Waterbury joins regional internet access movement – and other business
April 24, 2021 | By Lisa Scagliotti 
A Green Mountain Power line worker takes down overhead utility wires on Main Street last month. Multiple utility companies will be shifting their lines to underground service as part of the Main Street reconstruction project. Town officials have joined a regional effort aimed to bolster internet service across Vermont in the near future as well. Photo by Gordon Miller
Waterbury has officially joined a regional cooperative poised to ensure efforts to expand internet access across the state do not leave Central Vermont communities behind.
At its meeting April 5, the board unanimously voted to join CV Fiber, a nonprofit municipal organization that already has 20 Washington County communities on board. It is one of a number of recently formed communication union districts set up under state statute to provide access for funding and planning for broadband service, particularly in underserved areas.
Funding coming to the state from federal stimulus legislation aimed to address economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic may play a role and state lawmakers are working on legislation to address internet infrastructure.
Waterbury resident Duane Peterson who lives in Waterbury Center where internet service is unreliable encouraged the board to participate in the district as the state looks to address the issue and federal grants appear imminent. “This seems like something my town ought to look into before the ship sails,” he said.
The board unanimously voted to join the CV Fiber district which has delegates from each member community. The board did not appoint a delegate yet but said it would like to hear from any local residents interested in the volunteer position.
Federal windfall for local governments
A discussion at the April 5 meeting gave a preliminary glimpse to the windfall Waterbury may receive as part of the federal American Rescue Plan passed by Congress to help offset shortfalls across local governments across the nation. The federal economic stimulus legislation will mean an infusion of some $197 million for local municipalities, according to U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ office.
The Vermont League of Cities and Towns notes that Burlington will receive the largest sum, $19 million. So far, $510,000 is listed for Waterbury with potentially more later this year and in 2022. Rules regarding how the funds may be used have not been finalized yet.
“As I get information, I’ll share it,” Shepeluk told the board. “It’s high on my priority list to figure this out. It’s real dollars and we should make a plan for it.”
In-person meetings on the horizon
As the COVID-19 pandemic eases, the state is looking to relax restrictions on gatherings by summer with Gov. Phil Scott recently pointing to July 4 as a target for a return to “normal” activities. “We’re thinking in June we can start back with meetings in person,” Shepeluk told the board.
State guidance will continue to set limits regarding distancing and capacities for indoor public meetings for local government, he said, so there would be a cap on in-person attendance. Shepeluk said a quick estimate might be about 25 people including the board and staff present.
He noted that the municipal offices’ meeting room has equipment that will allow for meetings there to be broadcast online to continue offering the public remote access which has become popular during the pandemic. Shepeluk called future sessions “hybrid meetings” that will allow for both in-person and remote participation. “I think remote access is here to stay,” he said.
Also this week, the board spent some time reviewing and discussing the proposed interim zoning bylaw that will be the subject of a public hearing Monday night, April 26, at 7 p.m. via video conference. The draft is available to review along with a map on the town website’s homepage, waterburyvt.com. Board members asked questions of Planning Director Steve Lotspeich and shared some of their thoughts on the proposal which is the second draft presented for public hearing.
Board member Mike Bard commended the Planning Commission and staff for their work on revising the draft document. “This started off very contentious,” Bard said. “But we worked through this in a very collaborative way. We’re getting a much better product. … I’m anxious to see what the public says.”
Board Chair Mark Frier, who owns commercial property in the area covered by the interim zoning rules stepped aside from leading the discussion to participating in the dialogue while Vice Chair Chris Viens moderated that part of the meeting.
Many appointments
In a series of unanimous votes, the Select Board made a number of reappointments to town boards, committees, etc. at its April 19 meeting:
Re-appointments for three-year terms ending April 30, 2024: Martha Staskus, Planning Commission; Tom Kinley, Development Review Board; George Lester, alternate to Development Review Board; Bill Minter and Paul Lawson, Recreation Committee; Steve Lotspeich, Tree Committee.
Reappointments for four-year terms ending April 30, 2025: Joan Beard and Krista Battles, Conservation Commission.
Appointments for one-year terms ending April 30, 2022: Steve Lotspeich as Tree Warden, and Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission and regional planning commission Transportation Advisory Committee representative; Alec Tuscany, Mad River Resource Management Alliance.
The Select Board also interviewed applicants for a variety of spots on boards, committees, etc. and unanimously made the following new appointments:
Alyssa Johnson and Steve Karcher to the Planning Commission; Johnson’s term ending April 30, 2024, and Karcher’s ending April 30, 2022.
Joseph Wurtzbacher as Development Review Board Alternate, April 30, 2024.
Kelsey Applegate to the Conservation Commission, ending April 30, 2025.
Mike Loschiavo to the Tree Committee, ending April 30, 2024.
Tom Scribner, Meg Baldor to the Recreation Committee; Scribner’s term ending April 30, 2022; Baldor’s term ending April 30, 2023.
The board also addressed the local emergency management plan presented by town staff member Barbara Farr. She explained that the state requires a plan be in place each year with designees for a town emergency management director and coordinator. Given her plans to retire later this year, she said she would not be able to perform either role. The board agreed to appoint Waterbury Fire Chief Gary Dillon as emergency manager director and Select Board member Mike Bard as coordinator.
Shepeluk also updated the board on town staffing noting multiple resignations recently among Waterbury Public Library staff that have included a retirement and director Almy Landauer noting health reasons for her plans to step down in June. Nonetheless, Shepeluk called the turnover “concerning” and noted that the Library Commission hires library staff.
Shepeluk also noted the need to update town personnel policies and said a committee involving representatives of each of the main governing boards -- the Select Board, Library Commission and the Edward Farrar Utility District -- would be convening. Bard was appointed to represent the Select Board.
Housekeeping items
Recent meetings have covered a variety of organizational and procedural items.
The board elected Mark Frier as chair, Chris Viens as vice chair, and Mike Bard as secretary.
It reviewed procedures for signing warrants and discussed several policies including how the board manages public comment at meetings.
New board member Dani Kehlmann has made several suggestions that were accepted such as updating policy language to be inclusive by not being gender-specific. She also suggested that the board at each meeting announce how public comment will be incorporated into the meetings based on her experience in attending meetings prior to her election.
“As a member of the public, I didn’t know the procedure,” Kehlmann said. “I thought that after public comment [on the agenda], I wasn’t allowed to make any comments.”
The board agreed to explain that members of the public may comment at the time on the agenda for general comments or on specific items before the board as they are discussed during a meeting.
Shepeluk said he would pursue a request by Kehlmann to set up email addresses for board members using the town’s internet address rather than have members use personal emails for town correspondence.
Select Board member Katie Martin discussed her attendance at meetings of the Ice Center board of directors to which she was recently appointed as a liaison. She will share minutes from Ice Center meetings with the select board.
Shepeluk reviewed with the board the town’s various investment funds and their purpose to support specific functions within town government. He covered the tax stabilization fund and funds to support firefighters, cemetery needs, and upkeep of veterans’ monuments.
The board authorized Shepeluk to have the town’s lawyers respond to a recent appeal of a development permit. The Development Review Board approved a three-lot subdivision on Sweet Farm Road for Timothy Grayson. Adjacent landowner Glenn Andersen has appealed that decision to the Environmental Division of the Vermont Superior Court. Shepeluk explained that the court will review the matter “de novo” essentially tracing the DRB’s steps in reaching its decision. The town’s attorney will advise on the town regulations in place, Shepeluk said.
The board has recently approved liquor licenses for a number of establishments including Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Jimmz Pizza, Crossroads Beverage, The Reservoir; Stowe Street Café, Thai Smile Restaurant, Blue Stone, the American Legion, and McGillicuddy’s Irish Pub; it approved an outside consumption permit for Best Western Plus.
A discussion at the April 5 meeting to review Zenbarn’s entertainment permit raised questions about whether other establishments that offer live entertainment have current permits in place. Zenbarn received temporary permission for several time periods in 2020 to have outside entertainment at its location on Kneeland Flats Road. The matter involves board Vice Chair Chris Viens, whose home is nearby Zenbarn, to step down as a board member to join the discussion involving noise and the impact of outdoor music in the neighborhood. This discussion was resolved with the board approving Zenbarn’s permit for indoor entertainment for a year after owner Noah Fishman withdrew a request to renew the approval for outside entertainment. Viens and Frier, an owner of The Reservoir pub, did not participate in the vote. The board said it would revisit the issue regarding consistency in requiring the permits of all such businesses.
Shepeluk reminded the board earlier this month about its decision to hold off charging interest to those with delinquent tax payments. At the April 5 meeting, he said about $128,000 in property tax payments were past due, about twice the amount that was delinquent at the same time in 2020. Town officials have taken a lenient approach given the pandemic and its impacts on property owners. The board agreed to begin charging interest on the late taxes starting in May.
The board approved a request by Town Clerk Carla Lawrence to waive the late fee for dog licenses which is usually charged after April 1. The $2 fee was waived in 2020 as town offices were closed due to the pandemic. Given that town offices are still open by appointment only, Lawrence requested the town have the same policy for 2021. Dog owners can renew or apply for licenses for their dogs by mail or using the drop box at the municipal offices.
The board also voted to make the weekly Waterbury Reader and the Times Argus the town’s newspapers of record.