Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of Monday October 24, 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, and Chuck Hulse
Board Members Not Present: none
Others Present: Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA and Kim Julow, Treasurer. Also see sign in sheet of in person and Zoom attendees. Attendance SB 10-24-2022
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:
-Chuck Hulse made a motion to acknowledge the minutes of October 10, 2022. The motion was seconded, all in attendance at the last meeting so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. Bob Fireovid asked about the possible solar farm on the Lavin Property. To date, the entity that has proposed it has not completed a boundary line adjustment. The Selectboard will have no say as to its existence.
5. New Business:
A. David Roy of the Planning Commission updated the Board on some of the possible uses for the approximately $493,000 that the Town has received. After considerable discussions the PC decided the recommendations are: The South Hero Meeting House: $100,000-Town Salt Shed: $100,000 – New Town Rec. Park: $50,000 – Pavilion Building: $50,000 -Villages Sidewalks Project allocation: $100,000 – Sidewalk maintenance Equipment/Blower: $20,000 – White’s Beach improvements, signage, benches: $20,000 – All-wheel drive ambulance allocation:$50,000 – Weekend in the Islands program: $5000 -Total $495,000. Note that this is more than the total allocation and about $50,000 has been spent so far. ARPA proctsts have to be itendified by 2024 and must be completed by 2026. More info will follow as these are prelimiary recommendations only and that public hearings will be held after all of the projects have been identified and firm budget amounts have been established.
B. Ken Kowalewitz and Liz Wirsing submitted the Town portion of the proposed Worthen Library budget. The amount proposed for FY 2023/24 is $119,720. C. Neil Hazen and Sam Robinson submitted the proposed Cemetery Commission budget of $10,000.
D. Ross Brown made a motion to approve the use of the Folsom Educational and Community Center parking lot for the “Trunk or Treat” Halloween event on October 31, 2022. Janine Bellinghiri stated that it will be run by the PTO this year with assistance from the SHVFD Auxiliary. The motion was seconded, all in attendance at the meeting so voted and the motion carried.
6. Administrative Assistant Report:
A. See the written report filed with these minutes (Below on the website or in Town Hall).
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. There will not be any new paving in 2022.
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. Note that the future Selectboard meetings will be at 7:00 pm rather than 6:00 pm as posted in the Selectboard Handbook.
B. Chuck Hulse made a motion to approve and sign an Errors and Omissions document for a trailer at Apple Island in the name of Bill and Judy Fox that was removed in 2021. The motion was seconded, all in attendance at the meeting so voted and the motion carried.
9. Other Business:
A. Skip Brown made a motion to approve and sign orders 23-09 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: Budgeting will commence at future meetings.
C. Recreation Commission (RC) update: 2 Porta-Potties were vandalized with explosives at the Beach. It will cost the Town over $1000.00 to pay for the damages. The Sheriff was notified. If anyone knows anything about the damage and who may have caused it, please speak up.
D. Road Department update:
E. Old South Hero Meeting House (OSHMH) project: A fundraising letter has gone out and donations are beginning to come in. A possible bond vote may be propped for Town Meeting Day.
F. ARPA fund updates: See above
G. Wastewater update: none
H. Ross Brown made a motion to go into executive session for personnel matters at 9:00 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance at the meeting so voted and the motion carried. Executive session ended at 9:20. No action was taken after exiting executive session.
10. Adjournment:
-Chuck Hulse made a motion to adjourn 9:22 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 October 24, 2022
- The DRB approved the site plan for the proposed Town salt shed, with conditions. A revised site plan including landscaping and building elevations will be required before a building permit can be issued.
- The VT Traffic Committee will meet on October 25, at which time they will consider the recommendations for RT 2 resulting from the recent traffic study. I have forwarded the agenda and invitation to all SB members. Representatives from Milton and Colchester have also been invited to attend.
- So far, the schedule for FY2023 budget discussion is: October 24 – Library and Cemetery Commission; Nov. 14 – Sheriff Dept. and Museum; November 28 – Fire Dept. and Rescue; Dec. 12 – Highway Dept. and Town Office.
- Kim Julow and Martha Taylor-Varney are registered to attend a Grants Management Symposium on Dec 8th in Montpelier, hosted by Vermont Dept. of Housing and Community Development.
Planning Commission
2023 Town Plan discussion — The Commission reviewed the results from the Village Vision workshop held on September 6th at their October 5th meeting. NWRP attended the meeting and presented a flipchart of the results of the public forum. No members of the public attended the meeting. The Commission met with NRPC at their Oct 19 meeting to review the schedule going forward in order to meet required deadlines for the 2023 Town Plan.
Development Review Board
The DRB’s next scheduled meeting is October 26. This will be a site plan review for a change of use at 334 US RT 2 (the old pharmacy building). There will be a conditional use hearing on Nov. 9 for Lot #2 on the Lavin property.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA and Asst. to the Selectboard