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 and Bill Hanson; Clerk Marc Robertson and Treasurer Sarah Danz. Supervisor Don McKay was absent.
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
Town Chair Mark Sherven was part of a conference call including John Landis representing the Chicago Bid Committee for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The IOC visited Chicago and the visit appeared to have gone well.
It is required that one or more Town Board members attend Board of Review Training prior to 2009 Board of Review.
It appears that the Governor’s budget now under consideration will lower the threshhold at which public works projects require documentation that contractors are meeting prevailing wage standards from $234,000 to $2,000. A draft resolution has been sent from the Wisconsin Towns Association objecting to this change on the grounds that it will be an exceptional burden to local government and small contractors. Since consideration of this resolution is not on the agenda for the current meeting, the Chairman suggested that it be placed on the agenda for the May meeting and that in the interim those present contact local representatives directly.
CITIZEN INPUT
Dwight Zweifel spoke concerning his experiences on the Mt. Horeb School Board. He noted that much of the school budget is outside the discretionary control of the District’s governing board.
Larry Ziemer, recently elected as a Town Supervisor, attended a meeting sponsored by the Dane County Sheriff’s Department concerning the imposition of seasonal weight limits on town roads. At the meeting it was stressed that coordination among adjoining towns is required in order to have enforceable limits. It was also noted that the Sheriff’s Department has limited training in the enforcement of these ordinances as well as limited equipment – arrangements must be made in advance as to where vehicles can be taken to be weighed. The times of year when the ordinance applies as well as the specific weight limits and road names must be incorporated into the ordinance. It also must be decided whether exemptions will be granted and whether fees will be attached to those exemptions.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Barbara Grenlie moved approval of the minutes of the March 9th meeting, Steve Cowan seconded, and the minutes were approved with a correction to the Supervisor named as seconding approval of the February meeting minutes.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Deposits for the month of March were $1,781.60. $925 was received for assessment searches, $200 as partial reimbursement for the Bohn Road guardrail damage, $185 for building permits, $100 from the State for election results reporting, $25 for a recreation permit, $25 for a driveway permit renewal and $321.60 in interest. A motion was made by Bill Hanson and seconded by Steve Cowan to accept the Treasurer’s report and the motion was approved.
CLERK’S REPORT
The Town had 333 voters, or about 50%, for the spring election. A number of draft comprehensive plans were distributed.
A motion was made by Barbara Grenlie and seconded by Bill Hanson to accept the Clerk’s report, and the motion was approved.
PAYMENT OF BILLS
Payment of bills: approval is sought for payment of bills for March, 2009 and paid by checks numbered 1463 through 1510.
Included in these checks are payments for the 2 capital items budgeted for 2009; check 1463 is for the Bobcat trailer purchased from Mid-State Equipment and check 1465 is for the Woods mower purchased from Carl F. Statz & Sons. These checks, along with a check for diesel fuel, were sent out early.
We also paid our annual dues to the Dane County and the Wisconsin Towns Associations and purchased two truck-loads of salt from Dane County to have in reserve. Except for some minor highway equipment repair and maintenance bills, all other bills were routine quarterly bills.
A motion was made by Barbara Grenlie and seconded by Bill Hanson to approve payment of bills for March and the motion was approved.
CONSIDERATION OF PLAN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION REGARDING RH3 TO A2 REZONE PETITION FROM BEN MAGNUSON FOR LOT ON COUNTY ROAD J AT STATE HIGHWAY 78 TO ALLOW FOR BUILDING OF ACCESSORY BUILDING PRIOR TO SINGLE FAMILY HOME
Because a homesite and driveway have been approved, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the application in order to allow the applicant to build an accessory building prior to beginning home construction. Barbara Grenlie moved that the petition be approved, Bill Hanson seconded and the motion was approved.
CONSIDERATION OF PLAN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION REGARDING TWO REZONE PETITIONS, DRIVEWAYS AND HOMESITES FROM STEVE FRAME AT 3553 RYAN ROAD
Steve Frame was present to represent his mother, Fern Frame, owner of the property in question. Mr. Frame provided additional materials requested by the Planning Commission as a condition of their recommendation for Board approval.
Mark Sherven moved that the rezone petition to RH2, driveway and homesite applications for lot 1, containing approximately 6 acres, be approved. Bill Hanson seconded and the motion was approved, with Barbara Grenlie abstaining.
Mark Sherven moved that the rezone petition to RH2, driveway and homesite applications for lot 2, containing approximately 6 acres, be approved. Bill Hanson seconded and the motion was approved, with Barbara Grenlie abstaining.
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF RECREATION PERMIT APPLICATION FROM VIKING BIKING CLUB FOR JULY 11 BICYCLE EVENT AND DISCUSSION OF 2009 HORRIBLY HILLY HUNDREDS BICYCLE EVENT
A representative of the Viking Biking Club was not present. Barbara Grenlie suggested that consideration of the Recreation Permit Application be postponed until the following meeting.
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF AMENDED CONTRACT GOVERNING DISTRICT ONE EMS
It was noted that there had been changes to the contract based on Board comments from an earlier meeting. However, two items in particular had not been addressed; first, it was felt that it would have been more proper to have the functions of EMS District treasurer and secretary performed by different people. While that in fact is the current practice, that separation did not carry over into the wording of the new contract. Second, it was felt that the process for adjusting District boundaries is not accurately described in the new contract since the last line of that section refers only to towns and not municipalities in general.
However, it was felt that the problems were not sufficient to preclude approval. Mark Sherven moved that the revised contract be approved, Bill Hanson seconded and the motion was approved with the understanding that remaining concerns about the contract be noted in the minutes of this meeting.
CONSIDERATION OF ROAD COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION REGARDING ACCEPTANCE OF CHIP SEALING AND WEDGING BIDS, WITH POSSIBLE APPROVAL
The two bids received for chip sealing were very close, and the Road Committee recommended Board approval of the low bid by Scott Construction, Inc. However, upon further review by the Board it was noted that the low bid included a fuel surcharge clause that was not in the bid offered by the other bidder, Fahrner Asphalt Sealers. Bill Hanson moved that the bid by Fahrner Asphalt Sealers be accepted, Barbara Grenlie seconded and the motion was approved. Wedging bids remain to be reviewed by the Road Committee, which will provide a recommendation to the Board for the May Meeting.
DISCUSSION OF PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS REGARDING PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED DRAFT OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
The Planning Commission has produced a somewhat revised April 7, 2009 version of the Draft Comprehensive Plan, based on comments received at the public hearing. With the addition of a minor wording correction, this draft was presented to the Board for approval.
The revised draft creates an exception to proposed ridgetop height limitations for a farm accessory building, which is defined as an accessory building or buildings that are used in the operation of a farm. A question was raised concerning the definition of a farm. Barbara Grenlie, the Plan Commission Chair, indicated that the Commission was reluctant to adopt a definition or choose among the definitions used by other levels of government or agencies because it might discourage the diversity of farming operations that are possible. It was considered more appropriate to have the height limitations refer to residences and residential accessory buildings. The actual height limitation was changed from 22 to 24 feet, the total allowable overall height limit of 30 feet was removed and the method of calculating the building height was adjusted.
Other modifications to the earlier draft included references to road maintenance, bicycle events, sign regulations, duplexes and dependency living arrangements and consideration of spring road weight limitations.
Barbara Grenlie moved to pass the ordinance adopting the April 7, 2009 Planning Commission comprehensive plan draft, with correction to section 10.1 (2) to indicate that evidence supporting a change to a density calculation must be satisfactory to both the Planning Commission and the Town Board. Steve Cowan seconded the motion and the motion was approved by the four Board members present, by a roll call vote.
APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATE MEMBERS FOR 2009 BOARD OF REVIEW
It was proposed to the Board that David Dybdahl, Donald Parrell and Sarah Danz be named as BOR alternates. A motion was made by Barbara Grenlie and seconded by Bill Hanson to approve the list of alternates, and the motion was approved.
COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
Chairman Mark Sherven presented his appointments for 2009 – 2010:
Plan Commission: Chair, Jim Elleson, to take effect in June
Driveway Committee: Planning Commission Chair & Vice Chair
Road Committee: John Bird, Dave Haugen, Jack Schulenberg & Mark Sherven
Town Liaison to Villages of Mt. Horeb, Mazomanie & Black Earth: Don McKay,
(alternate) Mark Sherven
Representative to Black Earth Fire District & District One EMS: Steve Cowan, (alternate) Mark Sherven
Representative to Mt. Horeb Fire District: Mark Sherven, (alternate) Don McKay
COMMITTEE REPORTS
There were no committee reports.
DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS FOR MAY MEETING
The prevailing wage change in the proposed State budget, spring weight limits, consideration and possible approval of recreation permit applications from the Viking Biking Club for July 11 bicycle event and the Mad City Velo bicycle event, discussion of 2009 Horribly Hilly Hundreds bicycle event, consideration of road committee recommendation regarding acceptance of chip sealing and wedging bids, with possible approval, and discussion of the disposition of an existing arson reward fund are planned to be on the May agenda.
ADJOURNMENT
Prior to adjournment, Chairman Mark Sherven thanked Bill Hanson for 10 years of service on the Town Board and welcomed Larry Ziemer to the Town Board. A motion was made by Bill Hanson and seconded by Steve Cowan that the meeting adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 10:05.
Marc Robertson, Town Clerk