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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 02/22/1993CITY COUNCIL 22 FEBRUARY 1993 The South Burlington City Council held a meeting on Monday, 22 February 1993, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset St. Members Present: Michael Flaherty, Chairman; John Dinklage, James Condos, William Cimonetti, Robert Chittenden Also Present: Charles Hafter, City Manager; Peg Strait, Asst. City Manager; Margaret Picard, City Clerk; Joe Weith, City Planner; Richard Ward, Zoning Administrator; Bruce O'Neill, Recreation Dept; Don Whitten, Water Pollution Control Dept; Sandy Greiner, Free Press; Wayne Elliot 1. Comments & Questions from the Public not related to items on the Agenda: No issues were raised. 2. Consideration of FY 1994 Budget of Chittenden Solid Waste District: Mr. Hafter noted there was no capital budget included. Mr. Moody told him that capital expenses were in the 1993 budget and he didn't feel they had to be appropriated again. Mr. Condos said the feeling is they will begin to spend the money in FY 1993. He added there is also still a question of legal fees. These are very high as they are in the middle of litigation on several fronts. They are considering the feasibility of hiring a staff attorney. Mr. Dinklage noted that there are many items that involve contracted services and asked what the guidelines are for when these are and aren't put out to bid. He also wanted to know the guidelines for transfers of funds from account to account. Mr. Cimonetti suggested Mr. Moody come in and speak generally about fiscal controls. Mr. Hafter will arrange for this. 3. Consideration of Approval of Engineering Contract for Final Design and Bid Services for Dorset St. Recreational Facility: Mr. Hafter said they have a negotiated price of $31,836. with Thermo Consulting Engineers. He said the company is good to work with and has helped the city save money. Mr. O'Neill showed the proposed plan for the first phase of development. Baseball fields, a soccer field, 3 tennis courts, the pavillion with rest rooms and picnic tables, the park entrance road and parking area will be built in this phase. There will be no buildings constructed. Mr. Audette said most of the infrastructure will be put in (drainage, retention pond, etc). Swift St. Ext. will be lined up with Swift St. Mr. O'Neill said there will be no lighting put in yet. Mr. Condos moved to approve the Engineering Contract with Thermo Consulting Engineers for Final Design & Bid Services for the Dorset St. Recreational Facility in an amount not to exceed a price of $31,836. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Cimonetti asked for further information on work scope and profit factors. Mr. Hafter will secure this. 5. Appointment of Deputy Health Officer and Town Service Officer: Mr. Condos moved to appoint Chuck Hafter to the positions of Deputy Health Officer and Town Service Officer. Mr. Cimonetti seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 6. Continued Review of City Budget for Fy 1993-4: a. Planning Dept; Mr. Weith said they are proposing a 7% cut in the operating budget mostly out of travel and training. They are requesting $450 in the capital budget for a drafting chair. Mr. Chittenden questioned whether the MPO can do the consulting work being budgeted. Mr. Weith outlined the projects that MPO is currently funding. Highway/Park Maintenance: Mr. Audette said he has picked up one employee from the landfill who will do highway work. Mr. Flaherty commended the department on recent plowing efforts during the series of snowstorms. Mr. Audette said with the present budget submission, he is hoping for good weather. Mr. Audette said no equipment is being replaced. They will be adding a new mower for roadsides and the recreation path. Mr. Audette then outlined the street work to be done. These projects included: rebuilding and paving San Remo Drive, curbs, sidewalks and paving of Brookwood Dr. rebuilding of Shamrock Rd. (out of bonded funds), Country Club Estates (in conjunction with the sewer project), curbs and sidewalks on East Terrace, the Exit 14 area on Williston Rd. The total budget is down $76,000 for highways. The capital budget is down $85,000. Mr. Audette felt the city was being very shortsighted in this budget and they will have to make up for it in future years. Mr. Cimonetti asked the City Manager to stay on top of the Hinesburg Rd/Kennedy Dr. plan approval which is now in the State's hands. He also reviewed the state money situation with regard to highways. There is an Agency of Transportation plan to have the state take over Class 1 highways which would mean the State would take over Williston Rd. They are also trying to to get the "mile" designation changed to "lane mile." This would be very significant for S. Burlington. Mr. Condos expressed concern about road striping from a safety point of view. He would like to see work done before 1 July. Mr. Dinklage asked for a list of all projects that did not get done last summer due to landfill closure concerns and also a prioritized list of what will get done this year. Mr. Hafter said the Dorset St. project is a go for this summer. The landscaping contract will be paid out of this work. Park Maintenance: Mr. Audette noted that one person is retiring in December. He will not be hiring summer help unless it comes through a financed program. Projects include: a new furnace for the O'Brien building, swings at Szymanski Park, and playground equipment. He noted that the playground equipment will be very expensive as it now has to meet federal guidelines for the handicapped. Payroll/Assessing/Tax Collecting: The only significant increase is in the area of equipment maintenance contracts. The computer that generates tax information needs to be enhanced. They also need a new locked cabinet for personnel records. Mr. Chittenden asked about the feasibility of a WATTS system. Ms. Strait said they have looked into this and it is cheaper to go with the current system. Zoning Department: Mr. Ward said there is an overall $700. decrease in the operating budget. They will purchase another fire-proof storage cabinet and a new set of tax maps. Water Pollution Control Dept: Mr. Whitten said most accounts have been decreased. They have budgeted landfill costs to dispose of trash. Sludge management is up drastically, Mr. Whitten thanked the Council for their support on this. He said they will have now have an environmentally sound program. Mr. Cimonetti said he felt something has to be done about the East Woods sewering which is handled by Burlington. He noted the cost for this has doubled since 1991. Mr. Hafter was asked to run numbers on this to see if it's cost efficient to take that over and put in a pump station. Mr. Whitten noted they will continue to pay some debt service through the sewer rate. Bonded Debt: Mr. Hafter said debt service has increased due to newly passed bonds for the park and landfill. Bonds have been refinanced and the city is now out of its high interest bonds. Other agencies: Mr. Hafter reviewed these budgets noting that funding for the County Court has increased a bit. The Winooski Valley Park District has been level funded but they have requested more. Mr. Hafter recommended level funding. MPO funding has gone up due to an increase in the match for federal funds. Revenues: Mr. Hafter noted that lower interest rates are reducing revenues. Also there will be no more landfill revenues. Mr. Flaherty noted that the Social Responsibility Committee will be coming in on 1 March with their recommendations. Members agreed there will be no meeting necessary of 25 February. 8. Review Planning Commission Agenda for 2/23: No issues were raised. 9. Sign Disbursement Orders: Disbursement Orders were signed. 10. Other Business: Mr. Cimonetti noted there is a tabled motion relating to the City Council position on the proposal of the School Board to ask for funding beyond Charter limitations. Mr. Dinklage noted he has been to negotiation meetings and this motion has been noted. Mr. Cimonetti suggested putting the tabled motion on the 1 March agenda. Executive Session: Mr. Condos moved the Council adjourn and reconvene in Executive Session to discuss contract negotiations, property acquisition, and personnel issues and to resume regular session only to adjourn. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. As there was no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 10:05 p.m. image Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.