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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 02/04/2002CITY COUNCIL 4 FEBRUARY 2002 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 4 February 2002, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset St. Members present: J. Condos, Chair; C. Smith, T. Sheahan, S. Magowan, D. O'Rourke Also present: C. Hafter, City Manager; D. Gravelin, Finance Officer; B. O'Neill, T. Hubbard, Recreation Dept.; Rep. S. Audette; A. Johnston, The Other Paper; C. Cole, CCTA; J. Segale, B. Knight, CCMPO; P. Reed, B. & D. Dalton, D. McBee, W. Davis, J. Bensen, T. Bohl 1. Comments & questions from the audience not related to agenda items: No issues were raised. 2. Announcements & City Manager's report: Mr. Smith: Regional Planning Commission committee meeting Monday. Mr. Sheahan: Regional Planning Commission is interviewing for an interim Executive Director. Hope to make an offer to a candidate by next Monday. Mr. Condos: MPO Rt. 15 corridor meeting in Winooski Thursday, 7 p.m. Mr. Hafter: Have been contacted by Channel 17 regarding live broadcasts of City Council meetings. The Council was OK with this. CCTA has requested permission to do a transportation survey at the polls. Mr. Hafter advised them that the South Burlington election is not until May. The Community Library will hold a "tea and treats" event to recognize its volunteers. The City Council is invited to attend. Police Dept. awards will be presented at the Clarion on 7 February. VLCT Local Government Day is 14 February at the State House. Mr. Hafter will attend. Members agreed to hold the next meeting on 19 February because of the President's Day holiday on the 18th. The budget meetings on 21 and 28 February will begin at 7 p.m. 3. Continued discussion of Community Center proposal with citizens: Mr. Hafter noted that a public forum is scheduled for 12 February. The Committee would like a definite date for a bond vote. Mr. Condos said that the school budget will be up 6% (2-3 cents) but the city will have an 11 cent increase because of equalization. He was concerned that asking voters for another $80-90 at the same time would be a hard sell. Mr. Davis said there are 23 individuals who could become gift-giving leaders but they need to know about a bond vote before there can be a definite pledge from these people. Rep. Audette said people have already been told there would be a vote in May. He felt it was a good time to borrow money with interest rates so low. Mr. Sheahan said he was very committed to the success of the project but was concerned with moving too fast. He wanted the best chance for success. Mr. O'Neill said he would be more comfortable going to the voters in the fall as there is a lot of work to do. He also wants to be sure the project is eligible under the impact fee ordinance. Discussions have been held with people at the federal level and this project is being talked about as a "prototype." The architect has said a fall vote shouldn't have a major affect on cost projections. Members favored a November vote as September usually has a light turnout. An audience member asked about rumors of a joint public/private sector effort. Mr. Condos said they are a long way from any plan. Rep. Audette was concerned that such a plan would divide the committee. Mr. Condos stressed that the Council hasn't discussed downsizing the facility and it is not their intention to "divide things up." The goal is to go forward with the entire facility. Rep. Audette suggested building the facility and then "farming out" portions. He also stressed the need to avoid the bad publicity the hockey rink has gotten with people complaining that it is all for "out-of-towners." Members agreed to a November ballot date. 4. Report from Dubois-King Engineers and VTrans on location of permanent passenger rail station site in South Burlington: Mr. Hafter said the choice had been narrowed to 4 possible sites. Discussions have been held with landowners. Mr. Bensen then showed the 4 sites located at Industrial Drive, Holmes Road, the back of the Dodge dealership, and at Magic Hat. The goal is to find a site with room for 50 parking spaces and for a bus to come in and turn around. Mr. Bensen said the Holmes Road site would best accommodate the proposed design, and the owner is willing to discuss an agreement for a long-term lease. The main issue with the site is wetlands. Mr. Sheahan said he is far from the point where he would think a permanent station is viable in the city. He was not convinced that it was responsible to spend taxpayer dollars for less than one person per train trip. Ms. Bohl of VTrans said the FTA wants to know what happens to the temporary station which was built with federal money and what happens if a permanent site can't be found. Mr. O'Rourke felt the temporary station should be "grown out of" before anything more is done. Mr. Hafter will send a letter indicating that the station will be left where it is and ridership will be reviewed at the end of the summer. 5. Presentation of CCTA budget request: Mr. Cole said the most significant increase in the budget is for insurance. There is a $200,000 increase in auto insurance. CCTA re-bid the insurance package this year and got some reductions, but after that the prices went up. There is also a 17% increase in ADA ridership and no additional revenues to cover this. Overall there is a 9% budget increase over last year. The member towns are still paying 30% of the budget. All federal funds are being put into operations and are no longer being reserved for capital costs. Mr. Cole said there will be a crisis next year and he didn't see how this system is sustainable without significant increase in the property tax of member towns. He felt they were at the beginning of a "death spiral." One thing they are looking at is how services are priced. Mr. Cole did not feel CCTA was competitive and they were looking to fix that. He stressed that this is a regional problem and needs a regional solution. Rep. Audette noted that legislators in Chittenden County won't work together on anything and some of them refuse to see the problem. Mr. Hafter asked what the feeling is in other member communities. Mr. Cole said once the CCTA budget is approved, assessments are made to other towns based on mileage, regardless of what the towns have budgeted for. Mr. Hafter asked what will happen if Essex refuses to pay the increase. Mr. Cole said he can't answer that now. They are looking at other options. There is also the issue of Williston which is not willing to pay for service. Mr. Hafter suggested that the next time a "big box" is up for review in Williston CCTA should raise the issue of public transportation. Mr. Cole said there are now 100 riders a day to Taft Corners. Mr. Hafter noted that because of the grand list increase, the CCTA increase is minimal. 6. Update on MPO long range transportation plan: Mr. Knight said that the MPO is also trying to deal with public transportation. The MPO plan was adopted in 1997 and must be updated every 5 years. They hope to complete the process in the fall. Mr. Segale said the MPO Board has adopted the first part of the updating work. He then reviewed the assumptions made for the current plan and those that are being made for the new plan: 1997 plan: 60% of fund used to maintain existing transportation system expand transit countrywide and increase ridership tenfold 70% of new households and jobs would be in growth centers (Mr. Segale noted the last assumption has not proved accurate. Only 35% of new households and only 50% of new jobs have occurred in growth centers) New plan: identification of regionally significant projects & services "guiding policies" funding needs and sources planning needs There is a steering committee with very diverse opinions. It is being chaired by Mike Flaherty of South Burlington. Phase I of the update will be to define the vision and identify issues and opportunities. Phase II includes alternative plans to be reviewed and a "best plan" to be chosen. Mr. Condos said a major problem is that projects have been delayed so that now all of them are ready to go at the same time. Mr. Segale said they will bring the revised plan back to the City Council in early fall. 7. Consideration of approval of amended and related city retirement income plan: Members agreed to postpone this item so that Mr. Magowan can review it. 8. Appointment of Health Officer for city: Mr. Sheahan moved to appoint Mr. Hafter as City Health Officer. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 9. Consideration of approval of 2001 Bridge Inspection Report from VTrans regarding Muddy Brook Bridge: Mr. O'Rourke moved to sign the report. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 10. Review Development Review Board agenda for 5 February 2002: No issues were raised. 11. Review minutes of 21 January 2002: Mr. Sheahan moved to approve the minutes of 21 January as written. Mr. O'Rourke seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 12. Sign Disbursement Orders: Disbursement Orders were signed. 13. Liquor Control Board: Mr. Smith moved the Council adjourn and reconvene as Liquor Control Board. Mr. O'Rourke seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Hafter presented a First Class Liquor License request from McGrath Enterprises, Ltd, d/b/a The Rotisserie. He indicated that the request was complete and in order. Mr. Sheahan moved to approve the First Class Liquor License request of McGrath Enterprises, Ltd, d/b/a The Rotisserie. Mr. O'Rourke seconded. Motion passed. As there was no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.