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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 03/15/1993CITY COUNCIL 15 MARCH 1993 The South Burlington City Council held a meeting on Monday, 15 March 1993, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset St. Members Present: Michael Flaherty, Chairman; John Dinklage, James Condos, Robert Chittenden Also Present: Charles Hafter, City Manager; Peg Strait, Asst. City Manager; Albert Audette, Street Dept; James Goddette, Fire Dept; Fred Maher, City Charter Committee; Sid Poger, The Other Paper; Sandy Greiner, Free Press; Christine Detrick, Richard Detrick, Michelle Angier, Sally Angier, Harry Behney, John Kruger 1. Comments & Questions from the Public not related to items on the Agenda: Mr. Condos praised the efforts of the Street Dept. during the blizzard of the past weekend. 2. Presentation from Fire Department to Industrial Hygienics Corp and Lane Press for Assistance in Hazardous Materials Training: Chief Goddette noted that in order to meet requirements, firefighters had to take a course in hazardous materials. The Industrial Hygienics Corp. gave the course at no charge to the city and Lane Press prepared the booklets for those who took the course. Chief Goddette then presented plaques to Mr. Detrick and Mr. McBride of Industrial Hygienics. Plaques will also be given to Lane Press who were not present tonight. 3. Report from Charter Committee on Economic Development Incentives: Mr. Maher reported that members of the Committee discussed the concept of tax stabilization. They were not against it but were not persuaded for it. He noted that the Committee raised the same questions that have been raised at the State level. He said they are looking for studies that might show the effectiveness of such procedures but haven't found anything. Mr. Behney said that tax stabilization has been used in other places in Vermont and he encouraged it be done on a selective basis via a Charter change. He felt the city should pre-determine what it wants to encourage (e.g., corporate offices, research & development, etc.). Mr. Dinklage asked Mr. Behney if he could give on a scale of 1-10 the importance of such a tax factor in a company's decision to locate in a community. Mr. Behney said it was a "signal" of an attitude toward business which is looked into by national search firms. He said the most important factor in a company's decision to locate is the availability of a trained labor force and available transportation. He said the problem now is that local companies are competing with other companies on a global basis and the other companies have these incentives. Mr. Dinklage asked if Mr. Behney was aware of any company that didn't locate in S. Burlington because such incentives were not available. Mr. Behn said he didn't, but he suspected a few that have located elsewhere in the state where such incentives exist. Mr. Condos raised the question of other citizens having to pay higher taxes to accommodate business. Mr. Dinklage asked that the City Charter Committee undertake a comparison of tax revenues with other communities with regard to such taxes as: property, machinery, inventory, business property, gross receipts, etc. He suggested a public forum to allow people to share their thoughts with the City Charter Committee. 4. First Reading of Security Alarm Ordinance; Scheduling of Public Hearing: Mr. Ward advised that the present ordinance was enacted in 1975 when the Police Dept. was doing much of the monitoring of private alarm systems. Now there are new companies which do this work, and the Ordinance is not current enough to take this into account. Officer Kruger noted that last year the Police Dept. got rid of its antique monitoring equipment. They had found themselves competing with private alarm companies. There had been several hundred private alarms wired to the Dept. and the police had to respond to many false alarms. The problem now is that there are numerous phone calls advising the police that alarms are going off somewhere in the city. The Ordinance has been revised to put some teeth into it and to make the alarm companies provide the information the Police Dept. needs. A brief discussion followed on the amounts of fines. Members agreed that the first false alarm would not be fined. 2-4 false alarms would cost $25. each; 5-10 false alarms would cost $50. each. Mr. Chittenden moved to approve the first reading as amended and to schedule a public hearing on 19 April 1993. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 5. Closure of The 6Br15 (Muddy Brook Bridge) during Construction Period, Summer, 1994: Mr. Flaherty said the road would have to be closed during the building of the new bridge. The head of the Country Club Estates Home Owners Association and the Air Guard have been advised. Mr. Dinklage moved to sign the letter of the Agency of Transportation. Mr. Condos seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 6. Provision of Legal Services for 1993-4: Mr. Chittenden said he favored going to bid. Mr. Flaherty suggested a 2 or 3 year period for the bid and noted that for one year the city would have to have 2 attorneys. Mr. Condos felt the bid package should be very detailed. Mr. Flaherty stressed that the city is not dissatisfied with its present legal services. After a brief discussion, members agreed on a 3-year period. 8. Review Zoning Board Agenda for 22 March and Planning Commission Agenda for 16 March: Mr. Condos noted that Zoning Board item #4 is asking for a lot of variance and felt the Board should be particularly conscious of this. 9. Sign Disbursement Orders: Disbursement orders were signed. 10. Minutes of 22 February and 1 March 1993: Mr. Dinklage noted that on p. 4, in the discussion of the tabled motion on the proposed School District ballot item, he had not indicated that he attended a negotiating session. Mr. Condos moved that the Minutes of 22 February be approved as amended and the Minutes of 1 March be approved as written. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Liquor Control Board: Mr. Chittenden moved the Council adjourn and reconvene as Liquor Control Board. Mr. Condos seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Hafter presented a First Class Liquor License request from the new Tokyo Restaurant, 370 Shelburne Road. Mr. Chittenden moved to approve the Liquor License request of Tokyo Restaurant as presented. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Approval of Labor Contract: Mr. Dinklage moved to approve the Highway Dept. Labor Contract for fiscal 1992-3. Mr. Condos seconded. Motion passed unanimously. As there was no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.