Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of Monday October 28, 2024 at 7:00 PM
At South Hero Town Hall and via Zoom
Board Members Present: David Carter/Chairman, David Lane/Vice Chairman, Skip Brown/Board Secretary, Steve Robinson, Anne Zolotas
Board Members Not Present:
Others Present: Town Personnel: Sue Arguin/TA and Martha Taylor-Varney/ZA (via Zoom). Also see sign in sheet of in person and Zoom attendees. *Attendance SB 2024-10-28-2024
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:
-Anne Zolotas made a motion to approve the minutes of October 14, 2024. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. none
5. New Business:
A. There was a public hearing to name a private road at the Dean and Kathryn Henry’s 9 lot subdivision off of Route 314, “Henry’s Way”. No public had any comments about this. David Lane made a motion to approve the road name “Henry’s Way”. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. The public hearing ended at 7:03 pm.
B. Michelle Gammal of Friends of Northern Lake Champlain presented a budget request for the Town budget in the amount of $1000.00.
C. Sam Robinson of the Cemetery Commission presented a budget request in the amount of $10,000.00 for the South Hero Cemetery.
D. There were several letters requesting budget amounts: Champlain Islands Parent Child Center, $1500.00. Island Food Shelf, $1500.00. UVM Health Network-Home Health and Hospice, $9500.00.
-Note that the amounts listed above are asks from various organizations. The Selectboard has not yet included any of the above amounts in the budget until the entire budget is finalized, and that the Town will vote for the budget on Town Meeting Day.
E. Jeff Parizo of the Isle of Patmos was present to discuss the Christmas Parade scheduled for December 7, 2024 at 6:00 pm. The route will begin at Community Lane, west on Route 2 and south on South Street ending at the Folsom School and Community parking lot. Steve Robinson made a motion to approve the parade route and to have the Chairman sign a letter approving the above route. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
6. Town Administrator and ZA Reports:
A. See the written reports posted with these minutes.
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. -Peter Zamore of the Wastewater Committee was present to discuss updates. It appears that the land at Allenholm orchard may not be suitable for any town mound system, as the 2 acres set aside is not shaped well and will probably not support a large enough system. Peter advised that the ARPA and ACCD grants discussed at the Sept. 23 meeting were approved and that the total for both grants is $1,040,000.00. The Lavin property on Route 2 may hold some wastewater potential there will be explored. Note that the current grant opportunity is for study and possible land acquisition only, not any possible construction as in a past grant. If any useful capacity is found and the Town does eventually acquire land, then the Selectboard will be charged with having to fund it and build it. There was a discussion that if wastewater capacity is found, should the Town purchase land before the planning process is explored. The Planning Commission will be invited to the next meeting to discuss their thoughts.
-David Lane made a motion to approve and sign the “charge” document from the Selectboard to the Wastewater Committee. See attached *Selectboard-Wastewater charge. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. David Lane made a motion to approve and have the Chairman sign the contract from Stantec Consulting Service for the sidewalk study in the vicinity Route 2 near Apple Island Resort and Featherbed Lane. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
9. Other Business:
A. Anne Zolotas made a motion to approve and sign the orders 25-08, 25-09 & 25-09A 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: none at this meeting
C. Recreation Commission (RC) update: none at this meeting
D. Road Department update: The trusses were placed on the salt shed building today. The plywood sheathing will proceed. Note that the contractor stated that there may be a delay in the metal delivery.
E. Old South Hero Meeting House (OSHMH) project: Some slate from the roof fell off of the building. The roof will be stripped and repaired when the building is being renovated. It is up to the contractor to do this before or after the building is moved.
F. Lister Updates: see above
G. Wastewater (WW) update: See above
H. Town Hall Committee update: The hazardous material assessment of the current Town Hall and the craft shop was done. No report has come in yet.
I. Tree Warden Update: The Town has signed a contract for work to be done at the beach, but it has not happened yet.
J. Anne Zolotas made a motion to go into executive session to discuss a real estate matter at 8:12 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Executive session ended at 8:50 pm. After the executive session, the consensus of the Board is that grant money is available and to have the Wastewater Committee continue to pursue possible land acquisition for a community septic system.
10. Adjournment:
-Steve Robinson made a motion to adjourn at 8:55 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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No Report from the TA this meeting.
October 28, 2024 ZA’s report to the SB
1. No word yet on the wetlands permit submitted by Fitzgerald Engineering in August. This
is for the after-the-fact wetlands permit for the widened part of Martin Rd. by the Allen
Point fishing access entrance.
2. I have issued a building permit for Granny’s Attic to place two 8’x40’ (total area 640 sf)
storage containers on Nate Hayward’s property immediately west of Grannys’ red
building. The permit fee is $128. May I waive the permit fee for this?
Planning Commission
Discussion and research on a combined walking/bike path along South St., from RT 2 to the
school. Public input is encouraged.
Development Review Board
There was no meeting on October 23 rd . The next meeting will be November 13 when the Board
will finish a conditional use/site plan review on Station Rd. and hear a waiver request for a
seasonal home on Sunset Beach Rd. There will be only one meeting in November and
December due to the holidays.
Recent DRB decisions are posted on the Town website.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA