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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 02/05/1990CITY COUNCIL 5 FEBRUARY 1990 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 5 February 1990, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset Street. Members Present Paul Farrar, Chairman; Michael Flaherty, John Dinklage, James Condos, William Cimonetti Also Present Charles Hafter, City Manager; Joe Weith, City Planner; Margaret Picard, City Clerk/Treasurer; Brian Searles, Police Chief; James Goddette, Sr., Fire Chief; Albert Audette, Street Dept; Bruce O'Neill, Mary Anne Gucciardi, Recreation Dept; Steve Stitzel, City Attorney; William Schuele, Natural Resources Committee; Ethel Schuele, Community Library; Don Whitten, Sewage Treatment Dept; Tom Hubbard, Yvonne Jacobs, Recreation Dept; Kenneth Boyd, Brian Reed, Susan Pritchard, Alice Boyd, Marcel Lapierre, Robert Fisher, Ann Ratkus; Sid Poger, The Other Paper 1. Comments & Questions from the Public (not related to agenda items) No issues were raised. 2. Discussion of Traffic Problems in East Woods Neighborhood Mr. Reed said that excessive volumes and speed continue despite the installation of stop signs and "no through traffic" signs. The neighbors are now asking for further measures. Mr. Flaherty noted that the Council had hoped that when Shelburne Rd. work was done, traffic would go down, but it seems this hasn't happened. Mr. Farrar asked if this is an enforcement problem or something more. Chief Searles said they have looked at the situation and found that average speeds on Hadley Rd. were 31 mph with 13% of the traffic going at ticketable speeds. He said he didn't feel they had enough information to make a recommendation and were waiting for the next stretch of good weather to check variations on time and days of week. Residents said the worst times are from 7:30-8:30 and 4:30-5:50 on weekdays with the noon hour also bad. Mr. Hafter said he felt that if everyone was going at the speed limit, there would still be a problem. Mr. Flaherty said the Council is going to have to decide how to deal with traffic in residential neighborhoods. He noted that 350 cars per hour is one every 12 seconds. He felt the volume would go up with further development in Shelburne and Charlotte. Mr. Boyd noted it is beginning to affect property values as people are looking at traffic and saying it isn't a residential neighborhood. He cited one family that is ready to move because they are afraid for their children. Mr. Farrar noted there is still the option of severing Farrell St. The Council asked the City Manager to come back with a proposal at the next meeting after conferring with Fire, Police and Street Dept. people. Mr. Fisher, a resident of the neighborhood said he didn't see anything wrong with traffic in the neighborhood. 3. Consideration of Amendment to Zoning Regulations, Height of Structures Mr. Weith presented the corrected wording. Mr. Farrar asked what is the grade from which you measure relative to fill. Mr. Weith said if the builder gets a zoning permit to fill, it is that grade. If they have a "forever" fill permit, it is when they come for a building permit. Mr. Dinklage questioned whether the city has the wherewithal to enforce this. Mr. Cimonetti said he had a problem with a person getting a fill permit from one board and then using the new grade to get a building permit at some other time. Mr. Weith said he felt there should be a plan when someone applies for a fill permit and this could be made part of the proposed amendment. Mr. Dinklage said he would like to see the allowance for fill tightened up. He said there could be a requirement that when there has been fill on a property and the owner then applies for something, the code officer should have to stipulate that the amount of fill on the property is within limits and that the application won't result in anything the Planning Commission and/or Zoning Board did not intend. Mr. Condos said he had a problem with a 3 foot average fill. Mr. Dinklage agreed. He said he would like to find another way to review site issues, particularly the question of pumping up a site and then putting an "eyesore" on it. Mr. Flaherty said if 3 ft. over the overall lot is OK, the language just has to be cleaned up; if not, something has to be found that people can live with. Mr. Cimonetti suggested a way of referencing construction grade to adjacent lot. grades. Mr. Condos then raised the question of satellite dishes. Mr. Weith said they're OK as long as they are under 35 ft. If it is a rooftop apparatus, it can be regulated. Mr. Farrar suggested talking with the City Attorney. He was concerned that people could fill without going to the Zoning Board. He suggested further discussion in 2 weeks. 4. Schedule Public Hearing to Consider Amendment to Section 19.251 of the Zoning Regulations: Size of Parking Spaces Mr. Dinklage moved to set the Public Hearing on Amendment to Section 19.251 of the Zoning Regulations for 19 March. Mr. Flaherty seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 5. Consideration of Program for Turn-in of Medical Health Benefits Mr. Hafter said that an employee would have a right to get back in on the City's plan on 1 January or 1 July if he/she chose to and at any time if his/her spouse lost medical coverage. He felt the impact on rates would be indirect. He said he thought it was a good plan but that not very many people would take advantage of it. Mr. Cimonetti said he thought it sounded to good to be true. Mr. Dinklage moved to authorize the City Manager to draft a policy statement on Turn-in of Medical Benefits and to provide verification of procedures and possibilities for rate impact. Mr. Flaherty seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 6. Presentation of Budget for Fiscal 1990-91 a) Fire Department: Chief Goddette noted that other than salaries, there was a zero increase in his proposed budget. His "wish list" includes 3 paid men for the sub-station. Mr. Dinklage asked what is driving up the overtime. Chief Goddette said the number of fire calls and a law that says anything over 53 hours has to be paid at time and a half. There was also a man who retired and he had a lot of sick time and vacation time that had to be covered. Mr. Farrar asked if the Chief felt the budget request was adequate to provide the same service this year as last. Chief Goddette said as far as equipment, yes, but the Council had to understand that 28.75% of medical assist calls are at the south end and also that 23 of his 40 available people have less than 5 years experience. He said they have lost a lot of people due to transfers and age. Although in the past he has gotten some 17 years old into a junior program, this year he can't find one. He noted that young people cannot afford the housing to live in S. Burlington. He also noted that no one in the south end of the city has applied for the Department. The last 14 applicants have all been from the north end. Mr. Farrar asked what would happen to response time in the whole city if there were a full compliment of men in both stations. Chief Goddette said that conservatively it would save 5 minutes of response time for the second vehicle. The Chief presented 4 alternatives for new staffing of which he preferred options 1 & 3. Mr. Cimonetti asked for an assessment of the training level of S. Burlington people as compared to others in the area and also a comparison of the wage and benefit package. Chief Goddette said he felt the personnel was as good as any in the State and that S. Burlington does more training than most. He noted that the State now requires certification of paid personnel and people have to be sent away to school for 5 weeks. He said they are trying to fight that and find another way to get people certified. He noted that none of his people had ever had problems when they went to fire departments in other communities. b) City Clerk: Ms. Picard noted her budget was down. She did note there were 2 big elections this year. The 2 assistant clerks are being certified. She made a capital request for 2 new chairs. c) Recreation/Fine Arts: Mr. O'Neill said there are few increases but they are requesting a computer for the office. There is software available that would aid in registration for programs and also in the scheduling of facilities d) Library: Ms. Schuele noted a supplemental request to complete the computer program. They are now paying $575 to continue the license for software they can't use. The cost would be divided equally between the city and schools. Ms. Schuele noted they do very well with volunteer time, especially from RSVP. They also have a person being retrained to enter the work market and this is at no cost to the city. A final request is to increase the reference librarian from 6 to 10 hours a week to provide a second person when there are no school personnel present. e) Natural Resources: Mr. Hubbard said they would still like to see a continuation of the bike route system (on-street). Mr. Audette said the $3,000 requested would provide shoulder widening and paving on another few hundred feet of Spear St. f) City Manager's Office: Mr. Hafter made some preliminary remarks noting that health insurance is up 16%, life insurance up 10%, dental insurance up 10%. Unemployment insurance is down. He is requesting a computer for the secretary. g) Bookkeeping: A computer is also requested here. h) Assessing: The budget is similar to last year. Mr. Cimonetti said he felt they were going at the computer situation in a scattered way, each one doing his/her own thing with no one in charge. He felt they should think about a system that has data management capability and have a knowledgeable person in charge of the whole thing. He noted the possibility of volume discounts. Mr. Hafter said they are looking at that. i) Water Pollution Control: Mr. Whitten said there is not much change. He noted a drastic change in the cost of using part of the Burlington sewer line due to a long-time undercharging by Burlington which has to be made up. Mr. Hafter noted he will be coming in with a plan to correct a 4-year problem. Mr. Farrar said perhaps the city should put in its own pumping station. Mr. Whitten said he thought they should. Mr. Cimonetti asked about expansion of the Bartlett Bay facility. Mr. Hafter said there is a lot to talk about on that with the City Attorney. Mr. Whitten said their 10-year old pick-up has to be replaced and there is also a downpayment due on monitoring wells on the sludge disposal site ($7500). Mr. Whitten will come back with cost figures on hooking up the present Burlington lines at Bartlett Bay. 7. Planning and Zoning Agendas On Zoning Item #3, Mr. Dinklage expressed concern with setting off a sub-standard lot. Mr. Hafter will send a memo to the Zoning Board on this. 8. Minutes of 22 January 1990 Mr. Dinklage noted on p.3 the word "committee" should read "committed." Mr. Dinklage moved to approve the Minutes of 22 January as amended. Mr. Cimonetti seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 9. Other Business Mr. Dinklage noted a GBIC request and asked if it would be in line to ask GBIC for advice on land in the Southeast Quadrant for possible commercial use. Members felt this was a good idea. 10. Liquor Control Board Mr. Cimonetti moved the Council adjourn and reconvene as Liquor Control Board. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Hafter presented a catering permit request from WFW Co. to cater a wedding at K of C Hall, 2 February, 6 p.m to 12:30 a.m. Mr. Dinklage moved to approve the catering permit for WFW Co. as presented. Mr. Flaherty seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Dinklage moved the Liquor Control Board adjourn and reconvene as City Council in regular session. Mr. Flaherty seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 11. Sign Disbursement Orders Disbursement orders were signed. 12. Executive Session Mr. Flaherty moved the Council convene in Executive Session to discuss Dorset St. litigations, contract negotiations and a letter from the City Attorney regarding local speed limits and to resume regular session only to adjourn. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 13. Adjournment The Council returned to regular session. Michael Flaherty moved to adjourn. Jim Condos seconded. The meeting adjourned at 11:30 p.m. Signature Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.