PLYMOUTH, Vt. – Former STR administrator Steve Radonis presented the Plymouth Selectboard with a petition at their Monday, June 19, meeting to disapprove the recent short-term rental (STR) ordinance.
Radonis read the petition, which suggested that changes needed to be made to the ordinance as it was written. A “Knox box shall remain a mandatory requirement,” the petition reads, and insurance requirements should include a “specific rental endorsement [such as a] commercial or landlord insurance, specific to short-term rental, providing 365 days per year coverage. Economy sharing is not valid coverage.” Radonis’ petition also proposes that insurance coverage by rental representatives such as Vacasa, Air B&B, and VRBO are not acceptable.
There were close to 40 signatures on the petition, which almost doubled the 22 signatures needed. Radonis said he got the signatures “within about six hours,” and “just one person” wouldn’t sign it.
Radonis reported that he called multiple different companies to see what is required. “One guy on Hawk [Properties] owns an insurance company and writes policies,” he said, who told Radonis that, “if you’re unsure of it, then you should question it.” Radonis said he learned about what is acceptable and what is not, and he feels that, “If someone wants to have a short-term rental, it’s not that much of an expense to do some of these things…It’s just a part of doing business.”
Board member Rick Kaminski offered, “Our intent was to make this more user friendly…but you’ve done your due diligence.” Kaminski then asked Radonis if he still felt that Kaminski and Frank Vetere, also a former STR administrator, were a conflict of interest on the topic.
“Frank was against the Knox box, and you all kind of went on board with that,” Radonis stated. “I think Frank is a great guy and he can do a great job, but I think it was a major conflict of interest.”
Board chair Jay Kullman said the board has 60 days to call a special meeting to further discuss the petition and the verbiage of the STR ordinance. The meeting then erupted.
“We’ve had dialogue…we already had a meeting…and now we’re going to have another meeting,” board member Keith Cappellini expressed his frustration. “If you call yourself a landlord and you can’t figure out how to find insurance…you should find something else to do.” Cappellini continued, “This is the same semantics we’ve been talking about over and over.”
Many comments continued all at once, and Kullman announced that there would be a chance to discuss the ordinance further at a properly warned hearing. “We’re probably going to do this a couple more times,” Kullman said. He wanted to be sure to check with the town’s legal counsel, schedule a public hearing for community input, and have a vote. It was requested the vote be by Australian ballot.
Some input was that there were a number of small things within the ordinance that were not clear, and other issues in it may need to be “cleaned up.” Cappellini added that the verbiage on the ballot needed to be “crystal clear.”
Kullman stated they would have an update about the process at the next meeting.
In other business, the board approved their bulk time purchase agreement with New England Municipal Resource Center (NEMRC), which is $145-150 per hour, paying 96 hours upfront. The company assists in accounting functions, getting ready for an audit, questions with bookkeeping, accounts payable, transfers, and more. Kullman said, “Elaine has mastered many of those things,” but NEMRC has “been responsive” when the town has questions. He also reported that last year they didn’t use much time and got a “huge refund.”
The board updated their traffic ordinance to reduce the speed limit on Town Office Road in front of the municipal building, from 45 miles per hour to 25, as people “have been going too fast” through that area.
Kaminski reported that the town got another grant through the highway department in the $200,000 range for Stickney Bridge repairs, and they would get that work on schedule in the next year or two. The total costs are close to $250,000 to fix the deteriorating concrete work, reinforce the structure, waterproof, and pave over it. The road closures will be announced.
Kaminski also reconsidered and approved a previous proposal from Key Communications to rewire the municipal building phone system for $8,654. This would include all the hardware, moving a panel, and labor, and would update the whole building and its capabilities. “My only issue is…taking a hit on our contingency on the construction project,” Kaminski said.
The staff is currently working out of the annex building during the renovation project. “We’ve had a lot of support from the staff, so thank you for that,” Kaminski added.
The next selectboard meeting will be Monday, July 17, at 6 p.m., and a special meeting will be warned for the STR ordinance discussion.