Selectboard

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Organizational Selectboard Meeting Minutes – March 6, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Organizational Selectboard Meeting Minutes
March 6th, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
Call to Order
Kevin Marshia called the meeting to order at 6:34 pm. 
SELECTBOARD 
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo (Present) 
Gregg Herrin (Present) 
Curtis Chase (Present) 
Kevin Marshia (Present)
Paul Libby (Present, Virtual)
TOWN EMPLOYEES 
Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) 
Rick Ackerman (Road Foreman)
Additions to the Agenda
The Town Administrator added the approval of orders to the agenda.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: none
Public Comments
Tom Caffery attended the meeting virtually to express his interest in being appointed to the vacant Town Constable position and possibly the Health Officer and Animal Control Officer. He recounted his professional background in law enforcement, firefighting, animal control, and more. Kevin Marshia mentioned that they had spoken previously and would like to discuss Tom’s interest in more detail during the next regular Selectboard meeting on March 18th.
Approve Minutes from February 21st  
Approval of minutes was tabled until the next meeting to allow the new Selectboard ample time to review.
Agenda Items
A. Appointments for any Elected Vacancies
No candidates were appointed to any vacant positions at this time.
B. Select Chair and Vice Chair
The Selectboard discussed and agreed that having the two most senior members of the Selectboard as the Chair and Vice-Chair would be the best course of action. Kevin Marshia made a motion to appoint Gregg Herrin to the Selectboard Chair position; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to appoint Kevin Marshia to the Selectboard Vice-Chair position; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed.
C. Determine Meeting Rules of Procedure
Kevin Marshia made a motion to continue using Robert’s Rules of Order as a template for rules of procedure; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed.
D. Designate Meeting Dates, Times, and Location for Regular Meetings
The Selectboard discussed possibly moving the Selectboard meetings to every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, however, there would likely be conflicts with other meetings including the Library meetings. Kevin Marshia originally made a motion to accept the new meeting days, but withdrew the motion due to the conflict. They decided continuing with the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, eliminating the 5th Tuesday meetings, would be sufficient. Kevin Marshia made a motion to hold the Selectboard meetings on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall Library or Town Hall when applicable; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed.
E. Designate Locations for Meeting Notices
The Selectboard found no reason to change the current posting locations for the agenda (post office bulletin board, Town Hall bulletin board, Will’s Store bulletin board, and online). Kevin Marshia made a motion to continue posting meeting notices to those locations; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed.
F. Determine Process for Calling Special and Emergency Meetings
The Selectboard briefly discussed the current process of following the VLCT protocols for calling special and emergency meetings. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to continue adhering to these protocols; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed.
G. Select Newspaper of Record for Public Notice
Kevin Marshia made a motion to continue using The Herald as the newspaper of record.; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed.
H. Determine Selectboard Organizational Processes for the Following
1. Designate member or members to sign orders/warrant on off-weeks: After some discussion on availability, Carrie volunteered to be the primary contact to sign orders, while Curtis will be secondary in the event that she is unable to sign. Kevin made a motion to have Carrie as the primary and Curtis as the secondary contact for orders; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed.
2. Determine agenda content and coordination: Kevin made a motion to continue the current process of having Tierney collect agenda items and minutes and send to the Selectboard for review; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed.
3. Approval of Village Greens Requests: Kevin Marshia made a motion to continue the current process of approving Village Greens requests; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed.
4. Approval of Roberts Gould Field Requests: Kevin Marshia made a motion to continue the current process of approving Roberts Gould Field requests; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed.
5. Designate whether Selectboard members want to have liaison appointments for Town Departments: Gregg Herrin proposed new streamlined liaison categories to help cut down on confusion and redundancy in the previous liaison appointments. After discussing what each category entailed, the Selectboard agreed on the primary and secondary liaisons for each field. Liaisons are as follows:
-Executive & Admin: 1st Gregg Herrin, 2nd Kevin Marshia
-Planning & Zoning: 1st Carrie Caouette-De Lallo, 2nd Gregg Herrin
-Health & Safety: 1st Carrie Caouette-De Lallo, 2nd Kevin Marshia
-Public Lands & Facilities: 1st Curtis Chase, 2nd Paul Libby
-Highway: 1st Paul Libby, 2nd Curtis Chase
-Transfer Station: 1st Paul Libby, 2nd Curtis Chase
-Water & Wastewater: 1st Kevin Marshia, 2nd Gregg Herrin
No motion required.
I. Approve Orders
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to approve the orders; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Adjournment
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 8:24 pm.
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Organizational Selectboard Meeting – March 6, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Organizational Selectboard Meeting Agenda
March 6th, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
Call to order
Additions to the Agenda
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Public Comments
Approve Minutes from February 25th
Agenda Items
A. Appointments for any Elected Vacancies
B. Select Chair and Vice Chair
C. Determine Meeting Rules of Procedure
D. Designate Meeting Dates, Times, and Location for Regular Meetings
E. Designate Locations for Meeting Notices
F. Determine Process for Calling Special and Emergency Meetings
G. Select Newspaper of Record for Public Notice
1. Determine Selectboard Organizational Processes for the Following
2. Designate member or members to sign orders/warrant on off-weeks
3. Determine agenda content and coordination
4. Approval of Village Greens Requests
5. Approval of Roberts Gould Field Requests
6. Designate whether Selectboard members want to have liaison appointments for Town Departments
Adjournment
Links to join the Meeting:     
https://meet.google.com/fwf-ayyb-acq
https://www.youtube.com/@chelseavtselectboardofficial/streams
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Selectboard Meeting Minutes – February 18, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Selectboard Meeting Agenda
February 18th, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall Library
Call to Order
Kevin Marshia called the meeting to order at 6:32 pm. 
SELECTBOARD 
Kelly Lyford (Present) 
Gregg Herrin (Present) 
Leyna Hoyt (Present) 
William Lyon (Present)
Kevin Marshia (Present)
TOWN EMPLOYEES 
Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) 
Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer) 
Rick Ackerman (Road Foreman)
Additions to the Agenda
The Town Administrator included an item related to a possible reimbursement for water/sewer for a resident. Their water was turned off mid-December but they were charged for the remainder of the month. The Selectboard discussed that if the water was turned off and the Town wasn’t notified, it would be the owner’s responsibility to pay the fees. If the water was turned off by the Town, however, it would make sense to reimburse them. Gayle will reach out to Mike Whipple to see if the Town shut off the water for the owner, and if he did, then their bill can be reimbursed.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None
Public Comments: None
Approve Minutes from February 4, 2025
Kelly Lyford made a motion to approve the minutes from February 4th; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Current Events and Updates
A. Highway Update
Rick Ackerman gave an update on the highway department; sand is a little lower than he would like, but they’ve had to use significantly more sand due to the unseasonable winter weather. They’ve used quite a bit more than they have in recent years with the amount of snow and ice Chelsea has been experiencing. Larry Pickett will also scale back his work, so the Town Administrator will post the road crew position again to hopefully get additional help. The Selectboard also discussed the possibility of hiring if the candidate will be willing to train for the CDL license if they do not already have one.
B. Town Administrator Update
The Town Administrator gave updates on several items:1. Security Cameras: Green Mountain Security has been setting up security cameras at Town Hall and the Town Garage recently. They should be wrapped up within the next few weeks. Kevin suggested notifying the public of why the cameras are being set up while also making it clear that they will be recorded while on the premises. The Town Administrator will post on social media so the public is aware, and signs will also be posted on the property for transparency. 2. Several remaining FEMA cases have been obligated, and the Town is now just waiting for the state to draw those funds down to the accounts. The last cases that will stay open are tied to the engineering projects for Edwards Rd, Doyle Rd, and the Maple Ave bridge.
Action Items
A. Water and Sewer Rate Increase
Gregg Herrin gave an update on where he was at regarding the numbers for the water and sewer rate increase proposal. He has been working with Gayle to figure out some missing information and they are waiting to get some answers regarding funds in/out. Once they have the remaining information, they will be able to present accurate rate increase proposals for the Selectboard to deliberate. No motion was made.
B. Community Nurse Request for Proposal Opening
The Selectboard opened a sealed bid for the community nurse contract. The bid was from Jodi Hoyt proposing a year long contract for community nurse services for 12 hours weekly, totaling $30,576, not including mileage and supplies. The Selectboard had questions regarding how the mileage is calculated, what supplies would be required, and how much the community nurse grant might cover, among other questions. Further information from Jodi was needed for clarity before a decision is made, so the Town Administrator will reach out with the written questions and come back to the Selectboard with answers and further discussion. No motion was made.
C. Susan Knapp: Free Library Donation for Village Greens
Susan Knapp attended the meeting to pitch a free little library to the Selectboard. She would like to create and fund a little library to install at one of the village greens so that residents can take and leave books as they would like. The Selectboard has questions pertaining to what it would look like and who would maintain it; Susan said she would work with a handyman to build the structure, and she would maintain the library. The Selectboard wants to check with several other entities including the Forest and Parks commission, the Town library, and the zoning administrator to make sure that it would be possible to do. The Town Administrator will reach out to everyone and see if there are any possible issues with accepting this generous donation. No motion was made.
D. Approve Orders
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve the orders; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Executive Session If Necessary: None
Adjournment
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion Passed. The meeting adjourned at 8:50 pm.
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Selectboard Meeting Agenda – February 18, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Selectboard Meeting Agenda
February 18th, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall Library
Call to Order
Additions to the Agenda
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Public Comments
Approve Minutes from February 4, 2025
Current Events and Updates
A. Highway Update
B. Town Administrator Update
Action Items
A. Water and Sewer Rate Increase
B. Community Nurse Request for Proposal Opening
C. Susan Knapp: Free Library Donation for Village Greens
D. Approve Orders
Executive Session If Necessary
Adjournment
Links to join the Selectboard Meeting:     
https://meet.google.com/fwf-ayyb-acq
https://www.youtube.com/@chelseavtselectboardofficial/streams
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Selectboard Meeting Minutes – February 4, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Selectboard Meeting Agenda
February 4th, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall Library
Call to Order
Kelly Lyford called the meeting to order at 6:32 pm. 
SELECTBOARD 
Kelly Lyford (Present) 
Gregg Herrin (Present) 
Leyna Hoyt (Present) 
William Lyon (Present)
Kevin Marshia (Absent)
TOWN EMPLOYEES 
Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) 
Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer) 
Additions to the Agenda: None
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None
Public Comments: None
Approve Minutes from January 21, 2025 and January 25, 2025
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve the minutes from January 21st and January 25th; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Current Events and Updates
A. Highway Update
There were no significant highway updates.
B. Town Administrator Update
There were no significant Town Administrator updates.
Action Items
A. Interim Zoning Administrator Services TRORC
Kyle Katz from Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission attended the meeting to discuss a potential contract for interim zoning administrator services. His colleague, Kyle Hansen, has availability to serve as a temporary zoning administrator to help with permitting until a ZA can be hired. This would likely be remote work for 5-7 hours weekly, depending on the needs of the Town. The price of this contract, expected to last until May 2, is not to exceed $4,420. Gregg Herrin made a motion to accept this contract and nominate Kyle Hansen as the interim zoning administrator; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed.
B. Water and Sewer Rate Increase
This item was tabled until February 18th to give ample time to prepare numbers and statistics.
C. Law Enforcement Requests for Proposal Opening
The Selectboard opened two bids for Law Enforcement services. The first was from Orange County for 6 hours of day and night weekly coverage for a total of $22,000 for a year. The second was for Windsor County for 14 hours of day, night, and weekend coverage for a total of $56,784 for a year. The Selectboard discussed their opinions on Window County’s current law enforcement services and agreed that they would like to continue using them for the upcoming year, having already made arrangements for the budget in case they chose to proceed with them again. They wanted to double-check that weekend coverage was still included, but overall chose Windsor County’s proposal. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to accept Windsor County’s proposal for law enforcement; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed.
D. Community Nurse Request for Proposal Opening
This item was tabled to February 18th to give proper time to open proposals.
E. Cleopatra Griffin Village Greens Request
Cleopatra Griffin requested to use the village greens on Saturday, June 7th from 11 am- 4 pm for the SafeArt Spring Carnival. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve this request; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed.
F. Chelsea Annual Flea Market Village Greens Request
The Annual Flea Market would like to use the village greens on July 12th from 6 am- 4 pm for the event, and on July 10th and 11th for set-up. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve the request; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed.
G. Chelsea Farmer’s Market Village Greens Request
The Farmer’s Market requested the use of the village greens on Fridays from 2 pm- 7 pm May 23-October 10. There was a concern that this might affect the Flea Market’s request on July 11th, so the Town Administrator will work with both groups to ensure that they can both operate at the same time. Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve this request; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed.
H. Approve Orders
Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the orders; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Executive Session If Necessary: none
Adjournment
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 7:15 pm.
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Selectboard Meeting Agenda – February 4, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Selectboard Meeting Agenda
February 4th, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall Library
Call to Order
Additions to the Agenda
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Public Comments
Approve Minutes from January 21, 2025 and January 25, 2025
Current Events and Updates
A. Highway Update
B. Town Administrator Update
Action Items
A. Interim Zoning Administrator Services TRORC
B. Water and Sewer Rate Increase
C. Law Enforcement Requests for Proposal Opening
D. Community Nurse Request for Proposal Opening
E. Cleopatra Griffin Village Greens Request
F. Chelsea Annual Flea Market Village Greens Request
G. Chelsea Farmer’s Market Village Greens Request
H. Approve Orders
Executive Session If Necessary
Adjournment
Links to join the Selectboard Meeting:     
https://meet.google.com/fwf-ayyb-acq
https://www.youtube.com/@chelseavtselectboardofficial/streams
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Annual Town Meeting and Information Meeting Prior to the Annual Town Meeting

ByTierney Farago

2025 Chelsea Annual Town Meeting Warning

Informational Meeting Prior to the Annual Town Meeting

Friday, February 21, 2025 at 6:30 pm in the Chelsea Town Hall

Informational Meeting to discuss Articles 1 and 2

Budget presentation by Selectboard

Introduction to Candidates

Public comments

Annual Town Meeting

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 9 am – 7  pm

Australian Ballot Vote on Articles 1 and 2

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 10 am – Adjournment

Floor Vote on Articles 3-7

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Special Selectboard Meeting Minutes -January 25, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Special Selectboard Meeting Agenda
January 25th, 2025 8:00 am Chelsea Town Hall Library
Call to Order
Kevin Marshia called the meeting to order at 8:05 am. 
SELECTBOARD 
Kevin Marshia (Present) 
Kelly Lyford (Present) 
Gregg Herrin (Present) 
Leyna Hoyt (Present) 
William Lyon (Present)
TOWN EMPLOYEES 
Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) 
Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer) 
Additions to the Agenda
Leyna Hoyt had an addition to the agenda; Rick took his truck in for maintenance and found out it needed parts for the manifold and the work was estimated to be between $4,500-$6,500. He wanted to get the Selectboard’s approval in the event the work is over the $5,000 purchasing limit and he needs the work done as soon as possible to get the truck up and running. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve work on the truck up to $6,500; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None
Public Comments: None
Approve Minutes from January 21, 2025
The Selectboard did not have the opportunity to review the minutes; the item was tabled until the February 4th meeting. No motion was made.
Action Items
A. Budget Amendment
There was a mistake on the previously approved budget; an appropriation petition for the Central Vermont Center on Aging was incorrectly listed at $1,000 instead of the requested $1,250. This affected the overall budget and the Town Meeting Warning.  To remedy this, the budget was adjusted for the additional $250, resulting in a general budget of $1,751,244, $1,144,192 of which will be raised by taxes and $607,052 by non-tax revenue. The Selectboard double-checked the numbers and added them into the final budget spreadsheet. Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the budget of $1,751,244 of which $1,144,192 shall be raised by taxes and $607,052 by non-tax revenue; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed.
B. Town Meeting Warning
The Town Meeting Warning also had to be amended to reflect the appropriation amount, as well as editing the petition for the Chelsea Health Center to reflect the exact language written in their official petition. Article 7 was also added: To transact any other lawful business to properly come before the voters. One last review was made before the Selectboard agreed to approve the Warning. Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the edited Warning as written; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Executive Session If Necessary: None
Adjournment
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to adjourn the meeting; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 8:28 am.
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Selectboard Meeting Minutes – January 21, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Selectboard Meeting Agenda
January 21st, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall Library
Call to Order
Kevin Marshia called the meeting to order at 6:33 pm. 
SELECTBOARD 
Kevin Marshia (Present) 
Kelly Lyford (Present) 
Gregg Herrin (Present) 
Leyna Hoyt (Present)
William Lyon (Present)
TOWN EMPLOYEES 
Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) 
Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer) 
Rick Ackerman (Road Foreman)
Additions to the Agenda: None
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None
Public Comments: None
Approve Minutes from January 14, 2025
Kelly Lyford made a motion to approve the minutes from January 14; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. William Lyon abstained. Motion passed.
Current Events and Updates
A. Highway Update
Rick Ackerman let the Selectboard know that a substantial amount of sand has been necessary to use due to recent weather. He is working to conserve as much sand as he can. He also discussed the lead times for truck components for the Town truck that was ordered; factory delays may affect the finish date for the truck. He will work with Leyna and Tierney on getting a better idea of production dates.
B. Town Administrator Update
The Town Administrator updated the Selectboard that several FEMA projects are moving forward through the review and approval process. The Selectboard would like to receive updates regarding the pedestrian bridge progress when available. The Town Administrator is consulting with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns regarding recent legal questions on funds appropriated during the 2023 Town Meeting and will update the Selectboard when more information is available.
Action Items
A. Recreation Committee Mowing Budget – John Parker
Gayle Durkee discussed information sent in by John Parker regarding mowing contracts for the coming year. Prices have gone up, so she worked with John to redistribute some funds between the Recreation Committee and the Town to help cover the increased rates. No motion was required.
B. Windsor County Police
Sheriff Palmer with the Windsor County Police attended the meeting virtually to discuss a proposed renewal of the policing contract with the Town and what services Windsor County has provided during the yearlong contract they’ve almost completed. Hourly rates for his officers will be raised from $65 to $78, which will likely bring the current contract up to $56,784 for 14 hours of service provided weekly. In order to finish the budget, the Selectboard decided to account for this price increase in the budget line item of Law Enforcement in the event that a contract is renewed. A request for proposals must be sent out to give fair chance to any agency looking to contract with the Town of Chelsea. The Town Administrator will work on the RFP and post it as soon as possible. No motion was required.
C. Budget Review and Finalization
The Selectboard discussed several remaining items on the budget, and adjusted them accordingly. Some funds were shifted from line items to account for the $20,000 previously dedicated to a community nurse, while others added to Law Enforcement funds. Leyna Hoyt presented information regarding competitive salaries from other towns, mainly for the Road Crew, Road Foreman, and Town Treasurer roles, so the Selectboard could consider budgeting for salary increases. After much discussion, Gregg Herrin suggested a lump sum of money to budget for overall increases in salary for all Town Employees. This was due to time constraints on the budget; it was proposed to reassess all Town Employee salaries at a later date. The amount proposed was $35,000, split between two line items for Highway staff and Town staff. After reviewing the full budget and altering some items, the Selectboard settled on a final budget which includes the total general fund expenditures of $1,750,994 of which $1,144,742 shall be raised by taxes and $606,252 by non-tax revenue. Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the budget of $1,750,994 of which $1,144,742 shall be raised by taxes and $606,252 by non-tax revenue; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed.
D. Town Meeting Warning
The Selectboard looked over the drafted Town Warning with the town Administrator. This warning includes requests for tax exemption for the Chelsea Health Center, several social service appropriations, and standard language for the Treasurer to collect tax bills and set a due date of November 1st for taxes. The selectboard added in the finalized budget number and approved the warning. Kelly Lyford made a motion to approve the Town Meeting Warning as written; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Approve Orders
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve orders; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Executive Session If Necessary: None
Adjournment
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. Motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 9:40 pm.
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Special Selectboard Meeting Agenda – January 25, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Special Selectboard Meeting Agenda
January 25th, 2025 8:00 am Chelsea Town Hall Library
Call to Order
Additions to the Agenda
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Public Comments
Approve Minutes from January 21, 2025
Action Items
A. Budget Amendment
B. Town Meeting Warning
Executive Session If Necessary
Adjournment
Links to join the Selectboard Meeting:     
https://meet.google.com/fwf-ayyb-acq
https://www.youtube.com/@chelseavtselectboardofficial/streams