Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 12/15/1980CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 15, 1980 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, December 15, 1980 at 7:30 pm in the Conference Room, City Hall, 1175 Williston Road Members Present Paul Farrar, Chairman; Michael Flaherty, Martin Paulsen, William Burgess, John Towne Others Present William Szymanski, City Manager; Fred Tuttle, Charles Hill, David Miller, James Goddette, Albert Audette, Gloria Yandow, Mary-Barbara Maher, David Kaufman, Jeanne Kennedy, Lowell Krassner, Margaret Picard Agenda deletions Mr. Farrar said that items 4 and 7 would be removed from the agenda - Mr. Wells was not present for his interview for the Natural Resources Committee and the City Attorney had not completed his review of the construction contract for the new municipal building. Minutes of November 24 and December 1, 1980 The November 24 and December 1, 1980 minutes were approved on a motion by Mr. Paulsen, a second by Mr. Flaherty, and a unanimous vote. Disbursement orders Disbursement orders were signed. Meet with local State Representatives to discuss pending legislation Mr. Farrar noted that both Mrs. Maher and Mr. Martineau had tried to get legislation passed which would allow enforcement of municipal ordinances and neither had been able to do so. He said he had worked with municipalities around the area which had the same problems South Burlington does to put together a draft which seems reasonable to these municipalities. There will be a meeting with the area representatives December 30 and this draft can be discussed. Mrs. Maher said she would try to work on this problem again. Mr. Farrar said another issue to discuss was combination funding. Whenever the State funding, for example, is not enough to match the federal or local desires, it might be useful to have some Enabling Legislation which would allow, once a project is approved, that if the State does not have enough funding to cover its share in a particular year but the federal funding is there, a municipality could borrow the State's share, to be paid when the project reaches its rightful priority. Mr. Kaufman said he could take that basic idea and have it drafted. Mr. Flaherty noted that the highway fund had a deficit every year and he did not want that deficit dropped on the towns. Mr. Farrar said the Regional Council had been discussing a percentage tax on gas. If that were done, Mr. Kaufman said, he would like some sort of commitment to mass transportation. Mr. Farrar was not sure that was really the answer, noting that the percentage of subsidy to the total cost of the CCTA went up every year. Mr. Flaherty was not sure a percentage gas tax was the best way to go, since as the price of gas rose, the State might find it was taking in more than it needed. Mr. Audette, head of the Highway Department, said there was talk of eliminating the 2 for 1 money the city received for repaying projects. He felt that program should be doubled in size instead and that its restriction limiting it to class 2 highways should be eliminated. Mr. Farrar said another issue discussed by the Regional Council was a request that communities be empowered to contract with the State Police to locate troopers in the communities, with the costs for these troopers to be borne by the communities. The State Police would be authorized to hire more men, but they would only be hired if there were contracts for funding them. These troopers would be managed by the State Police. Ms. Picard, City Clerk, said she would like to see a comprehensive plan for hazardous waste disposal. She also wanted something done about the PSB and was told that that had recently been restructured. Ms. Picard said she would like to see some or all of the liquor tax money returned to the communities and she mentioned the inventory tax. If that tax were abolished, South Burlington would feel the effect, since that constitutes about 9% of its total tax revenue. Ms. Picard also mentioned a column in The Other Paper by the representatives, perhaps taking turns. Mrs. Kennedy said she would rather do it when she felt like it or when she had something to say. Mr. Krassner hoped that something could be done about the criminal law in Vermont. He hoped that changes in the juvenile justice law could be made to make them and/or their parents more responsible for damage that they do. Mrs. Maher hoped the judiciary committee would discuss that this year. Accept resignation of Arnold Cohen from the Zoning Board of Adjustment Mr. Flaherty moved to accept the resignation of Arnold Cohen from the Zoning Board of Adjustment and to direct the City Manager to write him a letter of thanks for his services. Mr. Burgess seconded the motion, which passed 5-0. Continue Police Grievance Hearing Mr. Farrar asked Ms. Yandow, City Bookkeeper, why two checks had been issued when Detective Burke had worked overtime. She replied that he had been given two checks because he was paid at two different rates and the program for the computer will not allow two rates on one check. She said social security had been withheld from the extra check and the weekly check had all taxes taken out. Under federal law he did not have enough earnings to have anything taken out of the second check and when he asked that money be taken out of it, he was told that she could take out what he wanted but would have to have authorization to do it. Ms. Yandow was asked whether, if an employee regularly earned $5,000 and was paid an extra $2,000, the city didn't have to look at it as if he had earned $7,000. Didn't they have to take out withholding from all of it? She said no, only the social security. Mr. Flaherty mentioned taking out withholding based on the total of both checks, when two are issued. Mr. Farrar asked about the question of discrimination and Ms. Yandow replied that Det. Burke had been treated no differently than anyone else and that the situation arose all the time. Asked whether it happened to anyone else in the Police Department, she responded that it happened weekly. The Council was shown records of other policemen receiving extra checks and Ms. Yandow said it was a programming problem that two rates of pay were not accepted on one check. She also noted that she herself was a member of the South Burlington City Hall Employees Association and reiterated that she did not discriminate against anyone. Mr. Flaherty moved to close the public hearing. Mr. Burgess seconded the motion and it carried 5-0. Mr. Flaherty moved that the City Council finds no evidence of discrimination and that the totality of the record does not support the allegation of discrimination and that therefore we reject the claim. The motion was seconded by Mr. Towne and all voted for it. Sign renewal of Short Term Notes Mr. Szymanski said he had 4 notes, all at 7.75% interest. One is for the front loader, balance being $13,500, one is for the highway truck, $21,000, the third is a balance of $36,611 for the sewer cleaner and the last is $18,900 on the Red Rocks bond. Mr. Paulsen moved to sign the notes as described by the City Manager. Mr. Flaherty seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. Report on Pay Grade Review Committee Mr. Szymanski reported that the committee had asked for help in evaluating job classifications, so he had asked a man from the personnel department of the State to come in and do some work. This was done and the results were reviewed by the committee. The recommendation has been made to adjust the pay grades for 5 positions. Mr. Flaherty asked that the Council see a copy of the report and the recommendations. Mr. Paulsen moved to accept the City Manager's report and Mr. Flaherty seconded. The motion carried without dissent. Consider revision of road opening fees Mr. Szymanski explained that a road opening in this case meant a physical opening in the road. The city now charges $1.50 per square foot for a road patch in the summer and $2.00 per sq. ft. in the winter, which does not cover costs. They want to adjust this to $100 plus $2.00 per sq. ft. in the summer and $3.00 per sq. ft. in the winter. The $100 would be for the permit and Mr. Audette felt the new fee schedule would cover costs incurred. Mr. Flaherty moved that the City Council accept the City Manager's recommendation to revise the road opening fee to $100 for the permit plus $2.00 per sq. ft. in the summer and $3.00 per sq. ft. in the winter. Mr. Towne seconded the motion, which passed 5-0. Discuss sewer charges Mr. Farrar said it looked like the sewer use charges would cover the costs this year and it would come out even, where in the past there has been a surplus generated, which has been used to pay off debts, effectively to pay off sewer bonds. Mr. Burgess felt the sewer tax should pay for the operation of the treatment plant. If it does not pay for all that cost, the difference is made up in other taxes, and people on the system are subsidized by those not on the sewers. If a surplus is generated, it works the other way around. Mr. Burgess felt the rate should be set so as not to run a surplus but so as to cover operating costs. Mr. Flaherty felt it would be better to discuss this at the time of the next budget and Mr. Towne agreed. Review Planning and Zoning agendas There were no comments. Old business Mr. Paulsen asked about the Assistant City Manager's position and was told that the deadline for applications was January 23 or 24. It has been advertised and the city has received 40 applications already. Subsurface sewage disposal - Mr. Farrar asked Mr. Paulsen which regulations he felt the city should accept and was told to adopt the State regulations. Mr. Farrar asked for a draft of the specific ones meant. Mr. Paulsen asked if the State regulations could be adopted verbatim. Mr. Farrar suggested that Messrs. Paulsen and Szymanski work with the City Attorney on this question. Assistant City Manager - Mr. Towne noted that the Planner had sent a memo indicating that the Planning Commission would like to meet with the Council to discuss the position. Mr. Farrar said he would contact the Chairman of the Commission on it. The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 pm. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.