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    DRAFT Selectboard Meeting Minutes – January 20, 2026

    ByTierney Farago
    Selectboard Meeting Minutes
    January 20, 2026 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
    Call to Order
    Gregg Herrin called the meeting to order at 6:30 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)
    Jen Chase (Town Clerk)
    Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer)
    Rick Ackerman (Road Foreman)
    Additions to the Agenda: None
    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.
    Public Comments: None
    Approve Minutes from January 6, 2026 and January 9, 2026
    The selectboard was unable to review the minutes in time to approve during the meeting and the item was tabled for the next regular Selectboard meeting.
    Current Events and Updates
    A. Highway Update
    Rick Ackerman updated the Selectboard on highway business. They’ve had a few issues with one of the trucks but were able to fix it. He mentioned that the truck body from Viking may be pushed out again until September, so he will make a call to see if another company could fulfill the order sooner. He will bring the information back to the Selectboard for the February 3rd meeting.
    B. Town Administrator Update-Informational Hearing Date and Agenda
    The Selectboard discussed setting a date for the informational meeting before Town Meeting Day and settled on the date of February 18th at 6:30pm to present the budget and discuss the articles of the Town Meeting warning with the public.
    Action Items
    A. 2026 Budget Review
    The Selectboard had a final review of the budget to fill in remaining numbers from Gayle, and to clear up any flagged items. They agreed on the final numbers, and entertained a motion to recommend the budget to the voters at Town Meeting day. Charles Peel made a motion to include an article to see if the voters will approve the total fund expenditure of $1,776,417 of which $1,328,833 shall be raised by taxes and $447,584 by non-tax revenue; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.   
    B. 2026 Town Meeting Warning
    After approving the budget to be presented to the voters, the Selectboard reviewed the Town Meeting Warning and made adjustments as necessary with the final budget and appropriation numbers. A complete petition to change the Social Service Appropriation Petition Policy was received from Marianne McCann, and the Selectboard discussed including it on the Town Meeting warning. After seeking legal advice from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, the Selectboard concluded that the petition could not be warned as a binding petition by Australian Ballot because the voters lack statutory authority over this aspect of Town government.  So, the Selectboard determined that it could either warn it as a non-binding advisory petition to be voted on from the floor of Town Meeting or exclude it from the warning altogether.  The Selectboard was concerned that if the nonbinding advisory petition was included in the warning, voters might object to further revision by the Board following passage. Ultimately, the Selectboard decided that, in accordance with its original intent conveyed when this issue was presented by Marianne McCann at a November meeting, that it would take the issue up at a February 2026 meeting in hopes of developing a process to encourage public participation on the policy amendment and thereby avoiding any confusion which may arise from an advisory petition.  

    Paul Libby made a motion to exclude the petition from the Town Meeting warning and take up the Social Service Appropriation Policy as a Board; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.  

    Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to approve the 2026 Town Meeting Warning; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    C. First Branch Ambulance Contract Renewal
    The Selectboard reviewed the three-year contract to continue ambulance services with First Branch Ambulance. Paul Libby made a motion to approve the contract; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    D. Approve Orders
    Paul Libby made a motion to approve the orders; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    Executive Session If Necessary: None
    Adjournment
    Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 9:17 pm.
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    Selectboard Meeting Agenda – January 20, 2026

    ByTierney Farago
    Selectboard Meeting Agenda
    January 20, 2026 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
    Call to Order
    Additions to the Agenda
    Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    Public Comments
    Approve Minutes from January 6, 2026 and January 9, 2026
    Current Events and Updates
    A. Highway Update
    B. Town Administrator Update
    -Informational Hearing Date and Agenda
    Action Items
    A. 2026 Budget Review
    B. 2026 Town Meeting Warning
    C. First Branch Ambulance Contract Renewal
    D. Approve Orders
    Executive Session if necessary
    Adjournment
    VIRTUAL OPTION: To join the Selectboard Meeting virtually, please request a link to join from the Town Administrator at town.administrator@chelseavt.us, or by calling 802-625-2023.
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    DRAFT Special Selectboard Meeting Minutes – January 9, 2026

    ByTierney Farago
    Special Selectboard Meeting Minutes
    January 9, 2026 7:00 pm Chelsea Town Hall
    Call to Order
    Gregg Herrin called the meeting to order at 7:00 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)
    Jen Chase (Town Clerk)
    Additions to the Agenda
    Jen Chase asked to have an executive session added for a time sensitive personnel matter.
    Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    Charles Peel disclosed that he is on the DRB.
    Public Comments: None
    Action Items
    A. Zoning Bylaw Adoption
    Charles Peel made a motion to adopt the zoning bylaws as written, with additional spelling and grammar checks; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    Executive Session (PERSONNEL PURSUANT TO 1 V.S.A. § 313(A))
    Charles Peel made a motion to enter executive session, inviting Tierney Farago and Jen Chase; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard entered executive session at 7:06 pm. Charles Peel made a motion to exit executive session; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard exited executive session at 7:24 pm. Gregg Herrin summarized that the Selectboard discussed a personnel matter, but no action was taken.
    Adjournment
    Charles Peel made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 7:25 pm.
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    DRAFT Zoning Bylaw Hearing Minutes – January 9, 2026

    ByTierney Farago
    Zoning Bylaw Hearing
    January 9, 2026 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
    Call to Order
    Gregg Herrin called the meeting to order at 6:30 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)
    Jen Chase (Town Clerk)
    PARTICIPANTS
    Bryan Kovalick (Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission)
    Marianne McCann
    Bob Brennan
    Tom Stearns
    Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    Charles Peel disclosed that he is on the DRB.
    Public Comments
    Gregg Herrin opened the floor to any questions regarding the zoning bylaw update. Marianne McCann had questions regarding the purpose of the bylaw update, and asked for clarification of several areas including the definition of “affordable housing” and the expanded conservation areas. She also pointed out a formatting issue in the document that the Selectboard will fix before final publication. Bob Brennan (chair of the planning commission) and Bryan Kovalick (representative from the Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission) have been working on drafting the zoning bylaw update and offered additional information when needed. No other members of the public had questions or comments for the Selectboard.
    Adjournment
    Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 6:57 pm.
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    DRAFT Selectboard Meeting Minutes – January 6, 2026

    ByTierney Farago
    Selectboard Meeting Agenda
    January 6, 2026 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
    Call to Order
    Gregg Herrin called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm.  
    SELECTBOARD    
    Gregg Herrin (Present) 
    Curtis Chase (Present)
    Paul Libby (Present)
    Carrie Caouette-De Lallo (Absent)
    Charles Peel (Present)
    TOWN EMPLOYEES    
    Tierney Farago (Town Administrator)
    Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer)
    Rick Ackerman (Road Foreman)
    Jen Chase (Town Clerk)
    Additions to the Agenda
    Charles Peel added an item to the agenda regarding the use of Town Hall for Town business. He wanted to ensure that Town commissions and committees had preference on their scheduled days to avoid conflicts with residents that may reserve the Town Hall. The Town Clerk and Town Administrator will ensure that the Town gets preference on all future reservations to avoid displacing the committee members during meetings.
    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.
    Public Comments
    Marianne McCann made a public comment that she is running for the three-year Selectboard term.
    Approve Minutes from December 16, 2025 and December 22, 2025
    Curtis Chase made a motion to approve the December 16th and December 22nd meeting minutes; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    Current Events and Updates
    A. Highway Update
    Rick Ackerman updated the Selectboard that the crew has been busy with the intermittent snowstorms and weather, which has caused them to use up additional sand and salt. He has had some minor truck issues that were able to be fixed in-house. The Selectboard let Rick know that they had factored in additional money in the budget to begin covering the cost of road equipment upgrades in the future.
    B. Town Administrator Update-Town Report Review and Drafting
    Tierney Farago discussed the timeline of the Town Report with the Selectboard. The Selectboard will need to wrap up the budget and make final edits to the various reports at the next regular Selectboard meeting on January 20th so the Town Meeting warning can be completed and signed by the board. The Selectboard will put in their final comments and get answers for any questions they may have regarding the reports before January 16th.
    Action Items
    A. 2026 Budget Review
    The Selectboard continued their review of the 2026 budget, beginning with the transfer station to discuss if there was a way to make up the deficit in the department. After adjusting some of the numbers and reviewing possible ways to make up the difference and balance out revenues and expenses, the Selectboard agreed to continue working on the issues as the year progresses.  They proceeded to make minor adjustments to various areas of the budget, leaving a handful of flagged items to return to in the next regular meeting where the final budget numbers and the Town Meeting warning will be determined.
    B. 2025 Auditor RFP
    The Selectboard reviewed two auditor proposals that were previously opened on December 16th. Gayle Durkee discussed the pros and cons of each proposal, and ultimately recommended that the Town choose Sullivan, Powers & Company for the 2025 audit as they will be in person and conduct the audit on a cash basis rather than a modified accrual. This matches the system that the Town operates on.

    Final Proposal Pricing
    Batchelder Associates PC: $20,250
    Sullivan, Powers & Company: $22,000

    Curtis Chase made a motion to accept the proposal from Sullivan, Powers & Co; Charles Peel seconded the motion. The motion was amended to include the proposal price of $22,000. Motion passed unanimously.
    C. MERP Contracts: Interior Storm Windows, Building Envelope, and Window Repairs
    The Selectboard reviewed three contracts for the MERP grant that included interior storm windows, sealing building envelope, and window repairs in the Town Hall. There was some discussion regarding the contract lengths and if it’s possible to extend contracts in the event that a vendor is unable to finish the work before the contract deadline. This would be possible if needed. Charles Peel made a motion to approve and sign all three contracts; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    D. Avery Work Contract
    The Selectboard reviewed a contract from Avery Excavation LLC for sand hauling completed in November for $5,500. Charles Peel made a motion to approve the contract; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    E. Approve Orders
    Curtis Chase made a motion to approve the orders; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Curtis Chase did have a question regarding an invoice for sewer line work at a residence, and the Selectboard determined that the Town was liable to pay for the work due to the sewer ordinance. Motion passed unanimously.
    Executive Session if Necessary: None
    Adjournment
    Charles Peel made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 9:32 pm.
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    Selectboard Meeting Agenda – January 6, 2026

    ByTierney Farago
    Selectboard Meeting Agenda
    January 6, 2026 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
    Call to Order
    Additions to the Agenda
    Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    Public Comments
    Approve Minutes from December 16, 2025 and December 22, 2025
    Current Events and Updates
    A. Highway Update
    B. Town Administrator Update
    -Town Report Review and Drafting
    Action Items
    A. 2026 Budget Review
    B. 2025 Auditor RFP
    C. MERP Contracts: Interior Storm Windows, Building Envelope, and Window Repairs
    D. Avery Work Contract
    E. Approve Orders
    Executive Session If Necessary
    Adjournment
    VIRTUAL OPTION: To join the Selectboard Meeting virtually, please request a link to join from the Town Administrator at town.administrator@chelseavt.us, or by calling 802-625-2023.
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    DRAFT Special Selectboard Meeting Minutes – December 22, 2025

    ByTierney Farago
    Special Selectboard Meeting Minutes
    December 22, 2025 5:00 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)
    Additions to the Agenda: None
    Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    Charles Peel disclosed that he is on the Development Review Board, and Gregg Herrin disclosed that he is on the Planning Commission.
    Public Comments
    Kate Willard, Ben Canonica, and Zeb Allen attended the meeting to discuss ash trees with the Selectboard. An inventory of the trees was sent to the Town to begin discussing a potential plan to remove the trees. According to Ben, other towns like Strafford and Corinth have made efforts to remove ash trees that have been affected by the emerald ash borer, which destroys the trees and presents a potential hazard near roadways and right of ways. The Selectboard inquired if there are any grants to help towns pay for the removal of these trees, but the group was unsure. The Selectboard will keep the information in mind as they move into the new year and can dedicate more time to assessing the issue.
    Action Items
    A. Zoning Bylaw Review
    The Selectboard reviewed the draft of the zoning bylaws as written by the planning commission with the help of Two Rivers-Ottaquechee Regional Commission. They discussed several comments and edits they wanted to propose, including many spelling, grammar, and formatting changes as well as some content changes. Those changes mainly related to the consistency of wording (ex. “zoning permit” vs “administrative permit”) and the types of permits allowed in zoning areas like the conservation area. The Selectboard agreed to limit additional uses in the conservation area in the interest of preserving the Town’s limited zoning area. There were various discussions regarding the permitting process and the Development Review Board’s (DRB) role in certain uses and types of construction. After reviewing the content of the bylaws, the Selectboard accepted the changes discussed to create the updated draft, which will be the version highlighted at the upcoming zoning bylaw hearing.

    -Charles Peel made a motion to approve the Selectboard’s edits of the bylaws as discussed, pending minor font and header changes; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    -Charles Peel made a motion to approve the draft of the zoning map; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.

    The Selectboard discussed the date of the zoning bylaw hearing, which is required so the article can be included in the Town Meeting Warning so the public can vote on the adopted bylaws. . The hearing will be held on January 9th, 2026, at 6:30 pm. A special Selectboard meeting will be held directly after the hearing at 7:00 pm to move to approve or deny the draft zoning bylaws. Copies of the Selectboard’s draft of the zoning bylaws will be available online on the Town’s website, as well as at the Town Clerk’s office for the public to request.
    Executive Session If Necessary: None
    Adjournment
    Curtis Chase made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 8:19 pm.

    Zoning Bylaws Draft – Planning Commission Version (12/8/2025)

    DRAFT_CHELSEA-ZONING-BYLAW_Transmittal CopyDownload
    DRAFT_CHELSEA-ZONING-MAP_Transmittal CopyDownload
    Planning Commission Report_Chelsea Zoning Bylaws_2025Download

    Zoning Bylaw Draft – Selectboard Version (12/22/2025)

    DRAFT_CHELSEA-ZONING-BYLAW_Public Hearing Copy Approved 12.22.25Download
    DRAFT_CHELSEA-ZONING-MAP_Transmittal CopyDownload
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    Notice of Public Hearing: Chelsea Zoning Bylaws

    ByTierney Farago

    Chelsea Selectboard

     Notice of Public Hearing

    January 9, 2026, at 6:30 pm in Town Hall

    The Chelsea Selectboard will hold a public hearing on revisions to the Chelsea Zoning Bylaw on January 9, 2026, at 6:30 pm at the Chelsea Town Hall (296 VT Rte 110, Chelsea, VT 05038). There will be a virtual meeting option for this hearing using the virtual meeting option given below.

    The purpose of this hearing is to take public comments on the draft revisions to the Chelsea Zoning Bylaw. The draft Chelsea Zoning Bylaw will replace the current Chelsea Zoning Bylaw in its entirety. The Chelsea Zoning Bylaw is meant to further the purposes of the Town Plan and Vermont’s planning goals enumerated in 24 V.S.A. § 4302.

    The Chelsea Zoning Bylaw covers all of the land within the Town of Chelsea.

    Copies can be found at the Chelsea Town Clerk’s office during normal business hours or on the Town’s website: https://www.chelseavt.org/zoning-applications-and-bylaws/. Comments may be directed to the Town Administrator, at PO Box 266, Chelsea VT 05038, or emailed to town.administrator@chelseavt.us.

    Below is a summary of the Chelsea Zoning Bylaw’s sections:

    1. Authority & Purpose
    2. Administration, Enforcement, & Appeals
    3. General Regulations
    4. Zoning District Regulations
    5. Specific Regulations
    6. Definitions

    Virtual Meeting Information

    https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjZkYjM5MTgtYTQ3Yy00NTlmLWFkOWQtM2Y2NmVjYzFkNTc2%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%226c55ea33-c13f-478a-a4e5-2a6d9d85978b%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%229810606c-6157-4407-a7da-d68d066893ea%22%7d