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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 04/02/1990CITY COUNCIL 2 APRIL 1990 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 2 April 1990, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset Street. Members Present Michael Flaherty, Acting Chairman; John Dinklage, James Condos, William Cimonetti Also Present Charles Hafter, City Manager; Margaret Picard, City Clerk; Albert Audette, Street Dept; Sid Poger, The Other Paper; Chris Cavin, Laurie Parker, Jill Coffrin, Doug Weber, Anne-Lise Tungvag, Jonathan Sands, Dorothea Sims, Wayne Davis, Mary Goldberg, Nan Crowell, Janice Smith, Lorene Chickering, Charles Scott, Recreation Path Committee; David Boehm, Helen Ginsburg, Robert Fisher, George Sporzynski, Jane Milner, Jean McCandless 1. Comments & Questions from the Audience (not related to Agenda Items) No issues were raised. 2. Report from Social Responsibility Committee on proposed allocation of Social Services Funding Ms. McCandless said the Committee had reviewed their recommendations and have re-allocated funds appropriated by the Council. Several new programs were eliminated. The Council accepted the Committee's recommendations and Mr. Flaherty thanked the Committee for its efforts. 3. Discussion of plans for construction of Recreation Path Ms. Cavin said the Recreation Path Committee is requesting that the bond issue be for $500,000. They feel the community is behind the project and will vote for it. She felt the Committee could raise $147,000 from the private sector and from grants. Mr. Cimonetti asked how the Committee would feel if the bond issue hinged on the raising of the $147,000. Ms. Cavin said she wouldn't want that contingency. Mr. Cimonetti said he had a problem with all funds coming from the raising of property taxes and would ask that bond oney be spent in some ratio to public support. Mr. Davis thought the idea had merit, but he said he had found in fund raising that people were reluctant to support the project because they felt the city wasn't behind it. Mr. Cimonetti said he would propose a $400,000 bond issue and that for every $5. spent from the bond issue, $1. had to be spent from public fund raising. Mr. Sporzynski asked if land being contributed would be part of the $100,000. Mr. Cimonetti said he would like to see real money, but would allow for some flexibility with contributed services. Ms. Smith noted that would still leave them $100,000 short of the $600,000 figure. Mr. Scott said the Committee hoped for a $500,000 bond issue with $147,000 raised from other efforts. Mr. Flaherty said the downside of Mr. Cimonetti's idea was the ability to build the bike path was dependent on the ability to raise money privately. Mr. Dinklage felt it was a question of how much you put before voters at one time. He noted there is also $300,000 being asked for highway repairs and a school issue. He felt $400,000 was easier to consider than $500,000. He recommended scaling back big dollar items in the project and getting enthusiasm built up through use of the path then going for the bigger money items such as the tunnel. Ms. Sims said she had lived in the city for 40 years and liked the bike path idea as part of the answer to the city's "identity problem". She noted the Interstate divides the city physically and psychologically. She felt with the emphasis on physical health and family values, the bike path would be a great spiritual revival for the city. Ms. Coffrin said she would like to see a major part of the funds available for construction with perhaps a smaller contingency. She felt people wanted the bike path now and didn't want to wait. Mr. Flaherty said he would like to go for the whole thing with no contingency. Mr. Scott felt the committee was kind of burned out and didn't know if they could raise $247,000. He felt it was pushing the committee too far to ask this. He noted there are 2 other phases to the project and that somehow they had to feel they had accomplished this one. Mr. Boehm said the community needs the bike path and said that in the voting booth that issue would have the biggest appeal to him. He felt private funding had no place in the issue. He said the path is for public safety as well as for enjoyment. He felt there should be no impediments put in its way. Ms. Parker suggested a compromise. The first $200,000 being without contingency and the next $200,000 with a contingency, so at least a section of the path could be built and arouse enthusiasm through use. Mr. Condos said he would like to see the issue put to the voters and let them decide. He had no problem with the $500,000 bond issue, but was concerned with the total picture with other bond issues. He noted that responses from grants that have been applied for indicated they would only be considered if there was support from the city. He said he wasn't ready for a tunnel or a bridge and felt that would bring the cost down $100,000. Mr. Dinklage said he didn't think there were any rights and wrongs but wasn't comfortable with $500,000. He felt $400,000 would be adequate. Mr. Condos moved that the recreation path issue be separated from the highway bond on the ballot. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Dinklage moved to establish $400,000 as the maximum bonding authority to be asked for from the public. Mr. Cimonetti seconded. Mr. Cimonetti moved to amend the motion to add the following: The authority to expend funds after the first $200,000 would be limited to a $1.00 for every $4.00 that was matched. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Ms. Cavin said she was concerned this would be confusing to the voters. Mr. Boehm felt voters should be given a choice not put through this mill. Mr. Dinklage said he was coming around to going for the full amount without a contingency. He felt the committee would have to beat the bushes to get it to pass. In the votes that followed, the amendment was defeated 1-3. The motion as originally stated passed 4-0. 4. Presentation of "Housing the Workforce" A Planning Guide" Jane Milner of the Chittenden Affordable Housing Committee of GBIC gave the Council the written presentation. She said it explains the need for moderate income and other affordable housing. She said the concern is to build more small starter homes. GBIC has gotten involved because without affordable housing the area can't attract new business or even hope to keep those already here. Mr. Dinklage said he felt deeply that the city's own employees can't afford to live in S. Burlington. Ms. Milner said that people in the $20,00-$40,000 income range can't buy a home in S. Burlington. The proposal suggests smaller houses on smaller lots, clustered in small groups. It also includes partnership ideas. Ms. Milner said they want to do a needs assessment with employers to see how they feel about affordable housing for their employees. They will also talk with employees and learn what their problems are. Then they hope to possibly define a financial strategy to address these problems. 5. Public Hearing to Consider: Amendments to Section 19.251 of the South Burlington Zoning Regulations: Size of Parking Spaces Mr. Hafter noted the current regulations are uninforcable and the recommendation is that all parking spaces be standard size. Mr. Condos moved to approve the Amendments to Section 19.251 of the Zoning Regulations: Size of Parking Spaces as presented. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 6. Consider short-term roadway improvements to Dorset St. Mr. Audette said it looks like it will be another year before there is any major construction. He proposed that from the southern entrance to the Mall to the apartment complex next door to City Hall his department would put in a 1-1/2" shim; from the northbound lane from Corporate Way to the southern entrance of the Mall they would do the same. He felt this work would take $25,000 of the 1983 bond money. Mr. Dinklage moved to authorize the expenditures as outlined in Mr. Audette's memo of 29 March. Mr. Condos seconded. Mr. Hafter said he would prefer to use money from the operating budget but could use unexpended bonded money. In the vote that followed, the motion passed unanimously. 7. Review Planning agenda 4/3 No issues were raised. 8. Sign Disbursement Orders Disbursement Orders were signed. 9. Minutes of 15 March and 19 March In the Minutes of 19 March, p.6, paragraph 3, the word "fight" in the last line should be "right." Mr. Dinklage moved to approve the Minutes of 15 and 19 March as amended. Mr. Condos seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Liquor Control Board Mr. Dinklage moved the Council adjourn and reconvene as Liquor Control Board. Mr. Condos seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Hafter presented a catering permit he had approved for an IDX party catered by Jake's at Howard Johnsons on Shelburne Rd, 2 April 1990, from 6-9 p.m. Mr. Dinklage moved the catering permit for IDX be approved as presented. Mr. Condos seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Hafter presented special events permits #7, 8, and 9 for Club New England. He said there have been no problems reported at prior events. Mr. Dinklage moved to approve special events permits #7,8, and 9 for Club New England as presented. Mr. Condos seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Executive Session Mr. Condos moved the Board adjourn and reconvene as City Council in Executive Session to discuss Dorset Street litigation and contract negotiations and to resume regular session only to possibly sign the Police Contract and/or to adjourn. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Regular Session The Council returned to regular session. Jim Condos moved approval of the proposed three-year contract between the City and the South Burlington Police Officers Association. John Dinklage seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Jim Condos moved adjournment, John Dinklage seconded. The meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.