Meeting Minutes
Town of LeicesterSelectboard Meeting MinutesMonday August 3, 2015*Unapproved*** See subsequent minutes for any changes Members Present: Diane Benware, Tom Barker, Ron Fiske, Ken Young, Brad Lawes Others Present: Julie Delphia, Arlan Pidgeon, Mary Anne Sullivan, John Chandler, Sandra Trombley, Secretary Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Chair. Pledge of Allegiance: Review of Agenda: Added: Access Permit, Salt Quote, Roadside Mowing Approval of July 20, 2015 minutes: Motion by Brad and second by Ron to approve July 20, 2015 minutes as written. All in favor. So approved. Reports from Town Officials, Committees: Animal Control Officer: John Chandler reported that last month was slow. This month has been busy. He picked up four dogs running at large last night. The lady who was bitten by the rabid cat on Cram Road is doing well. There has been a dispute between neighbors for a few weeks on Rte. 53 about dogs. The latest incident has been about a golden retriever puppy. One neighbor, who doesn’t like dogs, got a restraining order. John brought up the interest of Naylor & Breen on quoting the Town Shed project. The Board needs to make a list of specifications so they know what to bid on. Zoning Administrator: Mary Anne asked for some guidance. The principal of the school wants to put up five tree houses in back of the school for educational purposes. The tree houses would be used for some observations by students at night. Mary Anne shared her concerns about the project and how it would relate to our zoning regulations. The Selectboard were concerned about safety issues, supervision. It raises more questions and concerns. The board suggests the school contact their insurance agency. Selectboard suggests Mary Anne gather more information. Mary Anne issued a notice of a violation. There are two structures involved. She wondered when the person actually comes in to get permitted for the structures, if we charge for two and give the penalty for two or just one. The structures are on a single owned property. The neighbors have complained. The Board feels that it is the Administrator’s call and they will support her decision. Mary Anne asked for a letter of appointment to her position. Road Foreman: Arlan reported that he cut some trees by Malinowski’s. The stumps need to be ground down. Motion by Tom and second by Ron to authorize Arlan to make arrangements with Gary Dupois to grind stumps down. All in favor. So approved. Paving should start next week from the joint just above Miner’s Saw Shop toward Fern Lake. There is a culvert about 75 yards from that joint that needs to be changed to an 18” culvert. The road will need to be closed for a short time to get this done. Diane asked if Arlan could take care of the tall green brush at the end of Old Jerusalem Road. It is a problem seeing when turning left. Arlan will check that out; as well as the brush around the bridge. The Cargill quote for salt is $79.06 a ton. Chair signed the quote for a 500 ton estimate. Julie mentioned that Jim Greenamyre on Hooker Road has been calling about his driveway; the road is higher than the driveway. Arlan mentioned that he needs some gravel. Arlan will take him a small load of gravel. There is an Access Permit for 1496 Hooker Road for a parking area. Arlan and Brad will meet with owner on Wednesday to discuss the project and report back to Board on August 17, 2015. The Selectboard approves or denies access permits. Town Clerk/Treasurer: Julie reported that she is half way through the Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Democratic Caucus is September 21st at 7:30 p.m. at 803 Fern Lake Road. Julie received a notice that the Republican Caucus is on September 17th. Diane and Tom have not received information. There was legislation that passed effective July 1, 2015 that increased the price of dog licenses by $1. Julie didn’t receive notice until July 30, 2015; so the town will be out a few dollars. Julie reported delinquents are at $86,600. Listers: None Health Officer: Diane is still working on the garbage problem in Leicester Junction. Diane will be attending the ACSW Executive Board Meeting on August 12th. Diane talked with Teri K. to see if there was anything they might do to help with costs. Teri said ACSW adopted a policy where they could waive their portion of the district fee. Diane is attending to see if they would institute that waiver. She will have more to report on August 17th. Brad asked about the cellar hole problem. Brad recommends Diane contact the owner before beginning any treatment. Diane will call Mort. Diane and Brad may be going on a field trip to observe the cellar. Lesley Wright contacted Diane. Lesley said about two weeks ago the buffer zone was changed without notifying people; jeopardizing organic farmers and raised concern for people’s health. Lesley said it had been fine for the past 18 months. Lesley wants the Board to ask for a list of “no spray zone” residences because she doesn’t think the list would be provided to her if she asked. The Board does not feel they should ask as it is a matter of public record. Lesley should ask BLSG as they must provide public record information when requested, within 3 days. Brad thought that Dominique reviewed the whole area and he was the one that gave the green light as to where they could start and stop spraying. Cemetery Committee: None Weight Permits: None Review/Authorization to pay bills: Motion by Tom and second by Ron to approve the bills; including John Chandler’s. All in favor. So approved. CORRESPONDENCE: NEW BUSINESS: Setting Tax Rate: Residential Rate:2014 Homestead 1.64902015 Homestead 1.6613 Non-Residential Rate:2014 1.71452015 1.6651 Board signed the document setting the 2015 tax rate. Julie reported that the tax bills will go out the end of next week. OLD BUSINESS: Zoning By-Laws: Julie would like to know from the Board, if this document is going to end up seeing the light of day and approved by the Board as a bonified zoning document. If not, she doesn’t want to do any more work on it. The next steps’, moving whole articles so the charts are closer together, is no small feat. She has already volunteered a lot of time in this and she doesn’t want to do anymore if it’s not going to pass the Board in the end. She has already put in more than 60 hours into this document. Diane was the only representative at the last meeting. The Planning Commission knows the Board has concerns, Mary Anne has some concerns; as well. Julie doesn’t want to spend any more energy on it, if it’s going to die on the table. She needs to get a feel for how the Board is feeling. Ron shared that the more they throw out sections of Poultney’s document, the more it looks like ours. Diane reiterated that Julie has done a great deal of work to pull everything together because in the process the document was broken up into 4 different parts. Julie had to make sure that things were put in all sections or taken out of all sections and things were pointing to the right sections. Tom thinks Julie should get some compensation for her work. Tom thinks the PC should have used the original document and made the changes that needed to be made to that document. Mary Anne cannot support this document as it is now. There are things missing, and definitions not clearly defined. Everything she has tried to say or recommend has been dismissed by the PC. She has reviewed several other towns and would take any other towns’ regulations over this document. Julie doesn’t think the PC knew about the number of issues in the document that weren’t complete or accurate. Julie thinks the PC thought it was going or had gone to the attorney for review. Brad asked about how many changes our current regulations would need. Ron explained very few things; mostly about waterfront, docks and clearer definitions. Mary Anne talked about seasonal homes converted to year round homes, lot coverage in I & II and organization of the document. She would recommend we revise the current regulations we have now. Tom doesn’t want to make it any harder for the public to understand or for Mary Anne to use. Mary Anne’s concern is what she can back up legally. When she was interviewed by the PC she was told they wanted someone who could keep the town out of trouble. She wants to be sure the zoning regulations will be able to help do that. Diane stated that Mary Anne must be able to use and enforce the regulations. Julie recommended the Selectboard, the Planning Commission and Mary Anne meet to hash this out and put efforts where they need to be. She would be happy to work on whatever Plan that is going to work its way through. The Board tabled discussion until Tuesday, August 11th at 6:00 p.m. at the PC Meeting. BUILDING NEEDS: Heat Pump Discussion: Julie stated that the vendors stopped in with quotes but asked that when the Board decides what unit they want, that the Board give them both the opportunity to quote the same thing. Brick Building Ramp: Ron looked at the ramp. The top is easy to fix. If the ramp is ok, it’s easy to fix, but if the ramp is not ok and out of compliance, then it’s a bigger problem. Ron thinks the plywood that’s there now is ok for the winter. Ron reported that the foundation needs to be looked at by a mason. They need to point up the stone foundation, clean up the stone and bring in some fill. Some mason’s in the area are Jerry McCray, PJ French, Bruce Mathew, Reggy Charbonneau and David Peters. Diane will prepare a letter. HIGHWAY CONCERNS/NEEDS: Traffic Study: Diane will respond to Josh that they want a traffic count on Fern Lake Road. Town Shed: Ken thinks we should look for a new piece of property for a new Town Shed. He mentioned perhaps the Shackett property or the property across the road. John thinks the property across the road might be a possibility. John is friends with the owner and he will have an informal talk with the owner this week to see if there is any interest in selling a portion. If interested, the Board would invite them to come to the next meeting on August 17th. Arlan and Brad will look at the current building and make a determination if the current building is viable. Arlan would like to see the building at least get sided for this winter. Motion by Ken and second by Tom to table the discussion until they have more information. All in favor. So approved. Roadside Mowing: Ken has received calls about the poison parsnip. Residents are having health problems because of it. Ken went to see Lem and Lem could start the roadside mowing early if the Board would like. It needs to be mowed before it goes to seed. Ron said he thinks that it has already gone to seed. So, it’s too late this year. Lem can mow in two weeks, his normal time. Next year the Board could add this into the Town Report to vote for three mowings instead of two. Public Opinion: None Motion by Ken and second by Ron to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters at 8:47 p.m. All in favor. So approved. Motion by Tom and second by Brad to come out of Executive Session at 9:05 p.m.. No action taken. All in favor. So approved. Motion by Tom and second by Ken to adjourn at 9:05 p.m. Next Meeting: August 17, 2015 Respectfully submitted, Sandra L. TrombleySelectboard Secretary