014 original site plan and
conditional use approvals. The second hearing is a site plan review for a proposed maintenance
structure at Camp Ta-Kum-Ta.
– A setback waiver hearing is scheduled at the Board’s March 13 meeting. The DRB schedule is
starting to fill up now after a slow late Fall/early Winter lull.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA
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TOWN ADMINISTRATORS REPORT FOR SB MEETING 02/26/2024
1. This past Friday the Listers and I attended a Seminar learning about the NMREC and CAMA
system in hopes to be better prepared for this upcoming tax season. There have been a few
other webinars that we are currently attending also.
2. I’m working with Sandy Gregg and Mary Harwood on preparation to apply for the Northern
Borders Grant for the White Meeting House. There is a resolution that has been drawn up
asking your permission to move forward with this grant for $500,000 with a 50% match. We
also would like to work with the REDI Program and secure their services to help complete this
application. (Please see Letter of Support in your packet).
3. The final touches are being put together for tomorrow’s Wastewater Committee Presentation at
the Library from 6-8PM.
4. SAMS.Gov folder has been successfully updated with my contact information verses Martha’s.
We are in the process of updating the file for another year and started that process last week.
5. The past few months VLCT has conducted Solar Eclipse Check In meetings via Zoom where all
the communities throughout Vermont are being updated on preparations for April 8 th along with
the weekend prior to. After speaking with Ray Allen, he suggested to have something on our
website for our residents to have filled their fuel tanks and their pantries in the event things are
running low due to the visitors coming here. Through these meetings you have the option to
order sunglasses for your community to have for the event. There is a shortage of them right
now so we I was only able to secure about 50-100 of them and they will be at town meeting if
anyone wants a pair.