Reorganizational + Public Hearing + Regular Selectboard Meeting
Minutes of Meeting of March 9, 2020
South Hero Town Hall, Monday 6:00 PM
Board Present (after swearing in): Jonathan Shaw, Graham “Skip” Brown (also Board secretary), Anne Zolotas,
David Carter, Ross Brown
Board Not present: none
Others Present: Janet Yates, Town Clerk and Martha Taylor-Varney, Administrative Assistant. Also, see sign in sheet.
1. Called to Order: The meeting was called to order by Janet Yates at 6:00 PM.
2. Board Reorganization and appointments:
A. The meeting was opened by Janet Yates for reorganization. Janet introduced the new board. David Carter and Ross Brown were sworn in previously.
B. Janet Yates asked for nominations for the Chairperson of the Selectboard. Anne Zolotas made a motion to appoint Jonathan Shaw as Chairman of the Selectboard. The motion was seconded, Jonathan Shaw abstained, the others so voted and the motion carried. The meeting was then turned over to Jonathan Shaw.
C. David Carter made a motion to appoint Graham “Skip” Brown as clerk to the Selectboard. The motion was seconded, Skip Brown abstained, the others so voted and the motion carried
D. The regular Selectboard meetings will be at 7:00 pm during Daylight Saving Time and 6:00 pm during Daylight Standard Time.
E. David Carter 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.
F. David Carter 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.
G. Appointments:
-David Carter made a motion to re-appoint Anne Zolotas as Tree Warden. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-Anne Zolotas made a motion to re-appoint John Roy as Road Commissioner. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-The animal control officer will remain Jim Benson.
-Anne Zolotas 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.
H. David Carter made a motion to approve and sign the FY2020 Selectboard Rules of Procedure. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
I. Anne Zolotas made a motion to approve and sign the document that stipulates 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.
3. Public Hearing:
-The regular Selectboard meeting was recessed at 6:08 pm to hold a public hearing on the updated Development Regulations.
-The consensus of the Board is that this is good document. The Planning Commission (PC) held over 50 open meetings during the last 4 years and took comments of the public to heart when updating the regulations.
-The Public Hearing ended at 6:11 pm. See action taken in “New Business” B.
4. Minutes:
-Anne Zolotas a motion to accept the minutes of the regular meeting of February 24, 2020 as written. The motion was seconded, Ross Brown and David Carter abstained, the others in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
5. Public input:
A. Doug Patterson, Chair of the PC, mentioned that he has met with CIDER in regard to the building of handicapped ramps and other home access. In some other towns, ADA compliant structures can be exempt from setback conformity. More info will be at a future meeting.
B. Tim Maxham mentioned that the floodlight at the corner NE of the Old White Meeting House is not lit. Perhaps the bulb is out or a breaker is thrown. It will be looked into.
C. The “Welcome to South Hero” lettering on the sign is faded and cracked. Sandy Gregg will get an estimate to have it re-done.
6. New Business:
A. The wire fraud of the SHVFD deposit from the Equipment Replacement Fund to the Canadian boat company was turned over to the FBI, Sherriff and State Police. No news on any criminals, but the insurance company has reimbursed the Town $24,000.00 for the $26,048.00 loss. The SHVFD boat committee has decided to work with a different boat company in the United States and purchase a similar boat. The main difference is that the boat will be 22’ long rather than 24’ long, which will make it easier to store and tow.
B. David Carter made a motion to adopt the South Hero Development Regulations as printed and published on February 18, 2020. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
C. Janet Yates gave an update as the new Town Clerk/Treasurer. A new module of NEMRC software has been installed for animal licenses. There will be training for software and it should be in operation for the new fiscal year. Kim Julow and Sam Hilliker are co-assistant Town Clerk/Treasurers. They will each work on alternate days in the office. The office hours will remain the same as before: Monday-Wednesday 8:30-4:30 PM and from 8:30-5:00 on Thursdays.
D. David Carter 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.
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. David Carter made a motion to accept the resignation of Ross Brown from the DRB and to appoint Bill Rowe to complete his term. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Tim Maxham thanks Ross for the work he has done on the DRB the last 4 years.
8. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. No news on the Supreme or Environmental Court decisions, yet.
9. Other Business:
A. David Carter made a motion to sign orders #20-18. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. David Carter made a motion to approve the 3 liquor license renewals for McKees Island Pub and Pizza. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
C. David Carter made a motion to approve the 3 liquor license renewals for After Noonies/DBA The Blue Paddle. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
10. Adjournment:
-David Carter made a motion to adjourn at 7:08 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted, Approved by,
_______________________________ ________________________________
Graham Brown Jonathan Shaw, Chair
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Administrative Officer’s Report to Selectboard March 9, 2020
Discussion Items:
1. The registration of the Town’s DUNS number with SAM.gov is complete. We received a CAGE Code which I forwarded to Vermont Community Development.
2. I sent the full Financial Policies document to Patrick Scheld of VT Community Development as part of the conditions for being awarded the planning grant in November for the proposed Sr. Housing. They are currently being reviewed by the Grant Management Staff.
3. I am currently working on the access agreements and cover letter to each landowner with wells identified for further tested for PFAS, as requested by Joel Bihrsing of VHB. I will be sending them out later this week.
4. I have Ross Brown’s letter of resignation from the DRB. The Board wishes to thank Ross for his dedication to the DRB and will welcome Bill Rowe as his replacement as a fulltime member of the Board.
-Planning Commission:
The Selectboard public hearing for the amended Regulations will be an agenda item on the March 9th meeting.
The Planning Commission agreed at their 2/19 meeting to keep the 6PM meeting time rather than changing back to 7PM. Martha will amend the PC’s Rules of Procedure to show the new time and will have it ready for the Commission’s signature at their March 18th meeting.
Martha and Sam have been working to update current applications for zoning permits and DRB reviews (many of which are out of date). These will be presented to the Planning Commission for their review and approval as they are completed.
-Development Review Board:
– The March 11 meeting will have 2 hearings.
– The Selectboard will need to formally appoint Bill Rowe as a full-time member of the DRB at their March 9th meeting, to replace outgoing member Ross Brown.
– Applications before the Board that were dated after the Dec. 16, 2019 warning date for the Development Regulations’ 1/6/20 Selectboard public hearing are currently being reviewed under both the current regulations and the proposed amended regulations. This will continue for either the following 150 days or upon the approval of the amended regulations, whichever comes first.
– Recent decisions can be found posted on the Board outside the ZA’s office.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor Varney, ZA and Selectboard Assistant