News

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    Request for Proposals – Land Record Digitization

    Request for Proposals

    Land Record Digitization/Migration and Public Portal Access Management

    Proposals due March 12, 2024

    The Town of Chelsea Vermont’s Town Clerk invites qualified vendors to submit a proposal for

    Digitization/Migration of Land Records with Public Portal Access Setup and Management to include migration and scanning of Land Record books/indexes dating back 40 years. (1984-2024) CAN OPT TO NO BACK SCANNING TO SAVE MONEY

    Objectives for this process are as follows:

    • To update software with user friendly public access and payment system
    • To merge current files and digitize hard copies of all necessary documents and images to the new system portal, including redaction services if needed
    • To effectively train town officials/staff on processes and procedures

    The digitization of Land Records will be:

    • Secure
    • User friendly for both internal and external users
    • Service will install and maintain the system including staffing to scan in documents/images
    • Training of the Town of Chelsea’s consistent users
    • Will include 2 workstation licenses
    • Include future options for additional record upkeep
    • Be forward thinking

    BACKGROUND INFORMATION

    The Town of Chelsea is a small rural community located at 296 VT Rte 110, Chelsea, VT in Orange County, Vermont with a population of 1233 people.

    Current Land Records (86 land record book hosting an average of 700 pages each) are indexed back 13 years with current software, with no images digitized at this time.

    PROPOSAL DEADLINE:

    The deadline for proposals is Tuesday, March 12, 2024 5 PM EST. Submit one copy of the RFP response as a PDF inserted into an email addressed to town.clerk@chelseavt.us with the subject line of “ Town of Chelsea VT, Digitization of Records RFP”.

    For more information about this solicitation, please contact Karen Lathrop, Chelsea, VT. Town Clerk. 802-685-4460. Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 8 AM -4:00PM

    Town of Chelsea, VT 05038  – RFP for Land Record Digitization/Migration FY 24

    REQUIRED CONTENT OF PROPOSALS:

    1.   Please provide a brief cover letter and summary of how your company will assist the Town in achieving its project objectives.

    2.   Provide brief overview and history of your company including statements concerning:

    • How long the company has been in business
    • Capabilities of company team and why your firm should be selected
    • How many Vermont municipal accounts you serve
    • Company name, website URL, phone, email address

    3.   Please describe your company’s capabilities with regards to:

    1. Warranties
    2. The availability of continued communications post implementation
    3. Support services – emergency and non-emergency situations
    4. State concerning hosting & security best practices, including data protection
    5. Implementation planning and guidance
    6. Onsite implementation/migration of data to new PC or Laptop
    7. Software Licensing
    8. Upcoming concerns as to E-recording

    4.   Please provide a proposed work plan for migration to your company, specifically key activities, and timing with deliverables.

    5.   Please provide 3 professional references for municipalities for whom you have completed similar work, or for whom you provide ongoing monthly maintenance and service

    6.   Describe your projected timeline for project completion. Provide an outline of your expectations of Town participation in all phases of project implementation.

    7.   Provide an outline of what technical services the Town can expect from your company in all phases of project implementation.

    Project Pricing Estimate/Cost for Services Outlined:

    Please specify amounts of items below:

    1. The cost of system migration (concept to completion) including:
    2. Days/hours/unit pricing of scanning/amount of content migration
    3. Training consistent users
    4. Additional products/functionality
    • Ongoing fees for maintenance and support for year 2 and beyond

    PROPOSAL REVIEW and CONTRACT AWARD SCHEDULE (tentative)

    March 12, 2024                     Proposals due by 5:00PM EST

    March 19, 2024                       Selectboard bid review

    March 21, 2024                       Successful bidder notification

    April 4, 2024                           Contract preparation

    April 15, 2024                         Begin Project

    ADDITIONAL CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS:

    The Consultant awarded this contract shall apply for registration with the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office to do business in the State of Vermont, if not already so registered.

    The contractor shall agree to provide and maintain the following types and amounts of insurance for the term of its contract with the Town of Chelsea. This insurance shall be obtained from an insurer having an A.M. Best Insurance Rating of at least A-, financial size category of VII or greater. [ www,ambest.com]

    Commercial General Liability Coverage:

    Commercial General Liability Insurance including but not limited to Bodily Injury, Personal/Advertising Injury, Broad Form Property Damage, Products and Completed Operations Liability and Contractual Liability with limits of, at minimal, $1,000,000 Combined Single Limit for each occurrence.  The Contractor must list the Town of Chelsea as Additional Insureds on their Commercial General Liability Policy.

    Workers’ Compensation & Employers Liability Insurance:

    Statutory Worker’s Compensation Insurance and Employers Liability with limits of, at minimum, $1,000,000 any one occurrence.  The Contractor must show evidence of Workers Compensation and Employers Liability Insurance Coverage.

    Professional Liability Insurance: (Errors and Omissions Coverage):

    Professional Liability Insurance Coverage for $1,000,000 Each Occurrence and $3,000,000 annual aggregate.  The Contractor must list the Town of Chelsea as Additional Insureds on their Professional Liability Policy.

    ***********

    The Town of Chelsea reserves the right to reject any or all submittals, to compare the merits of the responses, and to choose a Contractor/Vendor, which will best serve the interests of the Town.

    Town of Chelsea -Digitization of Land Records
    Addendum to RFP – Change to RFP

    Page 1 – Redact “to include migration and scanning of Land Record books/indexes dating back 40 years. The Town plans on implementing a digitization management system going forward only at this point. Please disregard any back scanning of documents in the RFP.

    Page 1- Change Under Objectives for this process are as follows: change “To merge current files and digitize hard copies of all necessary documents and images to the new system portal, including redaction services if needed” to read, The vendor to come in and scan, perform indexing and redaction sometime in the future.

    Page 1 – Under the heading “The digitization of Land Records” – Number of workstations needed will be changed from “Will include 2 workstation licenses” to “Will include 1 workstation and 1 public search station license.”

  • DRAFT 2/5/2024 Forest and Parks Commission Minutes

    February 5, 2024

    DRAFT Minutes of the Forest and Parks Commission

    Chelsea Town Library 

    Start time 6:10 pm

    Present: Linda Kuban, John Latham, Jen Chase, Andrew Pomerantz, Susan Elder, Kate Willard. Absent: Robin Amber, Peter Amber, Terry Libby,  John Upham, Kri Gale. Efforts to zoom call with Marty Gratz failed. 

    Discussion was held concerning the Commission being under same rules as Selectboard on open meeting laws, conflict of interest, officers, setting of meeting, notice, etc. which had been circulated electronically to the group prior. Prior minutes approved with no objection.

    Elected: Jen Chase, Chair; Kate Willard, Vice Chair; Susan Elder, Secretary. Voted and approved by majority. 

    Review of Kate’s drafted Mission Statement. After revision, all approved for use and to be sent to Selectboard member Jesse Kay for insertion on Town website under newly created heading of Forests and Parks Commission. 

    Jen Chase created a google group email that will be sent to Jesse Kay for use on the town website for contact information for the group. 

    Susan Elder will send tonight’s draft minutes and member names to Jesse Kay for adding to Town’s website. Susan will draft paper meeting notices and place them in three places as per the open meeting laws. 

    A discussion was held concerning sub-groups. It was decided that none will be created at this time. Since the group consists of only a few members and with a large cross over of interests it was decided that once we get into specific projects we can then divide up as needed.  

    Susan read the email from VNRC concerning available resources. 

    Susan reported on efforts to gather information concerning a pollinator garden on one of the FEMA properties; FEMA restrictions, grant options and low costs flowering trees through the conservation district. 

    Andy suggested a walk through the town forest. He will organize and notify members of date and time. 

    The group reviewed on-line and paper maps to identify town properties. 

    Adjourn. End at 7:25 p.m.

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    Selectboard Meeting Agenda – 6 February, 2024

    Selectboard Meeting Agenda
    6 February 2024
    6:30 PM
    Chelsea Town Hall

    1. Call meeting to order
    2. Additions to the Agenda
    3. Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    4. Public Comments
    5. Listers Appeal of Sales and Equalization Study 2023
    6. VLCT PACIF – Insurance claim for Town Hall
    7. Health Center Building
    8. Log Storage at Heath Field
    9. Use of Village Green – Arts Festival
    10. Approve Minutes 30 January 2024
    11. Approve Orders
    12. Executive Session if necessary
    13. Adjourn

    Links to join the Selectboard Meeting:
    https://meet.google.com/fwf-ayyb-acq
    https://www.youtube.com/@ChelseaVTSelectboardOfficial/streams

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    Planning Commission Notice of Public Hearing – February 12, 2024

    Chelsea Planning Commission
    Notice of Public Hearing
    On Modernizing Chelsea’s Housing Bylaws
    February 12, 2024, at 6:30 PM in the Chelsea Town Hall

    The Chelsea Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on modernizing Chelsea’s housing bylaws on Monday February 12th, 2024, at 6:30 PM in the Chelsea Town Hall, located at 296 VT Route 110, Chelsea, VT 05038.

    The purpose of this hearing is to commence a grant-funded project to modernize Chelsea’s zoning bylaws to expand opportunities for all types of housing construction, with a particular focus on its village center and other areas deemed suitable for future growth. The project will result in a draft revision of Chelsea’s zoning bylaws to replace the current zoning bylaw in its entirety. The revised bylaws are meant to further the goals of the Town Plan and 24 VSA § 4302.

    This hearing is open to the public.

  • Seeking Development Review Board Members

    The Town of Chelsea is looking for Development Review Board members. The Development Review Board (DRB) is a quasi-judicial five member board appointed by the Select Board. 

    The DRB reviews applications that involve requests for waivers, variances, conditional uses, design review, and change of use. 

    DRB meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd  Wednesday of the month at the Chelsea Town Library at 6:00 or as warranted.  

    If interested, please contact administrativeassistant@chelseavt.us.

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    Selectboard Meeting Agenda January 30, 2024

    Selectboard Meeting Agenda
    30 January 2024
    6:30 PM
    Chelsea Town Hall

    1. Call meeting to order
    2. Additions to the Agenda
    3. Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    4. Public Comments
    5. Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer
    6. Highway
    7. Listers – Appeal of Properties in Sales and Equalization Study
    8. Town Treasurer
      a. Line of Credit
    9. Forest and Parks Committee
    10. Development Review Board
    11. Town Report proof
    12. Old Home Days
    13. DuBois And King Contract Amendment
    14. Approve Minutes 16 January 2024
    15. Approve Minutes 23 January 2024
    16. Approve Orders
    17. Executive Session if necessary
    18. Adjourn
      Links to join the Selectboard Meeting:
      https://meet.google.com/fwf-ayyb-acq
      https://www.youtube.com/@ChelseaVTSelectboardOfficial/streams
  • Special Selectboard Meeting January 23rd

    The Selectboard will be holding a special meeting on Tuesday, January 23rd at 6:30 PM. The topic is law enforcement. At our January 16th meeting the board voted to enter into contracts with the Orange County Sheriff for $12,500 per year and the Windsor County Sheriff for $34,000 per year. This decision was made after discussing this topic at four recent Selectboard meetings and after multiple conversations with both Agencies. This decision would have had Orange County providing four hours per week of daytime coverage and Windsor County providing ten hours per week of nighttime coverage.


    Unfortunately on Wednesday, January 17th, the board received word from Orange County Sheriff’s Department informing us that they were not interested in entering into a $12,500 contract.

    Given that the Orange County Sheriff’s Office has declined to enter into a contract, the Selectboard will be meeting Tuesday evening to consider an updated proposal from the Windsor County Sheriff’s Office.

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    Special Selectboard Meeting January 23, 2024

    Special Selectboard Meeting
    Tuesday 23 January , 2024
    6:30 Chelsea Town Hall

    1. Call Meeting to Order
    2. Conflict of Interest
    3. Public Comments
    4. Law Enforcement
    5. Budget Amendment
    6. Corrected Warning
    7. Adjourn

    Links to join the Selectboard Meeting:
    https://meet.google.com/fwf-ayyb-acq
    https://www.youtube.com/@ChelseaVTSelectboardOfficial/streams

  • Budget Preparation and Law Enforcement

    Please note, the upcoming January 16th Selectboard Meeting Agenda includes Law Enforcement and Budget Preparation as topics. The Board plans to continue ongoing discussions and make a decision regarding law enforcement contracts that will impact the 2024 budget. This meeting is open to the public.

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    Selectboard Meeting Agenda January 16, 2024

    16 January 2024
    6:30 PM
    Chelsea Town Hall

    1. Call meeting to order
    2. Additions to the Agenda
    3. Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    4. Public Comments
    5. Law Enforcement
    6. Town Treasurer
      a. Budget Preparation
      b. Line of Credit
    7. Highway
      a. Certificate of Highway Mileage
    8. Health Center Building
    9. Town Meeting Warning
    10. State of Vermont Semiquincentenniel
    11. By-Law Modernization
      a. Approval of Contract with the State
      b. Agreement with Two Rivers
    12. DuBois And King Contract Amendment
    13. Approve Minutes 2 January 2024
    14. Approve Orders
    15. Executive Session if necessary
    16. Adjourn
      Links to join the Selectboard Meeting:
      https://meet.google.com/fwf-ayyb-acq
      https://www.youtube.com/@ChelseaVTSelectboardOfficial/streams