| Selectboard Meeting Minutes |
| August 19th, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall Link to recorded meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnwXQeRtlJ4 |
| Call to Order |
| Gregg Herrin called the meeting to order at 6:33 pm. SELECTBOARD Gregg Herrin (Present) Curtis Chase (Present) Paul Libby (Present) Carrie Caouette-De Lallo (Absent) Kevin Marshia (Present) TOWN EMPLOYEES Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) Rick Ackerman (Road Foreman) Jen Chase (Town Clerk) |
| Additions to the Agenda |
| Men’s Horseshoe League Electrical: The horseshoe league would like to see if the Selectboard would allow them to run a locked electrical box from the wastewater plant to the ramada by the river so they can have lighting. The electricity would only be used by the league. The Selectboard discussed and will see if the league falls under the recreation committee, and if this is something the Town could offer. Employee Compensation Benchmarks: Gregg Herrin mentioned employee benchmarks during open meeting. He has been accumulating data from other towns in an effort to come up with a comprehensive database so the Town can compare salary rates and adjust accordingly. He will reach out to Gayle Durkee to confirm some of the information he currently has. |
| Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None |
| Public Comments |
| Frank Keene attended the meeting to discuss a pedestrian bridge update from Paul Libby. The permit currently being reviewed by ANR has an additional 30 day comment period that was previously unknown. Paul assured Frank that the Town is working to get the final approval so the Town can go to the DRB to get the local permit as well. The Town Administrator will reach out to the DRB to see if it’s possible to tentatively get on their schedule. |
| Approve Minutes from August 5, 2025 and August 7, 2025 |
| Curtis Chase made a motion to approve the minutes from August 5th, 2025; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. The minutes from August 7th will be tabled until the next Selectboard meeting. |
| Current Events and Updates |
| A. Highway Update |
| Rick Ackerman updated the Selectboard that the excavator was rented for the month and the crew has begun ditching as needed. He asked that the Town continue working on advertising for the open road crew position. The Selectboard discussed additional ways to get the word out about the vacancy, including newspaper ads, social media, and other job search websites. |
| B. Town Administrator Update: None |
| Action Items |
| A. 13 VT Rte 113 Sewer Connection Issue |
| Charles Peel attended the meeting to discuss a sewer issue he and his family have been experiencing in the last year or two, that has now made it impossible to use their bathroom. He believes the issue was exacerbated when VT Rte 113 was repaved, possibly detaching the sewer connection in the road and sidewalk. Charles has attempted to reach out to the vendor for the paving to see if their insurance will cover this issue, but they have denied him as of now. He is unable to have the sewer line repaired without digging into pavement and sidewalk. The health of their family is a concern, so the Selectboard conversed with Charles and determined that the Town will assist with the cost of repair as it is within the Town’s right-of-way. Kevin Marshia made the following motion: in lieu of an update town sewer ordinance, in this instance the town will take on replacement costs for this project, not to exceed $12,000; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| B. Community Nurse and First Branch Update |
| The Town Administrator briefly updated the Selectboard that the community nurse and First Branch have worked out an agreement for the nurse to be an employee under First Branch. Unfortunately, they were not in attendance, so the Administrator will invite them to another meeting to work out payment logistics and scheduling. No motion was made. |
| C. Sealed Bid: Upper Village Rd Paving |
| Two sealed bids for leveling and paving services of Upper Village Rd were received: Pike Industries: 1.5” paving $51,244.00 (460 tons, $111.40 unit price), and 2” paving $67,281.00 (615 tons, $109.40 unit price) Blaktop: 1.5” paving $68,901.04 (683 tons, $100.88 unit price) and 2” paving $82,563.38 (857 tons, $96.34 unit price) The Selectboard deliberated and consulted with the Road Foreman. Paul Libby made a motion to accept the proposal from Blaktop for 2” shim and overlay on Upper Village Rd; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| D. Sealed Bid: Bobbinshop and Baraw Culvert Work |
| One sealed bid was received for culvert work on Bobbinshop Rd and Baraw Hill Rd. The proposal for services was read for Lyon Excavation. The scope of work includes the replacement of 6 culverts in total and 2716 feet of stone lined ditching. The total for the services is $21,600.00. Kevin Marshia made a motion to accept the proposal; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| E. Google/Teams Virtual Meeting Options and Discussion |
| Curtis Chase brought up a concern with the increased frequency of “Zoombombing” during municipal meetings, where individuals join virtual meeting options and share inappropriate content during the meeting. He suggested moving forward with virtual Teams meetings instead of livestreaming the Selectboard meetings on YouTube. The meetings will still be recorded and posted, but residents must request a link to the virtual meeting if they want to join and are not present in person. VLCT advised that this still meets Open Meeting Law requirements. The rest of the Selectboard agreed with his concerns and the Town Administrator will work on transitioning the virtual meeting options over to Microsoft Teams. A notice will be posted to the public letting them know if this change. No motion was required. |
| F. Outline Objectives for Water/Sewer Ordinance |
| The Selectboard discussed the overall goal of transparency and additional detail for the water and sewer ordinance update. The current sewer section of the ordinance does not clearly define the responsibility of the Town and the residents; therefore it must be updated to provide a baseline for sewer-related issues in the village. Gregg Herrin will continue editing and collaborating on the ordinance so a draft can be prepared and eventually go to Town Meeting. |
| G. Personnel Policy Review |
| Due to a clerical error, the personnel policy introduced on June 20, 2023 was not properly motioned and signed during the meeting. The Town Administrator suggested adopting the current policy and approving as-is for filing purposes. The Selectboard can still amend the policy as needed in the future if they see fit. Paul Libby made a motion to adopt the personnel policy as written; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| H. Approve Orders |
| Paul Libby made a motion to approve orders; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| Executive Session If Necessary |
| Personnel pursuant to 1 V.S.A. § 313(a): Curtis Chase made a motion to enter executive session, inviting Tierney Farago; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. The Selectboard entered executive session at 9:03 pm. Paul Libby made a motion to exit executive session; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. The Selectboard exited executive session at 9:24 pm. Personnel was discussed and no action was taken. |
| Adjournment |
| Kevin Marshia made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:25 pm. |