MINUTES

TOWN OF VERMONT BOARD MEETING

DECEMBER 13,2004

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by the Chairman Steven Frame. The clerk certified the posting of the notice at the Black Earth State Bank, the Amcore Bank in Mount Horeb, the town web site and the town hall; also published in the News Sickle-Arrow and the Mount Horeb Mail.

Present: Chairman, Steven Frame; Supervisors Bill Hanson, David Dybdahl, Barbara Grenlie and Mark Sherven; Treasurer Sarah Danz and Clerk Marian Swoboda.

CITIZEN INPUT

Sarah Danz voiced concern over the town's sponsorship of the community newsletter "Vermont Voice" when it promotes confusion between the official town web site, which the town maintains, and the community web site sponsored and maintained by citizens of the town. In the last issue a solicitation for donations was made for the web site without making it clear it was the community site not the official site. Supervisor Sherven said he had suggested to Earl Brandt that attempts be made to find interested advertisers for the newsletter to cover the cost of publication. Clerk Swoboda said that questions about the two sites are often raised with her. Supervisor Hanson suggested providing clarification in the next issue of the newsletter.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Motion was made by Barbara Grenlie seconded by David Dybdahl and carried to approve the minutes of the November 8, 2004 board meeting.

REPORT OF THE TREASURER

The treasurer reported deposits of $14,346.01 for November. $275.00 from title company assessment searches; $700.00 from site visits; $500.00 from driveway permits; $12,828.74 in state shared revenue and $42.27 from earned interest on accounts. A balanced reconciliation of accounts by the clerk and treasurer was also reported showing a cash balance at the end of November of $25,912.89. Of that amount $3,827.42 was in the investment account, $5,289.17 in the savings account and $16,796.30 in the checking account.

REPORT OF THE CLERK

The clerk presented the November balance sheet which verified the cash asset value reported above; $25,912.89 as of November 30, 2004. Copies of the November Income & Expenses Vs. Budget report were distributed. By applying the December 2003 tax collections ($580,922.17) and the 2003 cash carryover ($21,015.11) shown on the balance sheet to the revenue column in the budget report, the 2004 negative revenue figure ($576,024.39) equaled the November cash position ($25,912.89). The clerk reported expectations are that the cash carryover into 2005 based on anticipated revenues and expenditures will be approximately $3,000.00 which is the figured budgeted by the board.

PAYMENT OF BILLS

Motion was made by Bill Hanson seconded by David Dybdahl and carried to approve the payment of bills checks numbered 10273 through 10306 for a total of $18,311.78.

STEVENSON and FRIESCH ZONING and DRIVEWAY APPLICATION - PETITION #1

Upon recommendation of the Plan Commission and discussion with the petitioners,

Motion was made by Bill Hanson seconded by David Dybdahl to approve the Stevenson and Friesch application, Petition #1, to rezone two acres of land from A!-Ex to RH-1 along with a driveway located in the SW1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 27 subject to obtaining driveway access to County Highway JG and assurance that a deed restriction will be placed upon the remaining property to establish that no building sites can be created outside of the two acres to be rezoned. The motion carried with Barbara Grenlie abstaining.

STEVENSON and FRIESCH ZONING APPLICATION - PETITION #2

Upon recommendation of the Plan Commission and discussion with the petitioners,

Motion was made by Bill Hanson seconded by David Dybdahl to approve the Stevenson and Friesch application, Petition #2, to rezone a 10 acre parcel, located in the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 28, from A1-Ex to RH-3 for the purpose of spliting off the existing house from the rest of the land. The motion carried with Barbara Grenlie abstaining.

LAWRENCE MICHAELIS REQUEST TO USE TOWN ROAD FOR ACCESSING LAND IN THE TOWN OF BLACK EARTH

Lawrence Michaelis at 10038 Michaelis Road, Town of Vermont, appeared before the board seeking permission to use Michaelis Road for accessing 14 acres of adjoining farm land in the Town of Black Earth for the purpose of building a new home where farm buildings once stood. The Michaelis farm contains 165 acres in the Town of Vermont and 54 acres in the Town of Black Earth. Their home is currently at the end of Michaelis Road in the Town of Vermont.

After discussing the request with the Mr. and Mrs. Michaelis,

Motion was made by Bill Hanson seconded by David Dybdahl and carried to approve the Michaelis request for permission to use Michaelis Road off from highway 78 to access 14 acres of adjoining land in the Town of Black Earth for the purpose of building a single family home.

COUNTY REQUEST TO REVIEW STAPELMANN APPLICATION TO REINSTATE USE OF SINGLE FAMILY HOME

Upon request of Dane County Planning and Development the board reviewed a request made to the department from Lloyd & Doris Stapelmann to reinstate the use of a building at 3403 County Tk JG as a single family residence. The board felt the request had been made in error to the county because the building referred to had always been used as a home, that the utilities, heat, electricity and telephone had always been maintained and that the application called only for remodeling permit which rests within the preview of the Town.

Motion was made by Barbara Grenlie seconded by Steven Frame that a letter be written to Dane County Planning and Development explaining the position of the board asking that the request be withdrawn and the application fee be refunded.

AMENDING BICYCLING PERMIT APPLICATION

To be in a better position to regulate safe bicycling practices in the Town of Vermont,

Motion was made by Barbara Grenlie seconded by Steven Frame and carried to require a 120 day advance application deadline for group bicycling in the Town of Vermont to allow time for the Dane County Sheriff to review the route and make recommendations to the town board prior to approval.

A review of the current policy will be made at the January board meeting.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Bill Hanson reported that the Black Earth Fire District had given notice to the Town of Berry of its intention to take back the fire district boundaries that existed prior to Berry giving certain parcels to the Cross Plains Fire District. Also that the next step will be to define the line with Mt. Horeb. Further that the purchase of a new tanker pumper truck to replace truck #3 will be placed in the 2006 budget. Steve Frame reported that the Mt. Horeb Fire District planned to refinished the garage floor housing the fire trucks and that the face concrete for parking heavy equipment had been refinished.

Dave Haugen reported three town road signs missing: Cedar Hill Lane, Pleasant Valley Road and Old IndianTrail.

REPLACEMENT OF TOWN HALL HEATING UNIT

Dave Haugen reported continuing trouble with the garage heating unit. More than $500 had been spent in attempting to solve the problem over the last year and because the unit is 15 years old parts are no longer available. A bid from Modern Heating for replacing the unit with a low intensity infra heating system came to $1,248 for the unit and $1,000 for labor. The board felt the heater should be replaced and that other bids should be obtained.

Motion was made by Bill Hanson seconded by Steve Frame and carried to authorize the Highway Committee to spend up to $2,500 for replacing the garage heating system.

ADJOURNMENT

Motion was made by David Dybdahl seconded by Steve Frame and carried that the meeting stand adourned.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m

Marian Swoboda. Town Clerk