Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of Monday September 11, 2023 at 7:00 PM
At South Hero Town Hall and via Zoom
Board Members Present: David Carter/Chairman, Ross Brown/Vice Chairman, Skip Brown/Board Secretary, Anne Zolotas and Chuck Hulse
Board Members Not Present: none
Other Staff Present: Sue Arguin, Town Administrator. Also see sign in sheet of in person and Zoom attendees. *Attendance SB 2023-09-11-2023
1. Called to Order:
– The meeting was called to order by Chairman Carter at 7:00 pm.
2. Adjustment to Agenda:
-none
3. Minutes:
-Chuck Hulse made a motion to approve the minutes of August 28, 2023. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. none
5. New Business:
A. Kim Lord of Green Mountain Athletic Assoc. (GMAA) was present to discuss the newly named Champlain Islands Marathon and Half Marathon (Formerly it was the Green Mountain Marathon). It will be on October 22, 2024 and begins at 8:30 am. There are currently about 300 runners signed up. The Grand Isle Sheriff has will be involved as before. Chuck Hulse made a motion to allow the GMAA to use the Folsom Educational and Community Center parking lot and grounds for the race. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. Emily Kloft of NRPC was present to summarize and discuss an upcoming Municipal Planning Grant. If applied for, then this grant would be used to scoping for the feasibility of moving the Town offices. Emily is meeting with the Town Hall Feasibility committee next Monday. See Attached* Municipal Planning Grant Summary 9-11-2023More info will follow after that meeting.
C. Unbeknownst to the Vermont Legislature, Vermont Tax Department and VLCT, it is now necessary that the Vermont Secretary of State has to get involved with the South Hero Town Charter approval. They asked for copies of the warnings, minutes and postings for the Charter vote. It has been submitted and the Town is waiting for next steps, if there are any.
D. There was a moratorium for the Fire Warden issuing burn permits. They are again being issued by the Town Clerk with the approval of the Fire Warden during regular Town Hall business hours. There is a separate page on the Town website with the parameters for a permit.
6. Town Administrator and ZA Reports:
A. See the written reports filed with these minutes (Below on the website or in Town Hall).
B. Sue Arguin had a meeting with Community Heart and Soul. Note that it was assumed that there would not be a cost to the Town, but that is not the case. See Attached *Community Heart and Soul meeting summary. The Board has decided to table this discussion for now.
C. Ross Brown made a motion to approve the permit to the State AOT for the Town to tap into the Fire District #4 for a water line to the South Hero Bicentennial Museum that runs in the State Right of Way of Route 2. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. A structural engineer for the current Town Hall was discussed. It will be discussed at the next Town Hall Feasibility study committee and more info will be brought to the Board at the next meeting.
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. Town Administrator Sue Arguin will be the assistant Animal Control Officer.
9. Other Business:
A. Chuck Hulse made a motion to approve and sign the orders 24-06 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
C. Recreation Commission (RC) update: none at this meeting. The next Rec. meeting is Sept. 12.
D. Road Department update: Speed radar signs are being looked into for Route 2 in the village areas. There will be a price for the salt shed construction at the next meeting.
E. Old South Hero Meeting House (OSHMH) project: none. There is a meeting on Sept. 12.
F. ARPA fund updates: none
G. Wastewater (WW) update: no updates as there have been no test pits dug yet.
H. Town Hall Feasibility study committee: Read the minutes from that committee for more info.
I. Ross Brown made a motion to go into executive session for real estate matters at 7:35 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Executive session ended at 8:24 pm. No action was taken after the executive session.
10. Adjournment:
-Chuck Hulse 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
TOWN ADMINISTRATORS REPORT
1. Met with Al Getler & Sarah Lightner from Community Heart & Soul to learn more about the
costs of their services. Please see the attached for the breakdown of numbers and let me know
if you still want to move forward at this time.
2. The Town of South Hero with your permission will be applying to the State of Vermont to hook
up a water line from Water District # 4 to the Museum. John Beaulac will be doing the work
and necessary drawings of the plan have been submitted to me from Ron Phelps.
3. I met with Susan McKelvie, the Principal from Folsom School along with Herbie from the
highway department to mark where the crosswalks will be going. Signs have been ordered and
we’re just waiting to hear back from the state about painting.
4. Spoke with Emily Kloft from NRPC about a possible Planning Grant for the Town Hall Feasibility
Committee and she agreed to be here tonight to go over it along with next Monday evening
with the Feasibility Committee.
5. The Listers Office, as most of you know, is quiet this time of year but we are still meeting once a
week to attempt to get some procedures written down so we’re ready for spring.
6. The speed cart that was located on Rte. 2 near Feathered Lane and the Apple Island
Campground has been removed because it was not functioning properly. Due to all the
flooding recovery work going on now within the state, it has been put on the back burner, but
they assure me they are trying to get to it as soon as possible.
September 11, 2023 ZA’s report to the SB
1. 2 public hearings are on the SB agenda for September 25 meeting for naming new
roads. One will be an existing right-of-way off Ferry road that now serves more than 3
lots due to a recently approved DRB subdivision. The second will be the existing right-
of-way that serves the Keeler Bay Marina, again due to a subdivision.
2. Zoning 101 will return on September 28.
3. The discussion on parking in the RT 2 breakdown lane has been added to the Class 1
Highway presentation at the September 29 Planning Commission meeting.
Planning Commission
-Now that the 2023-2031 Town Plan has been approved by the voters, the Planning
Commission is beginning to consider what changes/edits are needed in the Development
Regulations. Priority will be given to legislated changes (i.e. applicable sections of the H.O.M.E
Act; accessory dwellings) which won’t take long. Although these updates are mandated, the
same procedure for amending Regulations is required – PC and SB public hearings, approval by
the voters, etc. The Commission would like to complete this process for the mandated changes
in time for Town Meeting in March 2024 (deadline for articles to be included at Town Meeting
is around the third week in January). The Commission does not want to limit the time needed
for village zoning district discussions and has chosen to begin them before the end of the year,
if possible, but aim for completing the required hearings and writing an Article for the August
2024 primary election.
-The Planning Commission’s September 20 meeting will be a presentation by Matt Arancio of
Vermont AOT. The Selectboard and Road Supervisor, as well as the public, are encouraged to
attend. The meeting will be in the Town Office boardroom at 6PM.
Development Review Board
The DRB hearing schedule remains busy. The hearing for Pest Pro’s appeal to a notice of
violation was recessed from July 26 to September 13. I anticipate this will be closed that night.
Upcoming hearings include a 2-lot subdivision at 269 US RT 2, a conditional use/site plan review
for boat repair at 50 Ferry Rd., and a residential PUD on Station Rd.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA