The meeting notice has been posted at the Black Earth Branch of the State Bank of Cross Plains, at John Bird Accounting in Black Earth, Harris 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, John Smith, Barbara Grenlie, Don McKay and Larry Ziemer; Clerk Marc Robertson and Treasurer Kathy Smith.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
A motion to approve the agenda was made by Larry Ziemer, seconded by John Smith and approved.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT AND CORRESPONDENCE
The Chair attended a recent spring weight limit meeting. Among the things learned was that there is a common misperception that agricultural equipment is exempt from weight limit ordinances. The rapidly increasing size of agricultural equipment makes it especially important that the public become educated on this subject. It is also important that local governments in the area develop consistent ordinances to allow effective enforcement.
The Town now has rented a Post Office box to be used for tax collections and the collection of survey results.
The Dane County Towns Association will be meeting soon to consider possible dissolution of the Capital Area Region Planning Commission.
There appears to be a renewed consideration at the County level of Dane County Ordinance Amendment 11, which would be aimed at modifying the current requirement that all parcels have 66 feet of frontage on a public road. The goal is to allow the use of easements to satisfy access requirements.
It appears that continuing garlic mustard control efforts are successfully inhibiting the spread by mowing of the invasive species along the right-of-way.
CITIZEN INPUT
Sharon Gaskill had questions regarding progress being made toward seeking public input, through a survey, regarding concealed carry policy in the Town Hall and also regarding possible Town-wide waste and recycling pickup. The chair indicated that progress is being made, but that the most recent Vermont’s Voice was too far along in preparation for informational material and a survey to be included. A further concern was the impact on the Town of Mazomanie transfer site of a reduction in Town of Vermont participation.
She also had concerns regarding Bell Road maintenance and brush spraying.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Barbara Grenlie moved approval of the minutes of the May 14th meeting, Larry Ziemer seconded, and the minutes were approved, with Don McKay abstaining because of his absence from the meeting.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Total deposits for the month of May were $738.67. $220 was received for liquor license renewals, $150 for a site visit, $100 for a recreation permit, $85 for assessment searches, $75 for a building permit, $50 for driveway permit renewals, $20 for dog licenses, and the remainder was $38.67 in interest.
A motion was made by Barbara Grenlie and seconded by Don McKay to accept the Treasurer’s report and the motion was approved.
CLERK’S REPORT
We had 549 ballots cast out of 612 total people registered for the recall election on June 5th, as well as 35 people registering on election day. The only notable checks this month are road related. Two truckloads of asphalt patch were paid with check 2973, gravel with check 2996, new tires for the leased Bobcat with check 2997, this summer’s paving work with checks 2999 and 3000 and road-side garlic mustard spraying with check 3001.
A motion was made by John Smith and seconded by Larry Ziemer to accept the Clerk’s report, and the motion was approved.
PAYMENT OF BILLS
Approval is sought for payment of bills for May, 2012, paid by checks numbered 2961 through 3002 and ACH transfer 10 for health insurance. Check 2961 is for a supply of checks and was sent out early. Checks other than those discussed in the clerk’s report are for normal supplies, repairs and maintenance and for regular monthly bills.
A motion was made by Barbara Grenlie and seconded by John Smith to approve payment of bills for May, 2012 and the motion was approved.
DISCUSSION OF 2012 TOWN PICNIC PLANNING
John and Kathy Smith have agreed to chair the 2012 picnic.
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF REVISED TOWN OF VERMONT ORDINANCES CHAPTER 2 – BUILDINGS
Don McKay moved and Larry Ziemer seconded that the proposed revisions of Town Ordinances Chapter 2 be approved and the motion was approved.
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF DISCONTINUANCE OF HAAG ROAD AND END PORTION OF KELLIHER ROAD
Adjoining landowners are in favor of the discontinuance of Haag Road. Barbara Grenlie moved and John Smith seconded that Haag Road be discontinued immediately and the motion was approved.
Further work is required to ascertain the specific location beyond which the end portion of Kelliher Road will be discontinued. For that reason, further consideration of the Kelliher Road agenda item is postponed.
CONSIDERATION OF PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING AND DISCUSSION OF DANE COUNTY FARMLAND PRESERVATION PLAN
Dane County has presented a draft of a revised Farmland Preservation Plan for local government review. The Town of Vermont Planning Commission has documented a number of plan elements that would have a particularly large impact on the Town. Specifically, restrictions on development on slopes greater than 20 percent, as proposed, would have a disproportionate local impact because of the Town’s relatively steep topography. The Planning Commission feels that the Town Comprehensive Plan adequately addresses the development of steeper slopes, and should be respected by the County. Additionally, the draft appears to grant the County development review authority beyond that which it currently exercises, which is not required in order to conform to State Farmland Preservation Plan requirements and which in some cases may contradict the Town Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Because there is a concern that the Town’s point of view on this draft plan has not reached a wide enough audience, a letter summarizing the Town’s position will be sent to several County Board members and County Planning and Development staff members. A further objective of the letter will be to seek a meeting with County elected officials and staff prior to a public hearing on the draft in order to review Town concerns with the draft plan and suggested alternative wording.
Barbara Grenlie moved and Larry Ziemer seconded a motion that the letter as discussed is the appropriate means of moving forward, and the motion was approved.
REPORT ON CONFERENCE REGARDING BICYCLE EVENTS
Barbara Grenlie will prepare a written report on the conference for the next meeting.
APPOINTMENT OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS FOR 2012 - 2013
Scott Moe has been appointed as a citizen member to replace Bruce Ellarson, who has completed his most recent term on the Planning Commission and chosen to step down. Bruce was thanked for his years of service. John Smith has been appointed as one of the Board Representatives, taking the place of Barbara Grenlie who was thanked for serving on the Planning Commission for several terms. The other Board Representative will remain Don McKay and the other citizen members will remain Johanna Solms, Jim Elleson, Eric Haugen and Todd Culliton, who was appointed Planning Commission chair at the April Board meeting.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
The District 1 EMS open house will be Saturday June 16th. The Road Committee reported that further planning has been completed on the proposed town garage addition, the services of an architect will soon be required to proceed further. The first round of road-side mowing has been completed and patching in advance of chip sealing has started. At a recent meeting of the Dane County Towns Association there was a presentation by a representative of the Clean Lakes Alliance, a private organization that is funding an effort to reduce phosphorus runoff into Dane County lakes. Among the experiments underway is the aerial fall seeding of annual ryegrass onto harvested cropland adjacent to waterways. On another topic, the DCTA is encouraging Towns to adopt wind turbine siting ordinances in order to permit enforcement of State siting standards.
DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS FOR JULY MEETING
Agenda items will include possible dissolution of the Capital Area Region Planning Commission, a decision on how to move forward on a survey regarding Town Hall concealed carry policy as well as a survey regarding Town-wide contracting for trash and recycling pickup services. Items brought forward from the June meeting will include a report on a bicycle conference and possible discontinuance of Lickel Road and the end portion of Kelliher Road.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by John Smith and seconded by Barbara Grenlie that the meeting adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 10:19.
Marc Robertson, Town Clerk