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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 12/08/1969BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING DECEMBER 8, 1969 The South Burlington Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting in the library of the Middle School, Dorset Street, South Burlington, Vermont, on Monday, December 8, 1969, at 7:30 P.M. Mr. Behney, Chairman, called the meeting to order. MEMBERS PRESENT Charles H. Behney, Chairman; Vincent J. D'Acuti, Walter Nardelli, Gregory L. Premo and Raymond E. Stearns. MEMBERS ABSENT None OTHERS PRESENT Henry LeClair, Town Manager; Richard G. Carter, Chief of Police; Eugene Cenci, Charlotte Marsh, Dorothy Guilford, Linda Christiansen, Jean Hildick, Sergeants Magee and Bernard of the Police Department, Roger LeCours, Free Press Reporter; and several area residents. READING OF THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 1, 1969 MEETING On a motion made by Mr. Stearns and seconded by Mr. Premo, the minutes of the December 1, 1969, meeting were approved as read. POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND BUDGET Town Manager LeClair presented each Selectman with copies of a report containing recommendations and a proposed 1970-71 budget for the Police Department. Mr. LeClair read the report in full. In essence the report recommended the hiring of 7 additional employees and the purchase of two additional cruisers. POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND BUDGET, CONTINUED A general discussion brought out the fact that the extra help would enable the police department to implement the following: more personnel on the shifts, improved reports with the increased clerical help, men available to devote more time to the Traffic Safety Department, Photo Laboratory, and Juvenile Division. Mr. Nardelli asked if there would be benefits from the initiation of a Citizen's Police Council and cooperation with the Public School Program. Chief Carter said these were well worth considering. Also recommended was the purchase of two additional cruisers and a gas generator for Base Station use. Mr. LeClair pointed out that the proposed budget would result in an approximate increase of .20 on the tax rate over last year. Mr. Nardelli made a motion to accept the police budget as a proposed budget. The motion was seconded by Mr. Premo and so moved. SIGN ORDINANCE REVIEW Chairman Behney explained his intention in placing this item on the agenda was not to get into a long discussion, but to ask the Board to pass the item to the Planning Commission for upgrading and recommendations. Discussion resulted in agreeing to forward the Sign Ordinance to the Commission with specific instructions. Mr. D'Acuti made a motion to forward the ordinance to the Planning Commission for review as to size, aesthetics, and type of businesses. Mr. Premo seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Sign Ordinance Review, Continued Mrs. Hildick read a statement from the League of Women Voters supporting the present sign ordinance. The letter is filed with these minutes. PRIORITY ITEMS Mr. Behney presented each Selectmen with a list of important town items and asked for recommendations as to what items Mr. LeClair should try to complete before he leaves. He said he had checked items he felt were important and was open to suggestions. The Selectmen agreed that Mr. LeClair should place his efforts on the proposed 1970-71 budget and Mr. LeClair said he would try to have the Highway Budget lined up for the meeting of the 15th, the Selectmen's Budget for the meeting of the 22nd, and sewer budget and incidentals for the meeting of the 29th. In regard to the Open Space item, Mr. Behney read a letter from the Town Attorney in which Mr. Ewing explained the steps to be taken in order to get the $45,000 from HUD for the O'Brien and Dumont acquisition. Mr. LeClair said that at this point we have the obligation to purchase the land for $90,000, send copies of the check and certificates of title to Hud, and Hud will then reimburse the town. He also suggested a method of raising the $90,000 for the payment. Mr. Premo made a motion to proceed with the transaction, expending $90,000 for the land, with payment as follows: $45,000 from a temporary loan from the general account and the rest partly from the Jaycees' gift and the amount in the budget reserved for recreation area. Mr. Nardelli seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. PRIORITY ITEMS, CONTINUED The Selectmen also agreed that it was important to check into any subdivision streets that should be researched at this time to the point of town acceptance. Town Manager LeClair said that this would be done, that he was presently preparing the paper work for the acceptance of the streets in Fireside Park and San Remo Drive, and would work on streets in the subdivisions right away. SEWER EASEMENTS Town Manager LeClair recapped the status of easement acquisition for sewer construction to date, saying the only problem he could anticipate was clearing up the easements for a gravity line. He asked the Selectmen if they would help by calling personally on property owners for those easements that haven't been obtained by the time he leaves. The Selectmen agreed to do this. Town Manager LeClair also said he felt obtaining sewer easements in Queen City Park would present no problems as Fire District No. 1, at its Annual Meeting of May 13, 1968, had voted "to transfer to the town any road or other Fire District property for the improvement of said road or installation of a sewage system, reserving the rights of the Water Department, and considering each citizen's property rights with consultation." Mr. LeClair said he would have the Town Attorney check the legality of the vote. CENTRAL SCHOOL BUILDING In discussing steps to be taken to finalize a move to Central School of the town offices, Mr. LeClair was charged by the Board to get estimates of the cost of any renovations, fixtures, etc. that will be necessary. STARTING TIME OF DECEMBER MEETINGS Mr. Nardelli made a motion to change the starting time of the meetings for the month of December from 7:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Mr. Premo seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. DATA PROCESSING AND SHARING OF PERSONNEL There was a general discussion on the length of time it would take to initiate data processing for town and school work, the hiring of a programmer, delivery date of a machine, etc. Mr. D'Acuti pointed out that he did not feel the Board should be committed to the leasing of an IBM machine until they had looked into other brands. The other members agreed with this. In speaking of the sharing of personnel for the town and school work Mr. Nardelli suggested that the School Board be contacted to see if the man presently doing the programming for the school should be doing it for the town when the project goes into effect. This also was agreed upon by the members. CODIFICATION PROJECT Town Manager explained the codification project and said the greatest expense connected with it was in the legal and printing costs. These should be included in the Selectmen's budget ACCEPT MR. SARGENT'S RESIGNATION Chairman Behney read Mr. Sargent's letter of resignation. Mr. Premo made a motion that the resignation be accepted with regret, and that Mr. Sargent be thanked for his dedicated service to the Planning Commission. Mr. Nardelli seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. APPOINTMENT TO PLANNING COMMISSION FOR A 3 MONTH PERIOD Mr. Nardelli moved to consider Mr. Fred Smith for the appointment to the Planning Commission for a three month period. Mr. Stearns seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. Mr. Stearns requested Chairman Behney to notify the other applicants of the Board's action, thank them for their interest, and tell them the Board would keep them in mind for another time. Mr. Behney explained to the girls present from the League of Women Voters that the Board now requests resumes for appointments from the applicants which they review, and then they have a personal interview with each one before making an appointment. REQUEST RECOMMENDATION FROM PLANNING COMMISSION FOR OVERHEAD WIRING TO BE PLACED UNDERGROUND - LISTING AREAS OF PRIORITY Chairman Behney said he placed this item on the agenda so the Selectmen could charge the Planning Commission to consider an economical schedule of replacing overhead to underground wiring in town, an example being at the time Shelburne Road is widened. Mr. Nardelli made a motion to charge the Planning Commission to consider an economical schedule of replacing overhead utility lines to underground installations listing areas of priority. Mr. Stearns seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. CONSIDER EQUIPMENT REQUEST FOR ASSESSORS' DEPARTMENT Mr. Nardelli made a motion to rent an IBM key punch machine for three months. Mr. Stearns seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The files and equipment requested for the office were discussed. CONSIDER EQUIPMENT REQUEST FOR ASSESSORS' DEPARTMENT, CONT'D. Mr. Nardelli suggested that Mr. LeClair contact the school personnel to see if the town could purchase an Olivetti calculator they were thinking of trading in toward a new machine. Mr. LeClair said he would look into it. No decision was made on the request for the files. BILLS FOR DEPUTY WORK Mr. LeClair presented bills for work done by Constables Airoldi and Lavalette, saying he had not requested the men to work, that they had patrolled the school property on Halloween. Mr. Behney suggested that Mr. Stearns take the bills to the School Board for payment. PERSONAL PROPERTY APPRAISING Mr. LeClair was instructed to speak to Mr. Alexander, the personal property tax expert, concerning the method used and the schedule he has, for the revaluation of the personal property in town. Mr. LeClair said he would do this. Mr. Stearns suggested that Mr. LeClair explain that we are not looking for an increase in 1969, we just want the complete revaluation ready for the 1970 Grand List. CONSIDER MASTER PLAN Mr. Nardelli made a motion to table this item till the next meeting. Mr. Premo seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Mr. D'Acuti made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:05 P.M. Mr. Premo seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Approved Gregory L. 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