| Selectboard Meeting Minutes |
| December 16, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall |
| Call to Order |
| Gregg Herrin called the meeting to order at 6:32 pm. SELECTBOARD Gregg Herrin (Present) Curtis Chase (Present) Paul Libby (Present) Carrie Caouette-De Lallo (Present) Charles Peel (Present) TOWN EMPLOYEES Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer) Rick Ackerman (Road Foreman) |
| Additions to the Agenda |
| -Cargill Salt: The Town Administrator presented a salt quote letter from Cargill to the Selectboard. The price of salt recently went up, so the informal quote lists salt at $108.75 per ton. Cargill needs to deliver salt before the end of the year, and the estimated tonnage was 275. Paul Libby made a motion to not exceed $30,000 in salt for this delivery; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. -Audit RFP Opening: Two proposals were received for the 2025 audit. Gregg Herrin opened them and read the following amounts for the contracts: Batchelder Associates, P.C proposed a contract for a total of $20,250, and Sullivan, Powers & Company proposed a contract of $22,000. The Selectboard requested that they have additional time to review the full proposal packets and would look to Gyle Durkee to make an official recommendation at the next regular Selectboard meeting on January 6th, 2026. No motion made. |
| Conflict of Interest Disclosure |
| Gregg Herrin disclosed that his spouse is on the library board. Curtis Chase disclosed that his spouse is the Town Clerk. Charles Peel disclosed that he is a member of the Development Review Board. |
| Public Comments: None |
| Approve minutes from november 18, 2025 and december 9, 2025 |
| Curtis Chase made a motion to approve the November 18th meeting minutes; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Curtis Chase made a motion to approve the December 9th meeting minutes; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| Current Events and Updates |
| A. Highway Update |
| Rick Ackerman updated the Selectboard that he had been having additional troubles with his truck but had taken it to be looked over. He also informed them that the gravel pit will close for the winter on Friday. |
| B. Town Administrator Update |
| The Selectboard and Town Administrator review the Town Report status and the timelines for submittals to get the report finalized and published. |
| Action Items |
| A. 2026 Budget Review |
| The Selectboard continued their review of the 2026 budget, covering all departments and making adjustments to line items as needed. The budget is nearly complete, with potential final YTD numbers and revisions anticipated for the January 6th meeting. During the budget conversation, the Selectboard determined that an increase in the price of recycling tickets would be required to begin making up for the deficit currently present in the transfer station budget. Curtis Chase made a motion to increase the price of recycle tickets to $50 for 2026; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. This price increase will begin on January 1st, 2026. |
| B. Zoning Bylaw Review |
| Tabled. |
| C. MERP Contracts: Interior Storm Windows, Building Envelope, and Window Repairs |
| Tabled. |
| D. Avery Work Contract |
| Tabled. |
| E. Kingsbury Work Contract |
| A $4,000 contract for sewer line cleanout was presented for signatures. No motion required. |
| F. Approve Orders |
| Curtis Chase made a motion to approve the orders; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| Executive Session If Necessary |
| A. Personnel Pursuant To 1 V.S.A. § 313(a) |
| -Paul Libby made a motion to enter executive session, inviting Tierney Farago and Rick Ackerman; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard entered executive session at 6:48 pm. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to exit executive session; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard exited executive session at 7:10 pm. Gregg Herrin summarized that the Selectboard discussed personnel and no motion was made. -Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to enter executive session; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard entered executive session at 9:23 pm. Charles Peel made a motion to exit executive session; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard exited executive session at 10:04 pm. The Selectboard made the following motions: 1. Curtis Chase made a motion to adjust the 2026 compensations which will be reflected in the budget; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. 2. Charles Peel made a motion to approve and immediately distribute the 2025 holiday bonuses; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| Adjournment |
| Paul Libby made a motion to adjourn; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 10:26 pm. |