MINUTES COLCHESTER SELECTBOARD MEETING SEPTEMBER 27, 2011 @ 7:30 P.M. MEETING HOUSE, 830 MAIN STREET, COLCHESTER, VT _____________________________
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Paquette called the meeting to order at 9:55 p.m. after the Public Hearing adjourned. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
2. ROLL CALL
SELECTBOARD: L. Richard Paquette, Marc Landry, Mickey Palmer and Nadine Scibek.
ADMINISTRATION: Al Voegele (Town Manager); Sarah Hadd (Planning and Zoning Director), Mike Chmielewski (Fire Chief), Chief Chuck Kirker (Police Chief).
3. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD
There were no citizen comments.
4. CONSENT AGENDA
a. Minutes of September 13, September 20@8:00 a.m. and September 20 @ 7:30 p.m.
MOTION was made by Mickey Palmer and SECONDED by Marc Landry to accept the minutes of September 13, September 20 @ 8:00 a.m., and September 20 @ 7:30 p.m. with the following correction:
Minutes of September 20, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.: replace location ‘Meeting House, Main Street’ with ‘Town Hall, 781 Blakely Road’.
The MOTION carried 3-0.
There was some discussion on the Article for Camp Holy Cross having an error. It listed lake frontage as 1,600 feet but it was actually 985 feet. The Board requested that the correction be placed at the counters, on the web site and at the poles. Mr. Voegele stated he contacted the Attorney and was told that the Board can amend the Article after the vote to correct the public record. They were not required to put out signs on the correction.
5. FINANCIAL REPORT
a. Chief Financial Officer’s Report
Joan Boehm presented information on the first two months of FY12 explaining that it was too early to project trends at this time. The General Fund was down approximately $100,000 in revenues versus expenses. There were slightly more expenses this year than last. Property tax collections were above last year. Revenues for services were down. Other Funds except for the Recreation Program Fund and Sewer Funds had surpluses. The Recreation Program Fund will have an adjustment next month which will change the revenue side because the revenue was deferred. Expenses were nearly the same as last year at this time. In looking at funds and the percentage of expenses covered by revenues, the Town Clerk’s Office has the highest percentage followed by Planning and Zoning. The auditors will be coming in two weeks and their report should be available at the same time as in the past. At this point she believes there will be a year-end surplus of $170,000. Department Budgets for FY13 are coming in but are not complete yet.
The Board questioned if spending had a 3 year freeze, Federal and State Funds availability, delinquent taxes, and the Veterans Exemption.
6. SPECIAL BUSINESS
a. Permit Denial Appeal – Champlain Community Services (Chapter 4, Section 28(i)3 of Colchester Code of Ordinances)
Anna Thelemarck introduced herself as being the representative for Kelley Homiller Executive Director for Champlain Community Services. Ms. Homiller introduced herself explaining that they were a non-profit organization that supports families and children with intellectual disabilities and have been in Fort Ethan Allen for 45 years. They were improving the second floor of the building. The proposal makes improvements in the layout, energy savings and creates a community center for patrons. Their hours are from 8-4 p.m. and the first floor houses a day care and other offices. They are requesting from the Board an exemption from the ordinance which requires sprinklers for the building. This appeal is an option they were given by the Planning and Zoning Office.
Ms. Thelemarck explained that Town Ordinances require any renovation covering more than 25% needing sprinklers. She described the building as having two stories and the Champlain Community Services was housed on the second floor. There would be a high level of fire safety standards in the design for the 7,500 square feet renovation which meets the State Life Safety Code standards. Renovations will include 4 egress stairways where only 2 are needed in the State codes; a travel distance of 60’ where 200’ is needed; 8 extinguishers where only 4 are needed. There is a hydrant outside and a fire truck can access the entire perimeter of the building. They have a fire alarm service and a fire station is only 1 ½ miles away. The Colchester Code causes a cost restriction for the size of the renovation for a non-profit. She suggested that in the least, the Selectboard should revisit the code for exceptions.
Mickey Palmer responded that he didn’t see in the Code a provision to give an exemption.
Mike Chmielewski, the Fire Chief stated there was low water pressure in that area and that should be considered. The Board decided they would discuss the request in a deliberative session at the end of the meeting.
7. APPROVAL OF PETITIONS & LICENSES
a. Catering Permit for Vedia Inc. d.b.a. Red Square/Green Mountain Bar Service.
MOTION was made by Mark Landry and SECONDED by Mickey Palmer to approve a catering License for Vedia Inc. d.b.a. Red Square/Green Mountain Bar Service for an event for Anesthesia Associates to be held October 1, 2011 at the Elly Long Center.
The MOTION carried 3-0.
8. APPROVAL OF LIQUOR LICENSES
There were no liquor licenses for approval.
9. OLD BUSINESS
Nadine Scibek reported she visited the Richmond Solid Waste site with a member of the Chittenden Solid Waste District. She was impressed with the way the facility was run. CSWD was considering a site off McRae Road and Heineburg Road for a Colchester Facility. The Shipman Hill site was recently visited by CSWD but they found it would be too costly to make the improvements needed.
10. NEW BUSINESS
MOTION was made by Nadine Scibek and SECONDED by Mickey Palmer to approve change of assessment orders for:
· Walter Tappan II #04-129003-006000 from $239,800 to $232,000
· James Welch #04-129003-0030000 from $240,100 to $232,300
· Julie Chase Ashline #04-129003-0020000 from $234,000 to $226,200
· Melvin Corey # 04-129003-0010000 from $238,400 to $230,600
· Earle and Christina Dunphy # 04-129003-0040000 from $243,800 to $236,000
· Joann Potter #04-129003-0050000 from $241,300 to $233,500
· James and Kareen Perry #42-152002-0000000 from $253,100 to $250,500
· Paul and Wanda Robar #42-154002-0000000 from $276,000 to $277,000
· Mark and Karen Niquette et al #75-006000-0000000 from $807,300 to $743,700
· Charles and Clara Blanchard #70-047003-1220100 from $13,700 to $5,500
· Donald Pierce #09-018003-0000000 from $116,300 to $91,600
· Andrew and Annette Mongeon from #68-045013-0000000 from $178,900 to $150,200
· Andrew and Annette Mongeon #68-001003-0010000 from $216,300 to $218,500
· John and Carol Booth #72-004003-0000000 from $71,800 to $28,800
· Jack and Nancy Chalmers #31-005002-0490000 from $139,600 to $135,700
· Robert Luce #76-012040-0000000 from $1,311,700 to $1,042,900
The MOTION carried 3-0.
11. ADDITIONAL BUSINESS – MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATIONS
There was no additional Business.
12. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
a. Week Ending September 23, 2011
There were no comments on informational items.
13. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
October 4, 2011
· Vote on Camp Holy Cross
October 6, 2011
· Special Meeting Regarding River Road Traffic
October 11, 2011
· Meeting with Winooski City Council
October 25, 2011
· Employee Appreciation
· Yearly Update from Planning Commission and Development Review Board
14. ANNOUNCEMENTS
There were no announcements.
15. APPROVAL OF WARRANTS
a. Warrant #’s 12-09
MOTION was made by Marc Landry and SECONDED by Marc Landry to approve Warrant #12-09 in the amount of $435,866.80.
The Board questioned ice cream purchases, culvert repair, emergency road repair, cemetery work and a hot water heater.
The MOTION carried 3-0.
Mr. Voegele reported he had another Warrant needing approval, #11-13 from October of 2010 which he distributed. It somehow missed being included in warrants for that month. The Board reviewed the warrant.
MOTION was made by Marc Landry and SECONDED by Mickey Palmer to approve warrant #11-13 in the amount of $600,358.12.
The MOTION carried 3-0.
16. DELIBERATIVE SESSION –
(There was no Executive Session)
At 10:50 p.m. MOTION was made by Mickey Palmer and SECONDED by Marc Landry to enter Deliberative Session to discuss a permit denial appeal requesting an exemption from Chapter 4, Section 28(i)3 and invite Sarah Hadd, Derek Shepardson and the Fire Department officials to attend.
The MOTION carried 3-0.
At 10:58 the Board came out of deliberative session.
MOTION was made by Marc Landry and SECONDED by Mickey Palmer to deny the Permit Denial Appeal of Champlain Community Services (Chapter 4, Section 28(i)3 of Colchester Code of Ordinances).
The MOTION carried 4-0.
17. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted by June Campbell, Recording Secretary.
SIGNATURE PAGE:
These minutes of September 27, 2011 were approved on October 11, 2011.
COLCHESTER SELECTBOARD:
__________________________________ ___________________________________
L. Richard Paquette Marc Landry
__________________________________ ___________________________________
Myron Palmer Nadine Scibek