TOWN OF GRAND ISLE BUILDINGS STEERING COMMITTEE ADMINISTRATIVE

TOWN OF GRAND ISLE BUILDINGS STEERING COMMITTEE - ADMINISTRATIVE REPRESENTATIVE REPORT-MAY 25, 2006
ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT	FUNCTION	ASSESSMENT
LISTERS	RECORD KEEPING	Lister records have increased from 1 four-drawer cabinet in early 1990's to 3 1/2 four-drawer cabinets in 2006. This is a 29% increase in 16 years. From 1992 to 2006 property transfer records indicate that 758 property transfers were residential, an additional 155 were mobile/manufactured homes, 267 were camps, 16 were commercial and 520 were land only. The Town has 1201 parcels on its 9,791.94 (land) acres as of March 31, 2006, but that may change depending on beaver activity on any given year. Total land and lake acreage for the Town is 24,896. The Town population is 2022 in 2005 and in 1880 (126 years ago) it was 759.
	PRESERVATION OF PERMANENT RECORDS	A vault or separate fireproof storage sufficient to house permanent records for long term as well as daily access is needed. A vault door like the one on the Town Clerk's vault costs about $4,000 or $5,000 each. Fire resistant doors cost about $500. If an outside steel structure on a slab was constructed beside the Lister Office, a fire resistant door might suffice for protection of the files if the fire proof cabinets were moved into it.
	OFFICE SPACE	The office space today is difficult for the three Listers and the addition of one or more persons makes it nearly impossible to move, open file drawers, flip maps, etc. Some towns appoint a full-time appraiser instead of electing multiple Listers. Two of the three Listers are inclined to think the town is growing so fast that eventually a municipal center will become necessary. One commented that perhaps the plan should aim toward 2012, the end of the Aztec calendar!
TOWN CLERK	RECORD KEEPING	Record keeping duties include more than land and vital records. The Town Clerk maintains licenses for marriage/civil unions, entertainment, tobacco, liquor and dogs. There are Town Meeting and Selectboard records, town ordinances, highway, weight and pole and wire right of way permits, and transfer station documentation. There are also records of manufactured home sales, tradename registrations and land postings.
	PRESERVATION OF PERMANENT RECORDS	The land records now take up one book every four months. In 2003 land records were taking up one book per month. Electronic recording is under discussion state wide but probably not for 10 to 15 years. Vital records (births, deaths, etc.) will all be electronic by 2008. The vault is good for about 20 years and while the downstairs vault needs work, it could be used for another 20 or more years. A recent repair to the main vault resulted in maintenance of the downstairs vault which can now be closed and locked nightly against fire damage!
	OFFICE SPACE	Auditors, title searchers and vital record searchers are frequent visitors as are folks seeking motor vehicle forms and registrations, copying and faxing services, landfill stickers, recreation/teen center information, dog licenses, etc. The two tables are often full with books and the counter is very useful for the quick services. The main concern for staff is that the taxes not go up because of any decision about buildings!
TOWN TREASURER	RECORD KEEPING	Tax bills and records are maintained in the Town Clerk's Office. They are both electronic and paper.
TOWN TREASURER	OFFICE SPACE	The Town Clerk's Office provides the space and at the times the taxes are due, parking is a premium but only short-term, stop and pay type requirement.
PLANNING AND ZONING OFFICE	RECORD KEEPING	From 1992 to 2005 there were 79 subdivisions, 193 new dwellings, 78 new mobile/manufactured homes and 493 wastewater permits.
	PRESERVATION OF PERMANENT RECORDS	The space currently holds 8 fireproof file cabinets strategically placed so as not to create a weight stress. The file cabinets are for the long term and daily storage of the Town's environmental files to include 1201 individual parcel files, subdivision files, planning files, and zoning board of adjustment files dating back to 1966. Like the Listers, a vault or separate fireproof storage sufficient to house permanent environmental records for long term as well as daily access is needed. A vault door like the one on the Town Clerk's vault costs about $4,000 or $5,000 each. Fire resistant doors cost about $500. If an outside steel structure on a slab was constructed beside the Zoning/Planning Office, a fire resistant door might suffice for protection of the files if the fire proof cabinets were moved into it.
	OFFICE SPACE	Voting takes place in the community room and with the new voting booths, the space can accommodate up to 400 more people during votes. The community room provides meeting space for the Selectboard, Planning Commission, Development Review Board, State and Town Highway representatives, Caucus Committees and the Clean Team. The community room in its alternate use is the office of the Zoning Administrative Officer and the Clerk of the Development Review Board. The tables provide space for spreading plans, maps and files and provides workspace for the overflow title searchers from the Town Clerk's Office. Staff would not like to see taxes go up.
ALL DEPARTMENTS	PUBLIC ACCESS	These are areas which are important to consider in this process. (1) parking for employees and for the public using the Town Offices; (2) Larger/separate meeting/voting room; (3) code-related issues like no sprinklers, panelling/ceiling tiles, mold/water in basement and backward exit doors; (4) Privacy for individual meetings; (5) Privacy for employees e.g., a break room or cubicle; and (6) security issues like disgruntled foreclosure or tax-burdened persons.