DRAFT Meeting Minutes August 18, 2026
Present: Gregg Herrin, Charles Peel, Carrie Caouette-De Lallo (remotely), Kasey Peterson, Gayle Durkee, Rick Ackerman, Chintana Herrin, Marianne McCann
Gregg Herrin called the meeting to order at 6:34 PM
Adjustments to the Agenda
Highway Safety Improvement Program –This was reserved for a meeting that Paul and Curtis are able to attend
Propane Price Lock – Gillespie
Conflict of Interest Disclosure - none
Public Comments - none
Approve Minutes
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo moved to approve. Charles Peel noted that Gregg Herrin identified information that was missing. Because it was uncertain if that had been added, no second was made and no action was taken.
Treasurer Update
Tax Rate: Gayle Durkee is working with the Listers to correct the Grand List after she identified issues with current use calculations on the final Grand List for the 2026 Tax Year. The Board can expect Town Clerk, Jen Chase, to finalize the canvassing report so that the Listers can finalize the current use totals and the Board can approve the tax rates.
Water and Sewer Fees: Gregg Herrin began the discussion with general concepts identified last meeting regarding treating highways, the transfer station, and water/sewer department funding to be approached equitably. Gregg Herrin noted that there are areas that everyone uses and should contribute to, some that are either optional or are unavailable to some residents, and some that everyone should cover whether they use or not such as fire, EMS and policing services. Normal town operating budget is shared widely. Highways are available to all but not used equally and are used by non-residents. That said, individualizing tax burdens by usage is impossible. The transfer station is available to all but not used equally. There may be a collective benefit to all residents by operating the station. Our current handling of that funding is to share all costs across all taxpayers and some costs are directly borne by users. The water and sewer systems are compulsory for residents of the Village and unavailable to those beyond the system’s reach. Charles Peel expressed concern that the water and sewer system, excluding bond payments, are exclusively borne by the residents who are compulsorily connected to the system and that they disproportionately keep up a system designed to support a high school that was eliminated by vote of all residents.
Follow up items from the last meeting: Paul Libby asked about the breakdown of fixed vs variable costs. Gregg estimates that about 90% of the costs of the water and sewer system are fixed costs. Another Board member asked how Chelsea compares with other towns in Vermont. Chelsea is presently below the average rates in Vermont and Nationally. Gregg Herrin was careful to note that the state and national median rates should not be considered to be a target. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo asked what portions of the towns considered were comparable to the size of our town and system and how much of their costs were tax funded.
Charles Peel will work with Mike Whipple to determine what the breakdown would be between tax funding and use fee funding if the Board applied the same funding approach to the water and sewer systems that are used for the other systems.
Public Discussion: Marianne McCann believes it is illegal for any public funding to be brought in by taxation and believes that there is a “legal document” from the formation of the water system which prohibits collecting of public funds to support the systems. Gregg Herrin noted that the Board will do its due diligence to verify that any changes are legal.
Administrator Update
FEMA Projects: Kasey verified that the departure of a Town Administrator and a lack of permitting are both explicitly named reasons that do not qualify for extensions. The State of Vermont may give us a six-month extension but that will create some risk with FEMA funding. We have to order and have the box culvert poured before we know if the FEMA funding remains feasible. The Town has expended funds already for road repairs. Kasey and Rick have discussed pricing and expect the cost of the Doyle Road project to be in excess of $400,000.00 and the Edwards Road Project to be in excess of $500,000.00. The future of FEMA’s funding generally is uncertain. Paul Libby’s input is needed to speculate on the options other than the engineered proposals at this time so that the Town can benefit from his DOT experience. Marianne McCann asked how much cost had already been spent on engineering. Gayle Durkee indicated that it was $200,000.00 inclusive of the Maple Avenue Bridge. It is unclear to the Board why we opted for having third party engineering for the Doyle Road box culvert rather than having the company that will construct it design the culvert in house. That decision was made by a Board with no common members with the current Board.
Municipal Energy Resilience Update: Adam Grimes would like a decision about how to restore the storm windows he removed from the Library. The Board wanted input from the Library and the public lands liaisons to be included in the discussion.
Highway
Open Bids for Upper Village Road Paving
Blacktop Inc – $114,165.22 and $148,342.32. Total $262,507.54 which includes level and overlay of section 1 full depth on section 2.
JA McDonald – $324,106.80. Base Bid is $150,114.80, additional is $173,992.00. Base includes shim with ¾” of type 4 and 1” of type 3. Upgrade would be 4” total asphalt.
Pike Industries – $112,373.00 for phase 1 and $160,834.50 for phase 2. Total $273,207.50 which includes level and overlay of section 1 and full depth of section 2.
The Board asked Rick Ackerman to review the bids and verify that each bid includes everything that he expected to be included. A representative from Pike was present and pointed out that their phase 1 cost was lower than Blacktop’s. If we are unable to complete both sections, Pike may be a less expensive option. Gregg reviewed the budget and verified that we have $79,000.00 in the resurfacing fund and will have another $50,000.00 once the tax paymetns start coming in.
Charles Peel moved to accept Blacktop Inc’s Bid of $262,507.54 to resurface a portion of Upper Village Road and extend the pavement on Upper Village Road. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo asked if the timelines matched Rick’s desired timelines and Rick verified that October 1st was included in all bids. The motion passed unanimously.
Two Rivers Regional Planning Commission Representative:
The Town needs to appoint a member to the TRORC Board to represent the Town’s interests in regional planning. The Board will put out a call to the Town through electronic means to solicit interested residents to represent the Town. This position has been vacant for several years since the prior representative resigned. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo will identify the duties so that the Board can ask for volunteers to be considered for nomination to the TRORC Board. The Chelsea Board would like this position to be actively engaged with the Selectboard, the Planning Commission, and TRORC to advocate for the interests of the Town. The request for volunteers will be disseminated electronically by Charles Peel and Carrie Caouette-De Lallo
Town Administrator Position
The Selectboard needs to post the Town Administrator position. Gregg Herrin and Kasey Peterson will finalize the description. Charles Peel suggested that we set pay to be commensurate with experience and that we reserve the option to amend the description prior to hiring.
Approve Warrants
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo moved to approve warrants. Charles Peel seconded. No further discussion. Motion passed unanimously.
Gillespie Propane Price Lock
Town would agree to purchase 3,169 gallons of propane for a fixed price of $1.57 per gallon. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo moved to approve the rate lock. Charles Peel seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Executive Session if necessary - None Needed.
Adjournment
Charles Peel moved to adjourn. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded. No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.