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March 8, 2021 Minutes

Reorganizational + Regular Selectboard Meeting
Minutes of Meeting of March 8, 2021
South Hero Town Hall and via Zoom, Monday 6:00 PM

Board Present via Zoom and in person (after swearing in): David Carter, Ross Brown, Anne Zolotas (left meeting at 7:55), Charles “Chuck” Hulse, Graham “Skip” Brown
Board Not present: none
Others Present: Erin Morse, Town Clerk, Kim Julow, Town Treasurer and Martha Taylor-Varney, Administrative Assistant. Also, see sign in sheet of in person and Zoom attendees.Attendance SB 03-08-2021

1. Called to Order: The meeting was called to order by Erin Morse at 6:02 PM.

2. Board Reorganization and appointments:
A. The meeting was opened by the Town Clerk, Erin Morse, for reorganization. Skip Brown and Chuck Hulse were sworn in.
B. Erin Morse asked for nominations for the Chairperson of the Selectboard. Skip Brown made a motion to nominate David Carter as Chairman of the Selectboard. Anne Zolotas made a motion to nominate Ross Brown as Chairman of the Selectboard. Ross Brown withdrew his name from consideration. The motion for David Carter as Chairman was seconded, David Carter abstained, the others so voted and the motion carried. The meeting was then turned over to David Carter.
C. Ross Brown made a motion to appoint Skip Brown as clerk to the Selectboard. The motion was seconded, Skip Brown abstained, the others so voted and the motion carried
D. Skip Brown made a motion to appoint Ross Brown as Vice Chairman to the Selectboard. The motion was seconded, Ross Brown abstained, the others so voted and the motion carried.
E. Ross Brown made a motion that the regular Selectboard meetings will be at 7:00 pm during Daylight Saving Time and 6:00 pm during Daylight Standard Time at Town Hall and via Zoom unless otherwise noted. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
F. Ross Brown made a motion that Postings of agendas and other official posting locations will be the Town Hall, the Post office, and The Worthen Library. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
G. Skip Brown made a motion that The Islander would be the paper of record for legal notices. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
H. Appointments:
-Ross Brown made a motion to re-appoint Anne Zolotas as Tree Warden. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-Ross Brown made a motion to re-appoint John Roy as Road Commissioner. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-Ross Brown made a motion that the animal control officer will remain Jim Benson. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-Ross Brown made a motion to re-appoint David Carter as Emergency Management Director. The motion was seconded, David abstained, the others in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-David Carter made a motion to appoint Chuck Hulse Deputy Emergency Management Officer. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
I. Skip Brown made a motion to approve and sign the FY2021/2022 Selectboard Rules of Procedure. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.Rules of Procedure 2021

4. Adjustment to the Agenda:
-none

Minutes:
-Ross Brown a motion to accept the minutes of the regular meeting of February 22, 2021 as written. The motion was seconded, Chuck Hulse abstained, the others in attendance so voted and the motion carried.

5. Public input:
A. PC member Sandy Gregg stated that there will be a public EV charging station installed in South Hero. The first one will go on Community Lane and a possible second one may be installed at Town Hall. The “Better Places” grant opportunity that was applied for “pocket parks” in South Hero was not awarded during this round. If another grant opportunity presents, then the Town can apply again.

6. New Business:
A. Erin Morse gave an update as the new Town Clerk.
-Naomi King is hired as an assistant Town Clerk/Treasurer and Sam Hilliker will remain as an assistant Town Clerk/Treasurer.
-The office hours will remain the same as before for now: Monday-Wednesday 8:30-4:30 PM and from 8:30-5:00 on Thursdays.
-There are some computer and phone issues that will be looked into.
-In order to help reduce foot traffic in Town Hall, she hopes to utilize the website to have forms uploaded that a client can then print out and then ether mail or use the drop box outside of Town Hall.
B. Kim Julow gave an update as the new Town Treasurer.
-Since the role of Town Clerk and Treasurer has been a position that one person has held in the past, it will take a little time to define the separate roles of each new elected official.
-Due to input from the auditor, she will begin to set up a new “point of sale” procedure for the intake of money.
– Ross Brown made a motion to approve and sign the document that stipulates that one Selectboard member may approve and sign the orders so that payroll and bills may be paid on time. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Note that the full Board will review and sign them at the next scheduled meeting.
-Ross Brown made a motion that the Treasurer may be temporary collector of delinquent taxes and may send notices to delinquent taxpayers. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-Ross Brown made a motion that the Board will adopt delinquent tax procedures and will appoint a delinquent tax collector at a future meeting. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-Ross Brown made a motion that the bill from Candy Lab may be paid using funds from the “gifts and recognition” budget line. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
C. Anne Zolotas made a motion to allow the Road Commissioner and/or Road Foreman to sign road permits and postings. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
D. Due to a conflict of interest, newly elected Constable Ross Brown resigned as Town Constable. The Board will research the role and seek a replacement to appoint to the position at a future meeting.

7. Administrative Assistant Report:
A. Martha presented a written report. See the written report available in Town Hall or on the Town website for all of discussion points.
B. Anne Zolotas made a motion to appoint Ross Brown as a Municipal Authorizing Official (MAO) to approve actions and financial expenditures on grants that the Town is an applicant for. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-Charles Hulse made a motion to appoint Anne Zolotas as a Municipal Authorizing Official (MAO) to approve actions and financial expenditures on grants that the Town is an applicant for. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
C. Parking in the breakdown lane in the Village districts on Route 2 is allowed. This has caused some problems with visibility sight lines in the past. Ross Brown made a motion to allow the ZA permission to reach out to VTrans to explore the possibility of no parking zones on certain sections of Route 2. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.

8. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. Nothing new at this meeting.

9. Other Business:
A. Ross Brown made a motion to sign orders #21-18. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.

B. Ross Brown will be a liaison between the Board and the Road Department and will make regular reports to the Board. Chuck Hulse will be a liaison between the Board and the Rec. Commission. He will make regular reports to the Board.
C. Ross Brown made a motion to approve the class 2 liquor license permit applications for: Wally’s Place Bagel and Deli, Wally’s Place Bagel and Deli outside consumption, Arbor Farm Market, LLC, and Keeler’s Bay Variety. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
D. Ross Brown made a motion to pause the renaming of White’s Beach to South Hero Town Beach until the Recreation Commission can hold a public hearing and make a recommendation to the Board. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
E. Ross Brown made a motion to go into executive session for personnel matters at 8:15. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Executive session ended at 8:35 pm. Upon exiting executive session, Ross Brown made a motion that the former Town Clerk may paid for one more pay period. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.

10. Adjournment:
-Skip Brown 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                                                        David Carter, Chair

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Administrative Officer’s Report to Selectboard                                                          March 8, 2021

Discussion Items:

  1. A new Municipal Authorizing Official (MAO), preferably 2, needs to be appointed by the Board to authorize the SB Assistant to approve actions and financial expenditures on grants for which the Town are Applicants (currently Bayview Crossing and Old White Meeting House). It is my understanding that this official must be someone who can authorize financial expenditures.  Although I manage the grant applications, I cannot be the MAO.
  2. The application for the Implementation Grant for Bayside Crossing was re-submitted in late February. I have been asked by Cathedral Square to be available again for VCDP’s Board meeting on April 1st to present the application, along with Robin Way of CIDER and Cindy Reid of Cathedral Square, to the VCDP Board.
  3. I contacted Craig Keller at VTrans to ask if the Town had any way to prohibit parking in the breakdown lane of RT 2 in areas of South Hero and Keeler Bay villages where parked cars cause safety issues. Keller responded that the Selectboard could request, in writing, for the Vermont Traffic Committee to consider a “No Parking” zone.  If approved, it could be legally enforced legally enforced.  I am asking the Selectboard to consider this.
  4. Lauren Treftz of 384 South St. called me to ask if she could host a family get-together at White’s Beach (this is not an attempt to take sides in the current conversation) on Easter Sunday (April 4) for 2 hours, beginning at 10AM. She plans for fewer than 10 people attending.  I suspect this won’t be a popular beach day.
  5. Will the Selectboard consider allowing Efficiency Vermont to do a building assessment of the Town Office and possibly change out the light fixtures for more energy efficient ones? The florescent lights in the Zoning Office are starting to blink (again).  Very frustrating (and annoying…).  The Town Clerk concurs.
  6. The Better Places grant application, to place pocket parks at the ‘Honeymoon Cottage’ and behind the Worthen Library, was not awarded to South Hero. There were many more applications than anticipated and the State is considering another grant opportunity.
  7. There is a 5th Monday this month (March 31st). Is the Selectboard interested in meeting with the Planning Commission and Development Review Board, via Zoom?
  8. Re: The Feb 2019 Notice of Violation to the Zlotoff Foundation for use of the first floor of the barn at Apple Island Resort for use as a car museum – I have received an application for conditional use and site plan review for the museum. Once this review is held, the NOV will be considered cured.

Planning Commission:

The Planning Commission is now holding meetings via Zoom.

  1. The Planning Commission is looking at its long-term schedule to update the Town Plan by August of 2023. Previously, the Plan was required to be updated every 5 years, but after the 2015 update the State requirements changed to every 8 years.  Greta Brunswick of NRPC will join the April 7 meeting to discuss this update and whether the Town should consider applying for a Municipal Planning Grant for help with this project.
  2. The Planning Commission has received positive feedback about a possible Small Business Saturday to include all the Grand Isle County communities in November. Michele Gammal will be meeting with Sherry Potvin of the Champlain Islands Economic Development Corporation and Randy Smith of Buy Vermont Local in March to further discuss ideas.  The Commission agreed that the best date for this year would be the Saturday before Thanksgiving – Nov. 20th.
  3. Other topics of conversation include Acts 143 (On-Farm Accessory Businesses) and Act 179 (Accessory Dwellings). The SB agreed to an amendment of the Development Regulations in late 2020 to reflect the State’s definition of Accessory Dwellings.  Additional review requirements by the State may necessitate further amendments.  The PC will be discussing this with NRPC at the 4/7 meeting.
  4. Additional topics of discussion include whether there is a need to proactively include regulations for airfields and helipads. Vermont Transportation Board is putting together information for towns to consider when deciding whether these regulations may be necessary.

Development Review Board:

I am scheduling DRB hearings into late May 2021.  All hearings are being held via Zoom for the foreseeable future. Several of these hearings are to complete the requirements for the new mobile vendors’ license.

–  Upcoming hearings also include a variance request, a CU/SP review for an accessory use, and subdivision.

–  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)