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, Larry Ziemer and Don McKay; Clerk Marc Robertson and Treasurer Sarah Danz
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
A motion to approve the agenda was made by Barbara Grenlie, seconded by Don McKay and approved.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT AND CORRESPONDENCE
There will be another meeting on June 17th regarding spring weight limits. On June 30th the Dane County Towns Association and Dane County Planning and Development will sponsor a seminar concerning current planning issues. It will be held in the Town of Cross Plains.
CITIZEN INPUT
There was no citizen input.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Steve Cowan moved approval of the minutes of the May 11th meeting, Larry Ziemer seconded, and the minutes were approved.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Deposits for the month of May consisted of $252.07 in interest. A motion was made by Don McKay and seconded by Barbara Grenlie to accept the Treasurer’s report and the motion was approved.
CLERK’S REPORT
Check 1546 was to cover insurance on the new trailer and mower and was sent out early, as was check 1553 for Vermont’s Voice postage. Our bill to date for garlic mustard control is $1,920 and is covered by check 1547. Our share of a major repair to the asphalt roller was $1,263.30 and accounts for check 1569 while the bill from Payne and Dolan for wedging came to $30,624.08 and accounts for check 1573.
Work is being completed on the Town of Vermont Annex to the Dane County Hazard Mitigation Plan for 2009. Public comment will be sought at both the June Town Planning Commission meeting and the July Board meeting.
A motion was made by Larry Ziemer and seconded by Steve Cowan to accept the Clerk’s report, and the motion was approved.
PAYMENT OF BILLS
Approval is sought for payment of bills for May, 2009 and paid by checks numbered 1546 through 1579. Checks 1578 and 1579 are June checks written today for a diesel fuel delivery and our monthly Premier Coop bill. Several other bills were discussed in the Clerk’s report and the remainder were routine monthly bills.
A motion was made by Barbara Grenlie and seconded by Don McKay to approve payment of bills for May and the motion was approved.
DISCUSSION OF 2009 TOWN PICNIC PLANNING
The date has been set for August 30th.
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF RECREATION PERMIT APPLICATIONS
Jordan Roessingh, representing the Tour of America’s Dairyland, supplied a completed Recreation Permit Application and fee and a map of the course at the May Board meeting. Proof of Insurance and a Dane County Permit have since been supplied. Barbara Grenlie moved that the permit application be approved, Larry Ziemer seconded the motion and it was approved.
The Viking Biking Club’s Insane Terrain Challenge, to be held on July 11, 2009, supplied a completed Recreation Permit Application and fee and a map of the course at the May Board meeting. Proof of Insurance and an approved Dane County Permit remained to be secured, so action was postponed until this (June) Board meeting. Since no further information has been received from them, consideration of the application was postponed until the July Board meeting.
After the May Board meeting, a letter was sent from the Town to the Dane County Highway Department indicating that the Horribly Hilly Hundreds bicycle event does not meet with Town of Vermont approval and requesting that a Dane County Permit be denied. Our request to Dane County was denied, but a note was attached to the 2009 Dane County Highway Department permit indicating that “Future permits for this event may not be issued if event sponsors cannot reach an amicable agreement with the Town of Vermont as discussed by Pam Dunphy and Shelby Retzlaff via telephone on 5/26/09”.
A consensus of the Board was that there would be three primary conditions for Town approval of a 2010 Horribly Hilly Hundreds event beyond their current actions; submission of a Recreation Permit Application, payment of the $25 permit fee and capping event participation at a number consistent with the requirements of Town residents. Particularly since the number of participants has been raised to 1,400, feedback from citizens will be sought concerning this year’s event.
Subsequent discussion revolved around the theory of the Recreational Events permitting process. It was considered to be a mechanism for collecting from event organizers sufficient information to insure that proposed events to be held at locations not constructed and zoned for such activities would be properly served by parking, sanitary and other necessary facilities. It was never considered a permit to use the roads, as is sometimes argued. An issue to be considered during the upcoming ordinance review process is whether events which stop and start outside the Town but utilize the Town roads require a permit, considering that sanitary facilities are still required along the route and food is sometimes served by event organizers.
There was also discussion of an upcoming motorcycle ride by Safe Harbor, a non-profit organization benefitting abused children. There was a consensus that because the number of participants will be under the 250 which would trigger the need for a permit, no permit is required.
APPOINTMENT OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS FOR 2009 – 2010
For the 2009 – 2010 period, Board representatives to the Planning Commission will be Barbara Grenlie and Larry Ziemer with other members remaining the same. Those with terms ending in 2010 will be Planning Commission Chair Jim Elleson and member John Brings. Remaining members, with terms ending in 2012, will be Bruce Ellarson, Johanna Solms and Eric Haugen.
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF ASSESSOR CONTRACT RENEWAL
Our present assessor, Equity Appraisal LLC, has proposed a new 3 year contract with the same terms as the present contract. Don Mckay moved that the contract be approved, Barbara Grenlie seconded and the motion was approved.
CONSIDERATION OF ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT 1, 2009 – 2010 AMENDING CHAPTER 10 OF THE DANE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, REGARDING PERMITTED SIGNAGE
Barbara Grenlie moved approval of the ordinance, Steve Cowan seconded and the motion was approved.
DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE SPRING WEIGHT LIMITS ON ROADS
Dane County has been conducting meetings on this subject, one of which is upcoming. Further discussion was postponed until the July Board meeting.
DISCUSSION CONCERNING POSSIBLE ADDITION TO SALT SHED
The Road Committee is considering proposing a 30 foot addition to the larger of the two salt sheds. This would allow the Town to consolidate salt / sand storage and free up the space currently occupied by the older salt shed for a future equipment storage addition to the Town garage. Preliminary estimates have been received for both the concrete foundation and sidewall construction portion of the work and the wooden wall extension and roof portion of the work. Additional information will be sought from the firms which have supplied estimates and discussion will continue at the July Board meeting unless the pace of events requires a special Board meeting.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
The Planning Commission is expected to begin consideration of ordinances and ordinance amendments required to assist in implementing the comprehensive plan. The Planning Commission will also continue work on the Policy and Procedures manual. The District One EMS Board recently completed the election of officers, with Supervisor Steve Cowan elected Vice President. Officers were also elected for the Mt. Horeb Fire District, with Town of Vermont Chair Mark Sherven elected Secretary. The Road Committee reported that some follow-up work by the Town Patrolman was required to feather in ridges left in some of the wedging recently done by a private contractor. Inspection of last year’s chip sealing is also being scheduled because of poor adhesion of the stones in some areas.
DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS FOR JULY MEETING
Among the items to be discussed are the Town of Vermont Annex to the Dane County Hazard Mitigation Plan for 2009, further discussion of spring weight limits and discussion of a possible salt shed addition.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Don McKay and seconded by Larry Ziemer that the meeting adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 9:46.
Marc Robertson, Town Clerk