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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 02/25/1985CITY COUNCIL 25 FEBRUARY 1985 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 25 February 1985, at 8:00 p.m., in the Mini Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset Street. Members Present Paul Farrar, Chairman; Michael Flaherty, Leona Lansing, George Mona, William Peters Others Present William Szymanski, City Manager; Margaret Picard, City Clerk/Treasurer; Sidney Poger, Planning Commission; Jane Bechtel, City Planner; James W. Goddette, Sr., Fire Chief; Albert Audette, Street Department; Ethel Schuele, Marjorie Kneeland, Community Library; Sally Hackett, Audrey Quackenbush, R.S.V.P; Keith Kertland, Sam Bogorad, Visiting Nurse Association; Ruth Poger, The Other Paper Comments & Questions from the public (not related to agenda items) No issues were raised. Hear requests for funding 1. Visiting Nurse Association : Sam Bogorad, the city's representative to the VNA Board of Directors thanked the Council for past support and requested that support continue for the coming year. Service provided to South Burlington exceeds the funding provided and the need for VNA services is increasing and will continue to increase due to anticipated cutbacks in Medicare and other federal programs. VNA Executive Director Keith Kertland also emphasized federal cuts and group's search for additional funding. 2. R.S.V.P.: Audrey Quackenbush thanked members for previous support and requested that support continue in 1985-86. The city has 60 volunteers in the program. Continue Review of City Budget Community Library: Ethel Schuele and Marnie Kneeland outlined staffing requirements and the need for a copier. The cost of the copier will be recovered by charges for copies. The need for a computerized book circulation system was outlined, the cost of which is estimated at $18,540, half of which would be funded by the school district. This capital improvement is not included in the budget but is requested as an extra. A detailed description of the system is attached. Highways: Sonny Audette presented the highway budget. He explained that the $15,000 overtime projection, as opposed to 8,000 last year, reflects salt usage, which is way over budget this year. Questions were asked about gas purchases, sidewalks and curb construction, also equipment purchases. A discussion followed regarding upgrading of Hinesburg Rd, especially from the intersection of Corporate Circle Rd to Williston Rd. This will be pursued by the State, which is responsible. To date, $131,808 of bond issue funds has been spend. About $5,000 will be spent this year, leaving $365,000. There is a problem on Hadley Rd., as some residents do not want the sidewalks that have been planned. One of the items to be considered at the next budget meeting is a provision for additional administrative support to the city. Mr. Farrar advised that there will be a Steering Committee meeting on March 21st. Review and Consider for First Reading an Ordinance Relating to Use of Fire Alarm Systems Chief Goddette read the proposed ordinance (copy attached). Ms. Lansing then moved to approve for first reading the ordinance relating to fire alarm systems. Mr. Flaherty seconded. Chief Goddette explained that last year there were 150 needless runs, 45 of them to one business alone. From 1 July to the present, there have been 123 needless runs, 23 to one business. There are about 65 such alarm systems in the city. Mr. Farrar questioned the city's liability if an alarm were inspected, the owner told to fix it, and there was then another false alarm. Mr. Flaherty suggested having the City Attorney review the ordinance with this question in mind. Mr. Goddette added that another problem is that only the younger personnel fare responding to many of these alarms and if there were a real disaster he'd have no experienced people to use the big equipment. Following the discussion, the motion passed unanimously. Sign Highway Equipment Note Mr. Szymanski explained that the note is for $40,000 on the new dump truck. The note is at the Chittenden at 6.95%. Mr. Flaherty moved the Council sign the highway equipment note as presented by the City Manager. Ms. Lansing seconded with unanimous approval. Discuss proposal for placing all utilities underground during construction of Williston Rd. widening at Gaynes The cost for placing utilities underground would run $71,000. Neither the state nor federal government would participate in the cost. Members agreed that the advantage is an aesthetic one. It was also noted that when a car hit a pole last year, traffic light service was out for days. Mr. Peters said that since the money wouldn't be expended this year, it could be considered as a line item in the next budget. Review & accept tax penalty waiver list Mr. Flaherty moved that the Council accept the tax penalty waiver list dated February 14, 1985. Mr. Mona seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. Review draft of Southeast Quadrant section for the updated comprehensive plan A philosophical change would result in developing the quadrant for single family homes, preserving open space and some agricultural, and farming land. Mr. Poger explained that this does represent a difference from Act 250 as to what agricultural land consists of. The Commission is considering private gardens in the definition. Ms. Bechtel noted there are 4 major points: 1) a provision for a small convenience store, but no other retail outlets 2) the acquisition of open spaces 3) finding a suitable location for future fire and/or police stations in the quadrant 4) a method of phasing the expanded sewer capacity to prevent hoarding of capacity by developers Mr. Szymanski said they also should consider land for a cemetery. Mr. Mona objected to the language "growing pressure for...", noting that it is really only one person who is doing this. He felt the old language was better. Some members said they couldn't support the decrease in lot size of industrial lots. Mr. Farrar felt it would also change the character of the neighborhood to put in a convenience store. Ms. Lansing agreed she did not like the 5-acre lot size. Mr. Poger noted that the Commission is considering the possibility of reserving future development rights to the city when a development comes in. Zoning Board & Planning Committee Agendas There was no discussion. Minutes of February 4, 1984 Mr. Flaherty moved that the Minutes of February 4, 1984 be approved as printed. Ms. Lansing seconded with unanimous consent. Sign Disbursement Orders Disbursement Orders were signed. Executive Session Mr. Flaherty moved that the Council meet in Executive Session to review the Police Union Agreement and to discuss evaluation of city employees and that following the Executive Session the only business to be transacted will be the executing of the Police Union Agreement and adjournment. Ms. Lansing seconded with unanimous approval. The Council came out of Executive Session and by motion of Mr. Flaherty and seconded by Mr. Mona with unanimous approval the Police Union Agreement was signed. By motion of Mr. Peters and seconded by Ms. Lansing the Council adjourned at 11:00 P.M. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works. Account # Priority Est. Cost Supplemental Program I Sal ar i es Fringes Suppl i es $ 800 Contr. Serv.l,5i10 Capital &,WQ TOTAL B9,;TtC' COMPUTERIZED CIRCULATION SYSTEM Computers specialize in the tasks necessary to operate a library. We continue to he short-staf-fed compared.with 1980-01. Even at that time we were not providing excellent service to the community. A computer would free staff and volunteers of the time-consuming clerical tasks such as overdue writing and materials check-in and would allow us to spend more time helping patrons find information and select books. While the initial computer cost is high, the costs of continuing our present system are mounting. We are currently leasing a book charging machine as a backup to our own worn-out machine. Continued lease is 6195 a year; replacement is 6845. Supplies for our existing system cost approximately 5100 a year. Hidden costs of the current system include: (1) patrons, who have bills, slip through the system and run up additional charges; (21 students who are leaving the school cannot be told what materials they have checked out; (3) at year end several days are spent making lists of students ~ho still have library materials and even then we can't supply the titles of those materials; (4) placing a reserve on an item requires time consuming searches of circulation cards and time delays during which materials sometimes accidentally get back on the shelf. Library software has now been developed to provide cataloging, circulation l and a public access "card" catalog in one package for a reasonable expenditure. The IBM-AT with its multi-user, multi-tasking software due out in the first quarter of 1985 will provide local service, a 20 megabyte hard disk, and compatibility with the UVM-DOL-Middlebury project. The other school libraries could he incorporated in the system to act as pub1 ic I. ibrary branches sometime 1.n the future. The system could operate using "dumb" terniinal s and permanent telecommunication l ines so that the haldings and status of items in each library would be available on-line to every other library. An alternative system wo1.11d consist of a personal computer with communications software and hardware in each library. fit the end of each day circulation information would be sent to the main computer, so that any time during the day a telephone call worrld provide acces!; to lholdings and status of all items. This computer is a first step in developing such an integrated system. Since there is already an interschool deliver-y sy!stern, it would then be easy for patrons to pick; up a desired boc:il:: at their neighborhood school. 1 Hardware IBM-AT with printer Light pen Additional terminal Software Dynix, Inc. Conversion Supplies Materials bar codes Patron bar codes Training Annual supply costs ...................... TOTAL 618,540 Total requested from City Budget - 59,270 I. -' . .. .. . .. .. . .. I DATE 31. 1.2~' .' .. AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO TBB USE OF FIRE &WU SYSTEMS ~~ -.-. ~. 4 . . 55.- -. The Council of the City of South Burlington hereby ordains: Section 11 It shall be unlawful for anyone to activate any fire alarm for the purpose of summoning a fire department or other emergency personnel except in the event of a fire or other emergency. or for anyone having knowledge that an alarm was activated in the absence of a fire or other emergency to fail to im- mediately notify the appropriate emergency personnel. Section 2: For a fire ment response to any false alarm (as defined in Section 3, below), the artment shall charge and collect from the person having or maintaining such arm on premises owned or occupied by him, fees hs follows: 1 \ (a) For a response to premises at which no other false alarm (as defined in Section 3, below) has occurred within the preceeding six (6) month period, hereinafter referred to as a "first response", no fee shall be charged, but the fire department will inspect the alarm system as2 ~ta h> causZYF-thefimp-- ~ei 4 e and notf$%$=zg or maintaining fire alarm system of any corrective action which must be taken. Within three (3) days after such notice, the person having or maintaining the fire a alarm system shall make a written report to the chief of the fire department certifying that the corrective ~ - action has been (b) For a second response to premises within six (6) months after the firs< response, a fee of $100.00 shall be charged and for each succeeding response thereafter within six (6) months of the first response, a fee of $100.00 shall be charged. Section 3: For the purposes of this ordinance, the term "false alarm" shall mean the activation of a fire alarm by other than a fire or what is determined by the fire department to be a legitimate emergency. Section 4: Anyone convicted of a violation or failure to comply with any of the provisions of this ordinance, including the failure to make a required report or to pay any fee, shall be fined not more than $100.00 for each offense. _ A Section 5: This ordinance shall take effect from passage. r$e 9L-0 he 1 MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT The CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON and the SOUTH BURLINGTON POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION hereby agree that the present Agreement will be binding upon the parties from July 1, 1984, to June 30, 1985, with the following amendments: 1. Members of the Association will receive a salary increase of five and one-half per cent (5-1/2%) retroactive to July 1, 1984. 2. Members of the Association Will also receive the benefits of an "off-the-jobn disability policy with a thirty (30)-day wait with the benefit period to remain at twenty-six (26) weeks. The maximum weekly benefit will be Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00). The Association agrees to be responsible for cost increases in the future and the City agrees to implement the disability policy as soon as possible. SOUTH BURLINGTON POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON BY BY President February 25, 1985 CARROLL. SUSSMAN AND OBUCHOWSKI ATORNEYS AT LAW 74 MAIN STREET POST OFFICE BOX 9.2 BURUNGTON. VERMONT OSa02-0932 18021 862-2855