News

Selectboard Meeting Minutes 
14 May 2026  
7:30 PM   
Chelsea Town Hall  

Present: 
Curtis Chase 
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo 
Charles Peel 
Paul Libby 
Rick Ackerman – Road Foreman 

Curtis Chase called the meeting to order at 7:38 pm

Additions to Agenda - none 
  
Conflict of Interest Disclosure - none 
  
Public Comments – none 

Rick Ackerman presented his opinions on the tractor he looked at last week. Discussion centered on the pros and cons and what this tractor may lack. Overall, Rick feels that the deal is a good one and this tractor will suit the needs of the Town.  

Charles Peel made a motion to purchase the 2018 M6101 Kubota mower tractor with 221 hours on it for $135,900. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded. There was no further discussion. Motion passed 4-0-0. 

Charles Peel made a motion to borrow $160,000 from Mascoma bank for a term between 5 and 7 years and to authorize Gayle Durkee or Curtis Chase to sign the loan agreement. Paul Libby seconded. There was no further discussion. Motion passed 4-0-0.  

Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to adjourn. Charles Peel seconded. The was no further discussion. Motion passed 4-0-0.  

May 5, 2026 at 6:30 pm – Chelsea Town Hall

Present:

Selectboard members: 
Gregg Herrin
Curtis Chase
Charles Peel
Paul Libby
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo (joining remotely) 

Town employees:
Kasey Peterson 
Rick Ackerman
Gayle Durkee
Jen Chase

Also Present:
Marianne McCann
Chintana Herrin
Peter Carbee 
Aileen Lem
Alexandra Oles

Gregg Herrin Called the meeting to order at 6:33PM 

Additions to Agenda –
Kasey Peterson added an amendment to the Dufresne Engineering contract
Rick Ackerman will provide a Highway Update
Paul Libby expressed his thanks for the efforts of the Green Up day crews and volunteers for making Chelsea look so nice

Conflict of Interest Disclosure   
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo will recuse herself from voting on the oil tank proposal as she is related to the contractor 

Public Comments  
Marianne McCann gave positive feedback on the meeting minutes written by Charles Peel for the April 21 meeting, citing excellent detail and professionalism.  
Ms. McCann also expressed her concerns of a conflict of interest for Carrie Caouette-De Lallo and Charles Peel in decisions regarding water and wastewater issues currently being experienced by building owners in the town as they are also users of the town’s water and wastewater systems. She included an AI generated assessment that suggested conflicts of interest are as much an appearance of impropriety as an actual one.  
Ms. McCann shared her thoughts on the Administrative Assistant position. She feels it is not a full-time position and instead a job that can be handled in 15 hours a week. She is willing to take that role for twenty-seven dollars ($27) an hour without benefits. Ms. Mcann suggested the use of AI to help with some tasks and to freelance others. The key to the job is email and keeping on top of those requests.  
Gregg Herrin thanked her for her feedback and insight on all three of her comments.  
Ms. McCann finally raised a now resolved issue she previously raised by email regarding the inflatable at the Post Office. 
Ms. McCann left the meeting at this time.

Approve Minutes from 21 April 2026 –  
Curtis Chase made a motion to approve the meeting minutes. Paul Libby seconded. There was no discussion or corrections. The motion passed 5-0-0   

Presentation By Windsor County Sherriff’s Office 
Claude Weyant was present to discuss his time on the Sherriff’s dept and the reshuffling of responsibilities that have recently happened within the department.  
Discussion focused on the contract with the Town of Chelsea – how many hours of coverage the town needs, how best to allocate those hours between day and nighttime presence. Gregg Herrin suggested that perhaps the Sheriff’s Office could report directly to the Board during a warned meeting might help to identify the best times for patrols.  
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo also thanked the deputy for his insights on Animal Control and Animal Control Officer, Leyna Hoyt’s, safety.  
No Action was taken at this time.  

Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District Intro and Board Representation  
Peter Carbee, Aileen Lem, and Alexandra Oles were present to encourage the Chelsea Selectboard to send a representative to the Waste Management District. They cited disaster resilience and grants for schools, businesses, and disposal for low-income folks trying to clean out a property as programs that the Town of Chelsea is missing because the town has no representative on the Waste Management Board. Furthermore, sending a representative to the Waste Management Board would provide access to people from other member towns that may be able to add insight and suggestions regarding the costs of running the transfer station vs. the fee structure. The Waste Management Board members that were present are also willing to come to an informational meeting on the subject if/when the Selectboard members are ready to further address the fees at the transfer station.   
No action was taken at this time.  

Transfer Station Compliance and Directives   
Carrie Caouette De-Lallo opened the discussion by stating that the Agency of Natural Resources had identified some issues at the transfer station. Most items were minor but the waste oil tank and the area surrounding it was an area of greater concern. Safety Kleen will be testing the tank to make certain it is not leaking, Rick Ackerman and ‘Snook’ Downing have cleaned up around the tank and found that most of what looked like a potential leak was just water. Shavings were put down to absorb any further run-off or spills.  
Discussion then turned to enclosing the oil tank with doors and a roof to shed water. Ms. Oles offered to provide guidelines for specifications and added that there might be a grant available to help with the cost. Curtis Chase suggested we wait until we have more information and a better understanding of what is allowed, what is needed and if oil disposal is a service that the Transfer Statin should continue to provide. No action was taken at this time. 
Mr. Carbee, Ms. Oles and Ms. Lem left the meeting at this time.   

United Church of Chelsea Wastewater Issue 
Charles Peel presented a brief explanation of the upgrades to the building and how that has impacted the sewer system and acknowledged that the Church has spent twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) so far on this project.  
A lengthy discussion followed. Mr. Aicher presented numerous proposals to connect to the main further to the west than the connection that is causing the issue. An email from Mike Whipple was cited that determined the best way for the church to connect to the town system is at a manhole instead of the main line and may require a pump system. Mr. Aicher pointed out that a pump system will be more costly as it requires electricity, frost protection, alarms, and a higher level of general maintenance.  
The discussion then turned to contractors and the liability of connecting straight to the sewer main.  
Ultimately Mr. Aicher’s request to the Board is to continue the plan for a gravity feed system in such a way as to protect the town and the church. And that the cost should also be shared between the town and the church.  
Charles Peel cited the ordinance directly which states that the building owner is responsible for the cost of new connections to the water system. 
There was general discussion of how to potentially apply the same standard used to correct the broken connection at Charles Peel’s house to the church project but further information would be required to make any decisions. 
Gregg Herrin asked Mr. Aicher to bring clearer proposals with clearer numbers to a future Selectboard meeting.
No other action was taken at this time.   

Town Clerk Jen Chase needed final approval on the Town Hall Rental Agreement for activities in the hall. Curtis Chase asked for comments or questions. Gregg Herrin had a question regarding time of payment, and a couple of minor editorial comments. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to accept the contract as written for the use of the town hall with minor edits and formatting adjustments. Curtis Chase seconded. There was no further discussion. The motion passed 5-0-0  

 Contracts: 
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo stepped away from her computer at this time.  
Ronjon mowing contract was signed administratively as the contract had been approved at a previous meeting. Paul Libby made a motion to hire Ronjon Mowing to do spring cleanup at a rate that is 10% more than last year’s spring clean. Charles Peel seconded. There was no further discussion. There was no further discussion. Motion passed 4-0-1.  Carrie Caouette-De Lallo abstained by her absence.  

The Lyon Excavation contract was signed administratively as this project, for Russell Noel’s water line, was done in an emergency capacity. Charles Peel made a motion to accept the contract from Lyon Excavation for one thousand one hundred and five dollars ($1105.00). Paul Libby seconded. There was no further discussion. The motion passed 4-0-1 Carrie Caouette-De Lallo abstained by absence.  

Two-Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) invoices. TRORC terminated the contract with the town of Chelsea for management of the Municipal Energy resilience Program (MERP) grant when they were asked to provide backup documentation for recent invoices. According to the contract, they have 10 days to provide full accounting – they have not. The deadline for the information is 7 May. The only leverage the town has to obtain the information is refusal to pay until the requirements of the contract are met. No further action was taken at this time.  

Carrie Caouette-De Lallo returned to the meeting.  

Rick Ackerman provided a Highway Update.  
The Road crew will be at the Municipal Show in Barre on 6 May.  
He had no update on a new truck in the town’s price range. Silloway will be fixing a drain in the garage and Rick will be going to Kentucky to assess the tractor the town is looking to purchase.  

Discussion of upcoming issues and agenda items this item was tabled due to the length of the meeting.  

Orders  
Paul Libby made a motion to approve orders.  Charles Peel seconded.  Motion passed unanimously. 

Charles Peel made a motion to enter executive session inviting Kasey Peterson. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded. Executive session started at 9:55. Motion passed 5-0-0  

Carrie Caouette-De Lallo had to leave the meeting during the executive session. 

At 10:20 Curtis Chase made a motion to end executive session. Charles Peel seconded. Motion passed. 4-0-1  
 
During the executive session two motions were passed.  

Charles Peel made a motion to keep the rate and the maximum number of available hours for the Interim Town Administrator consistent with the Town Administrator position. Paul Libby seconded. The motion passed 4-0-1   

Curtis Chase made a motion to Increase the annual stipend for Animal Control Officer from five hundred dollars ($500) to two thousand dollars ($2000). The motion passed 4-0-1 

No non-board members influenced the decisions made during the executive session. 

Paul Libby made a motion to adjourn.  Charles Peel seconded. The motion passed 4-0-1 

Meeting adjourned at 10:21 PM 

Respectfully submitted 
Kasey Peterson 

April 21, 2026, 6:30 pm at Chelsea Town Hall

I. CALL TO ORDER

Gregg Herrin called the meeting to order at 7:40pm.

SELECTBOARD
Gregg Herrin (Present)
Curtis Chase (Present)
Paul Libby (Present)
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo (Present)
Charles Peel (Present)

TOWN EMPLOYEES/OFFICIALS
Gaye Durkee (Town Treasurer)
Rick Ackerman (Road Foreperson)

PUBLIC IN ATTENDANCE
None

II. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
There were several additions to the agenda.

Charles Peel suggested a topic related to stakes being unexpectedly placed on the north common. It was identified that the stakes were related to tree planting, so no further discussion was warranted.

Charles Peel also noted that Chelsea Court and Hillside Homes are potentially interested in tying into the water system. Since these would involve multiple connections at the same time, there is a suggestion that we may be able to reduce the connection fee because of the shared costs of connecting multiple units at once.

Charles Peel also observed that there is currently no standard form for residents to request a water connection, and he intends to draft one for consideration.

Gayle Durkee indicated that she has received a Roberts Gould Field request. With the recent departure of the prior Town Administrator, the process for handling these types of requests will be revisited with the interim Town Administrator, Kasey Peterson upon her return to the office.

Gregg Herrin added an item related to finalizing paperwork for a previously approved line of credit.
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo indicated that she has some information to share regarding the transfer Station, to be covered later in the meeting.

III. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE – NONE

IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS – NONE

V. APPROVE MINUTES FROM APRIL 7, 2026

Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to approve the minutes from the April 7, 2026 Selectboard meeting. Curtis Chase seconded the motion. There was no further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.

VI. DISCUSSION OF MINUTES FORMATTING

Charles Peel requested feedback regarding the level of detail he provided for the most recent meeting minutes. There was general consensus that the new format is a clear step in the right direction to make the minutes more comprehensive and more meaningful for people who couldn’t attend the meeting. Charles and Carrie will also seek feedback from The Herald to see what level of detail is helpful for their publishing needs.

VII. HIGHWAY UPDATE

Rick Ackerman indicated that the road crew will start grading tomorrow, and that there are a lot of clay boils this year. McCullough has started making material again, so we don’t have to haul it from Barre. McCullough currently has a lot of fines in the material, so the road crew is blending that with the other stone to create a better mixture.

Rick hasn’t heard anything else about the ten-wheeler yet, but is still expecting it to be ready in a September/October timeframe. He also still haven’t found a suitable chloride truck yet; the last option he looked into wanted a much higher bid than we offered.

Rick also noted that he had the garage office and break room painted last week, and that Culligan came and serviced the softener. There’s also a drain in Rick’s bay that isn’t flowing well, so Silloway is going to come see if they can clear it out.

Charles Peel asked whether Rick had talked to the Ambulance crew about possibly using Town garage space to store their extra ambulance as they get their new one.

VIII. TRACTOR PURCHASE

The barely-used tractor in Kentucky is still available for $140,000 including shipping, with no warranty. There is another option for $198,000 for an equivalent new tractor with a 3-year warranty. Given that the less expensive tractor has no warranty, that would not be a gamble worth having a trusted colleague inspect it.

Charles Peel made a motion to send Rick Ackerman to Campton, Kentucky by airplane, with an upper limit on travel expenses for flight, hotel, rental car, and food of $1,500. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Curtis Chase made the point that Rick should not to feel obligated to give a clean bill of health, and that the expense of investigating is acceptable even if the opportunity is a dead end. The motion passed unanimously.

IX. GRANTS UPDATE

Harry Falconer from TRORC reached out to Curtis Chase, and clarified that the deadline for MERP grants is December 31, and we could potentially get extensions if needed.

X. ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATE – NONE

XI. APPROVE ORDERS

The orders include a bill from TRORC where the board is awaiting clarification about what the billed services include. There is not a specific due date indicate for the bill, so there does not appear to be any risk of penalties by waiting for more information before approving payment.

Charles Peel made a motion to accept orders except for Two Rivers while we await further information about services received. Paul Libby seconded the motion. There was no further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.

XII. SULLIVAN & POWERS CONTRACT 2026

The contract will Sullivan & Powers was already approved in a prior meeting, so Gayle Durkee just needed signatures to complete the document.

XIII. LINE OF CREDIT CONTRACT

As part of normal Town operations, the Town uses a line of credit to avoid cash-flow issues associated with the timing of tax collection being late in the year.

Paul Libby made a motion to accept resolution for maximum $375,000 for tax anticipation borrowing, and the rest of the contents of the resolution. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. There was no further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.

XIV. VERMONT STATE REVOLVING FUND LOAN

Charles Peel noted that he is still making efforts to try to centralize and compile all of the prior information about the wastewater plant improvements, which was not well-organized within our files previously. There was a question about whether there is a timing risk associated with delaying the approval of a loan associated with engineering work, and it was generally agreed that we are unlikely to have a feasible option other than moving ahead.

Charles Peel made a motion to approve Vermont State Revolving Fund load agreement for $83,400. Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Upon further discussion, it was noted that the motion should include wording to specify that this is for the wastewater system. Charles Peel amended his motion, to approve a Vermont State Revolving Fund load agreement for $83,400 for the wastewater system engineering. Curtis Chase seconded the motion. There was no further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.

XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION

There were personnel topics to discuss for executive session.

Charles Peel made a motion to enter executive session, inviting Gayle Durkee. Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Gregg Herrin noted that use of executive session to discuss personnel topics is allowed per 1 V.S.A. § 313(a). The motion passed unanimously.

Executive session began at 7:55 pm.

Paul Libby made a motion to exit executive session. Charles Peel seconded the motion. There was no further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.

Executive session ended at 8:16 pm. Gregg Herrin noted that there were two personnel topics discussed, with no action taken, and at no point did any non-board members influence the discussion.

XVI. PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION OF WINDSOR COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE DRAFT CONTRACT

A review of the proposed contract from Windsor County Sheriff’s Office raised some questions about things like the split of daytime and nighttime hours, obligations about written priority lists from the board, and monthly updates from the Sheriff’s office. It was suggested that in-person updates to the Town at future Selectboard meetings would be helpful for providing transparency about services and safety in general. No action was taken, but it was noted that a representative from the Windsor County Sheriff’s Office will be present for the May 5 Selectboard meeting.

XVII. YOUTH VOLUNTEERS AT TRANSFER STATION

Based on information from the Department of Labor, there are no apparent labor law restrictions that would prevent youth volunteers from helping at the transfer station with non-equipment based duties like helping townspeople unload their trash and recycling, tidying up any loose debris, etc. The Town does still need to make sure that the right waivers are in place, and volunteers would not be automatically accepted. Each individual who wishes to volunteer will be discussed and approved in future executive sessions.

XVIII. TRANSFER STATION INSPECTION FOLLOW-UP

As follow-up to a recent inspection of the transfer station, the Town is taking steps to ensure compliance. Part of that includes a company being scheduled in the coming week to pump and inspect the oil storage tank to ensure there are no leaks.

XIX. LIGHTING CONTRACT FOR MERP GRANT

All of the lighting in the public spaces in the Town Hall will be replaced, with the full cost being covered by MERP grant funds. There may be a few areas where we will need to refine decisions about specific conditions as the project advances (for example handling ceiling replacement below the balcony).

Charles Peel made a motion to approve Doug Scott’s contract to redo lighting in public spaces inside and outside Town Hall for $44,500 using MERP funds. Paul Libby seconded the motion. There was no further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.

XX. ADJOURNMENT

Paul Libby made a motion to adjourn. Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Gregg Herrin noted that the board should work proactively to schedule topics for the next several meetings, to ensure continued improvement on effective and efficient decision making. The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 pm.

​​Selectboard meeting minutes​  

April 14, 2026, Immediately Following Board of Abatement Meeting, Chelsea Town Hall 

1.  ​Call to order​ 

Gregg Herrin called the meeting to order at 7:40pm.   
SELECTBOARD     
Gregg Herrin (Present)  
Curtis Chase (Present) 
Paul Libby (Present) 
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo (Present) 
Charles Peel (Present) 
TOWN EMPLOYEES/OFFICIALS     
Jen Chase (Town Clerk) 
Kasey Peterson (Grants Manager) 
PUBLIC IN ATTENDANCE 
None 

2.  Additions to the agenda: NONE 

3.  Conflict of interest disclosure: none 

4. Executive Session if necessary 

Paul Libby made a motion to enter executive session, inviting the Grants Administrator, to discuss personnel pursuant to 1 V.S.A. § 313(A).  Curtis Chase seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard entered executive session at 7:41pm 

Paul Libby made a motion to exit executive session.  Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion.  Motion passed unanimously, and the Selectboard exited executive session at 8:37 PM. 

Gregg Herrin summarized that one personnel issue was discussed, and at no time did non-board members participate in or influence board decisions. 

Curtis Chase made a motion to formally accept Tierney Farago’s resignation, effective immediately upon her departure during the April 7 meeting.  Paul Libby seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously. 

Curtis Chase made a motion to expand Kasey Petersen’s current employment with the Town to include covering the duties of the Town Administrator in the interim, while the selectboard board evaluates the Town’s long-term needs of the position.  Charles Peel seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously. 

5.  ​Adjournment​ 

Paul Libby made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the meeting ended at 8:38 pm.