Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of Monday June 9, 2025 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: Kim Julow + see sign in sheet. *Attendance SB 2025-06-06-2025
1. Called to Order:
– The meeting was called to order by Chairman David Carter at 7:00 pm.
2. Adjustment to Agenda:
– Add Executive session for personnel matters at the end of the meeting
3. Minutes:
-Steve Robinson made a motion to approve the minutes of May 26, 2025. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. Carole Lavallee was present to discuss a letter sent to the Selectboard from Susan Ryan re: paving of the remaining Town roads. See attached * At the March 24, 2025 meeting, a motion was made to “….have the remaining roads paved….”. Town Highway 21 is part of the old Rte. 2 and is included in the Town Highway map. The Board agrees that a portion of Town Highway 21 will be paved up to Susan Ryan’s driveway, as the remaining section of the road is not used or maintained.
5. New Business:
A. Town Treasurer Kim Julow was present to discuss the possibility of hiring a part time bookkeeper. Currently the assistant Town clerks/treasurers try to help out, but get interrupted often which adds to the time to help. Kim states that if a part time bookkeeper was able to post account payables, receipts, reconcile books etc., it would free up her job and she could cut back in her hours in order to pay for a part time bookkeeper. She will prepare a job description and update the procedure manual to present it to the Board at the July 14 meeting.
-She has been in touch with the Town’s TD Bank in order to set up ACH for tax payments. (ACH is short for Automated Clearing House, which is a payment network that facilitates electronic transfers of funds between banks and credit unions in the United States. It’s a common way to make or receive payments, like direct deposits or bill payments)
-Anne Zolotas made a motion to allow the Treasurer to apply for a Tax Anticipation Note (line of credit) for FY 25/26. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. Two bids for fixing up the Town Garage were opened. One was from Millbrook Building and Remodeling and one was from Kennison Construction LLC. See attached *Millbrook_South_Hero_Town Highway Proposal (Signed). Kennison Town Garage proposal Because both bids vary in the scope of the work, Anne Zolotas and Steve Robinson will study them and report back to the Board at a future meeting.
C. David Carter read the KAS Environmental report re: a proposed timeline for lead testing of the OSHMH. See Attached *KAS 6-9-2025. Anne Zolotas said the up to $5000.00 from the OSHMH funds will be spent to rent a lift and to repair missing roof slates and close some holes in the siding.
6. Town Administrator and ZA Reports:
A. See Attached
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. There are no updates re: ACT 181 mapping and Village Center designation.
B. Anne Zolotas made a motion to approve the mobile vendor license for the Community Dock Seafood Market that will be at Goulet Farm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
C. Steve Robinson made a motion to approve the mobile vendor license for the C&M Concessions that will be at Goulet Farm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. none at this meeting
9. Other Business:
A. Anne Zolotas made a motion to sign the orders 25-25 and have the Treasurer pay the bills as presented on the orders. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. Town Clerk/Treasurer updates: none at this meeting
C. Recreation Commission (RC) update: See https://southherovt.org/rec/ for more info.
D. Road Department update:
-With the beginning of the heavy bicycling season in South Hero, South Street becomes busy. Berms and grass that had built up along the shoulders of the road were peeled back. The Road Dept. will be renting a sweeper to finish getting the sand off of the shoulders.
E. Lister Updates: None at this meeting
F. Wastewater (WW) update: Paperwork for the final approvals have been submitted. 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: There is a dead poplar tree at the far west side of the Town beach property past the culvert where there is not much use by the public. The Town Road Dept. should be able to remove it.
I. Anne Zolotas made a motion to go into executive session at 8:15 to discuss personnel matters. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Executive session ended at 8:23 pm. Upon exiting executive session, Anne Zolotas made a motion to allow an unpaid volunteer help the Road Dept. with roadside mowing, after the volunteer signs a waiver stating that they hold the Town harmless should a mishap occur. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
10. Adjournment:
-Anne Zolotas made a motion to adjourn at 8:25 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://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/Myw4b8lU4LYtVASda6WQHXJ_Q0-TZGfrOmfYfnVmTdWZ6r1xvVpfdBPeyE9DoBM1.nuPPeb9eSO97XCJS
Passcode: xg6#w?DR
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Une 9, 2025 ZA’s report to the SB
1. On June 10 I am attending a virtual seminar called “Are You Ready for Your Next
Disaster”, presented by VLCT. I am registered already and can put it on the screen in
the boardroom if anyone else is interested in joining. Sounds like a disaster movie but I
suspect it won’t be that exciting.
2. On June 11, there’s an online seminar on the new Act 250 Land Use Board. This state-
wide board replaces the individual boards that were spread around the State. I’ll have
an update about this seminar at the next SB meeting.
3. A new private road has been created from a driveway that had served 2 homes – one in
South Hero and one in Grand Isle. The driveway originated in South Hero, nearly
directly across RT 2 from Town Line Rd. It curves slightly north into Grand Isle and then
curves back into South Hero, ending at the home of Tad and Deborah Wilder (RT 639).
Although the homes were in different towns, both have Grand Isle mailing addresses (as
do all homes on Town Line Rd.). The Grand Isle parcel recently finalized a subdivision
that created 2 additional lots served from that driveway. Per VT E911 rules (and South
Hero Development Regulations), once a driveway serves 4 or more lots or uses, it must
become a road with a 50-ft. right-of-way, with new addresses no longer on RT 2. The
landowners on the road have agreed to name it Kestrel Lane. Grand Isle has agreed.
E911 told me that if the South Hero Selectboard approved, they will make the official
change. It seems unnecessary to go through a formal road naming hearing with the
required warnings, etc. I will leave that up to the Board to decide.
Planning Commission
The PC continues to discuss clarifications in the Development Regulations, including clarifying
definitions of “average natural grade” and “Pre-construction grade.”
The Commission has been asked by South Hero Land Trust and the Rec Commission to be
included in discussions of future recreational use of the Lavin property. It was the Commission’s
opinion that a member of the Selectboard should be part of these discussions. Steve Robinson
attended the June 4 Planning Commission meeting, and the Commission members appreciated
his recommendations. Discussion will continue.
Development Review Board
The Board’s June 11 meeting will finalize decisions from hearings held on May 14 and 28. One
is the Pest Pro site plan amendment. The Environmental Court in February of this year had
agreed that the 2015 ECourt stipulation did not prevent the DRB from considering an
amendment to the site plan and remanded it back to the DRB for a decision. The hearing was
held on May 28 and a decision will be finalized on at the DRB’s June 11 meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA