The meeting was called to order at 7:30. The clerk certified that the notice had been posted at the Black Earth State Bank, at John Bird Accounting in Black Earth, Amcore Bank in Mt. Horeb, on the town web site www.townofvermont.com, and on the front door of the town hall. It was also published in the News Sickle-Arrow and the Mt. Horeb Mail.
Present: Chairman, Mark Sherven; Supervisors, Barbara Grenlie, Steve Cowan, Don McKay and Bill Hanson; Clerk Marc Robertson and Treasurer Sarah Danz.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
A motion to approve the agenda was made by Barbara Grenlie, seconded by Bill Hanson and approved.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT AND CORRESPONDENCE
A recreation permit application and fee, together with insurance coverage paperwork has been received from the Viking Bicycle Club for an event involving 85 riders to be held on July 19th, partially on Town of Vermont roads. The application and cover letter were signed by Shelby Retzlaff, Viking Bicycle Club President and Insane Terrain Event Director. A new temporary route marking system will be used for the event which is expected to naturally deteriorate within a week or will be removed from the road surface by the event organizers. Reservations were expressed by some board members about permitting road markings based on recent experience with the Horribly Hilly Hundreds event; it was decided to place the subject of defacement of Town roads on the August meeting agenda.
CITIZEN INPUT
There was no citizen input.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Barbara Grenlie moved approval of the minutes of the June 9th meeting, Steve Cowan seconded, and the minutes were approved.
TREASURER'S REPORT
Deposits for the month of June were $6,172.70. $3,774.78 was received from FEMA for the labor, materials and machine time required to remove snow during and after a major winter storm, $812.39 was received from the State for Aids in Lieu of Taxes, $362.88 from the sale of weather radios, $350 was received for site visits and driveway permits, $250 for building permits, $150 for assessment searches, $26 for dog licenses, $40.71 for delinquent personal property taxes and $405.94 for interest. A motion was made by Don McKay and seconded by Bill Hanson to accept the Treasurer’s report, and the motion was approved.
CLERK’S REPORT
Health and dental insurance payments for August, the first month of Dave’s retirement, are paid this month; there will start to be a drawdown of the reserve fund allocated to that purpose. That fund will need to be replenished in both the 2009 and 2010 budgets. Bobcat lease, culvert replacement, gravel and patch bills will be discussed in the road committee report. All other bills for June were routine end-of-quarter bills.
A check for $27,428.40 was just received, too late to be deposited with the June checks, for a Managed Forest withdrawal. When added to money previously received this year for other MFL withdrawals, the 80 percent that we are allowed to keep will cover a significant portion of the cost of replacing the small Town truck.
In addition to the June checks, two checks have already been written for July to cover an insurance premium bill and a garage supplies bill that arrived today. It is likely that a check will soon be written to cover Vermont’s Voice postage. A motion was made by Bill Hanson and seconded by Barbara Grenlie to accept the Clerk’s report, and the motion was approved.
PAYMENT OF BILLS
Approval is sought for payment of bills for June, 2008 and paid by checks numbered 1064 through 1104 and July checks 1105 and 1106.
After discussion of expenditures for road repair materials, a motion was made by Barbara Grenlie and seconded by Steve Cowan to approve payment of bills for June and early July and the motion was approved.
CONSIDERATION OF NEW DRIVEWAY PERMIT AND FEE SCHEDULE
There appears to be a need for a simplified and less expensive driveway permit for improvements to an existing driveway that make only minor grade changes and disturb relatively little land. The Planning Commission has drafted wording for the new permit conditions and recommended a $100 fee. Board approval of the concept is sought so that ongoing driveway permit applications can be processed using the new fee schedule, though final wording of the permit conditions remains to be refined. Further discussion involved the applicability of the driveway ordinance to logging roads. Mark Sherven moved approval of the new permit and fee, Steve Cowan seconded and the motion was approved.
CONSIDERATION OF PLAN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION REGARDING DRIVEWAY APPLICATION FROM DAN AND LISA ORMAN, 9504 UNION VALLEY ROAD
The Planning Commission recommended approval of a permit for a short extension to an existing driveway to reach a new garage. Barbara Grenlie moved approval of the driveway permit, Don McKay seconded and the motion was approved.
CONSIDERATION OF PLAN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION REGARDING REZONE PETITION, HOMESITE AND DRIVEWAY PERMIT FROM MICHAEL SMITH AT 4054 MOE ROAD
Three lots are being considered.
For lot #2, the Planning Commission recommended approval of a rezoning of 17.8 acres from A-1EX to RH-4, a homesite and a driveway. One Potential Development Right will be allocated to Lot #2. Mark Sherven moved approval of all three Planning Commission recommendations regarding Lot #2, Don McKay seconded and the motion was approved by 4 Supervisors with Barbara Grenlie abstaining.
For Lot #1, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning of 7.5 acres from A-1EX to A-2(4). No Potential Development Rights will be allocated to Lot #1. Don McKay moved approval of the rezoning with a deed restriction prohibiting residential development, Mark Sherven seconded and the motion was approved by 4 Supervisors with Barbara Grenlie abstaining.
For Lot #3, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning of 8.5 acres from A-1EX to RH-2. This lot is the site of the existing Smith / Barton home, and has no further Potential Development Rights. In this case it was determined by Dane County that the applicable zoning category should be based on acreage net of the road right-of-way, which is 7.8 acres. Mark Sherven moved approval of the rezoning, Don McKay seconded and the motion was approved by 4 Supervisors with Barbara Grenlie abstaining.
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF 2008 – 2009 PROPANE CONTRACT WITH PREMIER COOPERATIVE
Bill Hanson moved that 2,200 gallons of propane, at $2.199 per gallon, be prepaid for the 2008 – 2009 winter season. Barbara Grenlie seconded and the motion was approved, for a total expenditure of $4,837.80.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Two Planning Commission meetings are scheduled for July.
The new EMS building will have an open house on August 10th from 1:00 until 4:00, with a special tribute, including a plaque dedication, at 2:00 to John and Mrs. Wick for their generosity toward the EMS building project. It was also noted that EMS volunteers and others have donated the furnishings, equipment and artwork for the new building.
The Black Earth Fire District will delay by one year the purchase of a new truck, and has added 4 new volunteer fire fighters in the last month. The Mt. Horeb Fire District continues to work on issues that arise when new full-time people are added. A new full time mechanic / EMT / Fireman has been added to the staff.
The road committee reported that culvert and road edge repairs continue from the heavy rain earlier in the summer. The new small Town truck has been delivered to the dealer and will soon be moved to D & D to be outfitted with the bed and other equipment. The wet summer has delayed seal coating, so the timing of the work for the Town remains uncertain.
Don McKay reported as liaison for the Town to surrounding communities. Location of a possible new school in Mt. Horeb remains controversial within the Village of Mt. Horeb. Town board members discussed the desirability of placing a flag inside the Town Hall.
DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS FOR AUGUST MEETING
The road committee will present alternative methods for selling the existing small Town truck. Also to be discussed is actions taken to remediate defacement of Town roads by recreation event organizers. Bill Hanson suggested that a fireworks ordinance be discussed and indicated that he would provide background information at the meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Steve Cowan and seconded by Barbara Grenlie that the meeting adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 9:28.
Marc Robertson, Town Clerk