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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 11/10/2008CITY COUNCIL 10 NOVEMBER 2008 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 10 November 2008, at 6:00 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset St. Members Present: C. Smith, Chair; M. Boucher, S. Dooley, M. Emery Also Present: C. Hafter, City Manager; D. Gravelin, Assistant City Manager; Rep. H. Head; P. Conner, Director of Planning & Zoning; B. Hoar, Public Works Dept; L. Bresee, K. Donahue, J. Stewart, D. Bedard, S. Dopp, A. Clift, D. Young, A. Chaulk, D. Senecal, C. Bishop, D. Leban, M. Cloutier, M. Griffiths; members of South Burlington Police Department 1. Comments & Questions from the Audience, not related to Agenda items: Mr. Stewart asked about the number of square feet if City Hall is removed. Mr. Hafter said City Hall requires about 20,000 sq. ft. and now has about 13,000 sq. ft., including conference rooms. Mr. Bedard thanked Mr. Hafter and the City for helping to arrange the upcoming ceremony to honor veterans on Veterans Day. 2. Announcements & City Manager's Report: Ms. Emery: Met with Heidi Smith of the South Burlington Family Center who would be willing to facilitate any documentation needed in order to get an appropriation. Mr. Hafter said he would need a budget. Ms. Dooley: A neighbor asked about the possibility of having miniature goats in their yard. Mr. Hafter said that would be allowed only in the Southeast Quadrant on property of 10 acres or more. Mr. Hafter: Advised that Dale Kleppinger, who has served on many City boards and committees, passed away last week. A memorial service will be held on Sunday. The Steering Committee will meet on 17 November, 6 p.m., followed by the City Council meeting at 7 p.m. The Council agenda will include presentations on the Airport study, the new Tree Ordinance, the Regional Planning Commission's new defining of "regional impact," introduction of the new Director of the MPO, and the Family Center. There is an effort to allow heavy trucks on the Vermont Interstates where they are not now allowed. This would help save some wear and tear of local roads. 3. Discussion of Future Plans for Police Station Site and Bond Issues: Mr. Smith cited the need to deal with this issue quickly. Ms. Emery felt that having another committee would make the process too long. She felt there should be warned meetings with as much coverage as possible. She also felt this should be done quickly enough to get it on the March ballot. Mr. Boucher said there was no way it could be done in time for a March vote. Mr. Hafter said he would like to put out an RFP for a site or a building and see what is available in the private sector. Ms. Dooley said there was strong support for having the Police in the existing building. She felt prompt action was important but so was thoroughness. She didn't feel it was possible to have a vote in March, but there should be something to show good faith. Mr. Boucher questioned whether it would be possible to move the vote back to May for this year. Mr. Hafter said that would be possible, but he was reluctant to do it as he wasn't sure a plan would be ready by March or May. Mr. Boucher suggested an advisory vote in March to rank the top 4 priorities so there is a sense of what people want and are willing to pay for. Mr. Hafter said that would need a one-month warning. Mr. Hafter stressed the need to have a plan that the whole City Council can support. He noted this wasn't true in the last 2 votes. Mr. Boucher cited the danger of working "toward a number." He said the existing building was built to meet a given cost, and that's why there was such shoddy workmanship. Mr. Hafter said that along with looking for a site on private property, there is the need to deal with the existing building. Issues include whether the site can handle the new storm water requirements, and if it can, at what cost, and whether the soils would allow for adding a floor to the building (all the land on the site is "fill"). Members agreed to do the work necessary to answer those questions. Ms. Emery cited the need to educate people that this will be a very expensive building. Members agreed to put out an RFP for privately held land/building. Mr. Bedard said the City has a great Police Department. He cited the need to get everyone on one team and get something passed. Police officers said they were willing to help get this done. They said their biggest need now is for a temporary home. The existing work area is more and more congested and is revealing more and more problems, including those on the outside of the building. There has been no men's bathroom this week, and next week they will be without an area for dispatchers. They need a facility to function in, and members of the Department don't want to spend any more time in the building, and they want someplace new to be by January. Ms. Dopp felt that those who voted down the recent proposal would be very supportive of getting the Police a new place as soon as possible. She felt the public would pay for this as long as they see due diligence is being done. Mr. Bresee said there is a lot of vacant space in the city. He felt that at the same time the city looks for a building site, they should look for a place to move the Police now. Mr. Smith questioned whether everything the Police need to function can be moved. Mr. Hafter said the office space can definitely be moved. He had some questions about dispatch facilities and "holding cells." He also noted a 30-day warning would be needed for a special vote to fund a temporary Police facility. Ms. Emery asked whether they would have moved the Police to a temporary location if the Calkins vote had passed. Mr. Smith said that doesn't matter, it was voted down. Mr. Bresee said the walls hadn't been opened up then, so nobody new the extent of the problems. Officer Chaulk said the Police would be saying the same thing even if the vote had passed. Mr. Hafter noted that tests have shown that the mold found in the building is not airborn. Members of the audience felt there would be no problem convincing the public of the need to move the Police out of this building. Ms. Chaulk, wife of a Police Officer, noted that she works in the marketing field. She suggested a committee to survey people as to why they voted against the previous ballot items in order to enable people to work for a "yes" vote the next time. She said she would be willing to help create such a survey. She also cited the need to get the Police out of the existing building now. Ms. Leban said it is possible to build on fill. It's just a matter of cost. Mr. Hafter said the cost may be prohibitive. Ms. Dooley said that one thing that appeals to her about using the existing site for the Police is that it creates pressure for a new City Hall in City Center. Mr. Bishop said that he served on the sub-committee of the Police Facility Committee that looked at Master Planning. He said all the support on the Committee was for a new Police Station. A member of the audience cited the need to "sell" a project and not give people a reason to vote against it. He felt people will vote for something if they feel it is a "value." He also felt something should be on the March ballot in order to build momentum. Mr. Donahue responded that the recent vote proved that "value" doesn't mean anything. The public voted down a great economic value. A member of the audience noted that the City of Burlington just passed 3 "money" ballot items, even though the Mayor spoke out against one of them. Mr. Hafter suggested putting out an RFP for a 4-6 acre site or a building of 24,000-26,000 sq. ft. He cited the need to explore every option to see what will work best. Mr. Griffiths said he would now support something that came closer to what was voted down the first time. Mr. Donahue noted that property is taken off the tax rolls for a Police Station, you have to consider how much money is lost annually from those taxes. Members of the Council also supported an RFP for a 12,000 sq. ft. temporary location for the Police Department. Mr. Boucher noted that South Burlington now has a "rooms & meals" tax it didn't have at the time of the first vote. He said he would be willing to dedicate a large portion of those revenues to use for a Police facility. Ms. Emery asked whether Open Space funds can be used to put up signage on "open space areas," so the public knows how much dedicated open space there is in the city. Mr. Hafter said he plans to put money in next year's budget to do that. Mr. Bresee felt that the By-way Program might be willing to do that at no cost to the City. 4. Discussion of Upcoming '09-10 Budget; Council Goals & Objectives: Mr. Hafter said that although it is too early for definitive numbers, he had some things to share with the Council: a. Rooms & Meals Tax Revenues: For the past 4 quarters, the city's share of the 1% rooms & meals tax has been $828,364.95. b. Local Option Sales Tax: The original estimate for income from the 1% local option sales tax was $1,858,000. The actual receipts have been $2,353,526.39. Mr. Hafter reminded members that these funds can be used only to reduce the property tax. c. Cost Drivers in '09-10 Budget: 1. 2.5% salary increases 2. estimated 15% health insurance increase 3. 3% increase in liability and Worker's Comp. 4. 22.9% increase in pension fund ($237,000 additional) 5. Public Works equipment 6. Fire trucks 7. SAFER grant Mr. Hafter indicated his early estimate is a 2.27% tax increase. Mr. Smith asked what it would take to increase the tax bill no more than 3% (cost of living) each of the next 5 years. Mr. Hafter said they would be starting "in a hole." He indicated that he had given Department Heads instructions to come in with no more than a 2.5% increase. Mr. Boucher suggested possibly asking for a 2.5% reduction. Mr. Hoar said there will be huge increases in 2 of the biggest things Public Works does for the City, namely salt and paving. Mr. Hafter said he would present a budget of what he thinks the City needs. Mr. Gravelin said member would receive the budget on 15 December. The first work session will be on 16 December and the second on 18 December. A third session would be on 22 December, if needed. Mr. Boucher suggested putting dollar figures to "essential services" (e.g., snow plowing, street repair, etc.). Mr. Gravelin noted that the public hearing on the budget would take place on 22 January 2008. There would also be a Town Meeting the night before the vote. 5. Review and Approve Minutes of 20 October 2008: Ms. Dooley moved to approve the Minutes of 20 October 2008. Ms. Emery seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 6. Liquor Control Board: Mr. Boucher moved that the Council adjourn and reconvene as Liquor Control Board. Ms. Emery seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Hafter presented liquor license applications from Price Chopper's new location on Hinesburg Road, and from Vermont Indoor Golf, Inc., 35 San Remo Drive. He said both applications are in order. Mr. Boucher moved to approve the liquor license for Price Chopper as presented. Ms. Dooley seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Boucher moved to approve the liquor license for Vermont Indoor Golf as presented. Ms. Dooley seconded. Motion passed unanimously. As there was no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 8:55 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.