| 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. |