Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of Monday July 11, 2022 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 (via phone), and Chuck Hulse
Board Members Not Present: none
Others Present: Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA (via Zoom) + Naomi King, Town Clerk + Kim Julow, Treasurer. Also see sign in sheet of in person and active Zoom participants. *Attendance SB 07-11-2022
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:
-Ross Brown made a motion to acknowledge the minutes of the meeting of June 27, 2022. The motion was seconded, all in attendance at the meeting so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. Janine Bellinghiri emailed the Board about cars parking on the green space in front of the old “Tourist/Honeymoon” cottage near the Old Meeting House that is being restored by the South Hero Museum. Signs will be installed to keep cars off of it.
B. Ruby Brezinsky of Featherbed Lane was present to discuss the parking issue at the Fish and Wildlife, John Guilmette, boat ramp area. When the parking lot is full, many trucks and trailers park on the shoulder of Route 2. This severely impacts the sight lines for anyone leaving Featherbed Lane and is a safety problem. The Selectboard will compose a letter to VTrans asking for no parking signs from Featherbed Lane westward to the fishing access driveway.
5. New Business:
A. Bridget Kerr was present to submit a list of prospective members to the newly formed Conservation Commission. Ross Brown made a motion to appoint Bridget Kerr, Robert Fireovid, David Hobbs, Cynthia Kelley, Mark Naud and Sue Straight to the Conservation Commission. * Conservation Commission Members The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. The first meeting will probably be in September and the Commission will be organized at that time.
B. Kim Julow presented the tax rate for FY 22/23. Ross Brown made a motion to set the residential tax rate of 2.0791 and the non-residential tax rate of 2.1457. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
C. There have been several accidents and near misses in the vicinity of the old Sandbar Motel and Apple Island Resort. In the past, VTrans has stated that the area does not need any traffic calming or a crosswalk. With the upcoming development of the old Sandbar property the Board feels that the issue should be reexamined. Ross Brown made a motion to ask VTrans officials to a future Selectboard meeting to discuss safety in the area of the old Sandbar property, Apple Island and the two marinas. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
D. A 1% Meals and Alcohol tax was voted in on Town Meeting Day. The Vermont Tax Department was ready to begin to collect the tax on July 1, and then discovered that the legislature had a 1997 list that specified only certain Towns that were able to collect a local option tax. South Hero was not on that list. The legislature has to vote to allow South Hero (and any other Town that wishes to impose a local tax). Our local representatives are aware of the issue and will bring it up at the next session.
6. Administrative Assistant Report:
A. See the written report filed with these minutes (Below on the website or in Town Hall).
B. Ross Brown made a motion to waive $250.00 of the proposed Ron Gentile subdivision fee if the applicant withdraws the application. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. none at this meeting
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. see Other Business
9. Other Business:
A. Skip Brown made a motion to approve and sign orders 23-01 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: Kim Julow notes that the audit is scheduled for August 16 and 17.
C. Recreation Commission (RC) update: Chuck Hulse noted that the next meeting is currently scheduled for July 19 and that the Commission hopes to reorganize at that meeting.
D. Road Department update: The striping on Landon Rd. and South St has been completed. The purchase of the land for the proposed salt shed should close in the next 2 weeks.
E. Old South Hero Meeting House (OSHMH): Skip Brown made a motion to extend the contract for Arnold & Scangus Architects until the end of December 2022. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
F. ARPA fund updates: The Survey is complete and is being reviewed by the PC.
G. Anne Zolotas stated that the July 4 parade was great success and would like to thank the Dubuque Family for allowing the staging on their land, all off the volunteers who assisted and all of the participants who partook.
H. Ross Brown made a motion to go into executive session for personnel matters at 8:25 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Executive session ended at 8:30 pm. After Executive session, Ross Brown made a motion to approve the rate of pay and salaries as discussed and budgeted. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
10. Adjournment:
-David Carter made a motion to adjourn 8:32 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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Administrative Officer’s Report to Selectboard July 11, 2022
1. The Town’s Boundary Adjustment at the Town garage became effective on July 7. I have been asked to wait until the property closes before having the survey recorded.
2. I was asked about reducing the speed limit on Hochelaga Rd. from 35 to 25mph. Sheriff Allen told me that a traffic study will need to be conducted before the speed limit can be changed. The Town of Grand Isle is currently conducting a town-wide traffic study so I will contact them to get more information as to the process. In the meantime, can the Town put up a ‘Children – Slow’ sign n the meantime?
3. I would like to request that the Board approve a partial refund for a subdivision application before the DRB if it is withdrawn at the July 13 meeting? The Applicant paid $300 for an administrative review of a 2-lot subdivision but the survey was found to have errors that the surveyor has refused to correct. The BNoard cannot approve a survey that does not meet the requirements of the Development Regulations. The Applicant hs stated that he may choose to withdraw the application at the July 13 meeting if he is unable to get the surveyor to correct his work.
Planning Commission
2023 Town Plan discussion — The Commission has scheduled public outreach opportunities for June 27 (today from 4 to 6PM) and August 22, to be referred to as “Community Cheers and Cheese.” Three additional outreach opportunities will be at the Farmers’ Market on June 22, July 13, and August 17. The June 27 outreach will be from 4-6pm at the Old South Hero Meeting House.
The PC’s survey has been approved and is now available online at the NRPC website under South Hero.
There was no meeting on July 6th. The next meeting is July 20.
Development Review Board
1. The redevelopment of the old Sand Bar Inn lot at 59 US RT 2 was approved by the Board at their June 8th meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA and Asst. to the Selectboard