Selectboard appoints treasurer
The day she retired from her longtime job, Linda Barker saw an ad for a part-time position as Shelburne’s town treasurer.
Last week the town’s selectboard chose her to take over the role.
Barker retired from Citizens Bank in Shelburne on Aug. 1, after 29 years.
Her one-year term will start as soon as the town completes a background check. She replaces Colleen Haag who served as town treasurer for 38 years.
Barker, who lives in South Burlington, said she saw the opening for town treasurer in Shelburne News. Soon after, Haag called her to say she thought Barker was a perfect fit for the job.
Barker used to live in Shelburne but moved away 12 years ago.
Nevertheless, she said, “I worked in Shelburne and I belong to the Shelburne Rotary, so I’ve always felt like I was a Shelburne person.”
The treasurer is tasked with overseeing the town’s finances, including investing town funds and keeping track of tax payments.
Barker said her goal is “to stay in touch with people in the community and to make sure that things are going the way they should.”
At the Sept. 8 meeting the board also authorized a policy change recommended by the Tree Committee. On a 4-1 vote, with Chairman Jerry Storey voting no, the board deleted a provision of the tree ordinance that allowed the town to remove hazardous trees from private property if the owner declined to do so and to charge the landowner for the work.
Several board members said they believe it is not the town’s place to do work on private property. But the board asked the Tree Committee to propose a further revision of the ordinance to provide a way to enforce the requirement that property owners get rid of hazardous trees in a timely manner.
“Other than public shaming there is no incentive” for landowners to act, Storey said.
Also, at the Sept. 8 meeting, the board said yes to a planning commission suggestion that the town apply for a municipal planning grant from the state. The grant would support the town’s efforts to review development regulations with an eye toward reform. Regulatory reform has been a topic of discussion in town government for some time and Storey noted that not much progress has been made.
“I do think at this moment we’re treading water,” he said.
In other action, the board:
• Unanimously approved construction of a new crosswalk on School Street off Harbor Road, near the side entrance of Shelburne Community School where many kids enter. Town Manager Lee Krohn estimated the work will cost $6,000 the town hasn’t budgeted, but board members said pedestrian safety is a priority. “Anything to encourage biking and walking to school, I’m 100 percent behind it,” board member Kate Lalley said.
• Approved a second-class liquor license allowing Shelburne Farms to sell beer and wine as an adjunct to the fresh produce and takeout meals it began offering after the pandemic hit.
• Agreed to purchase a new plow truck for $60,874 to replace an aging one.
