| Selectboard Meeting Agenda |
| November 18, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall |
| Call to Order |
| Gregg Herrin called the meeting to order at 6:31 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) Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer) Rick Ackerman (Road Foreman) Jen Chase (Town Clerk) |
| Additions to the Agenda: None |
| Conflict of Interest Disclosure |
| Gregg Herrin disclosed that his spouse is on the library board. |
| Public Comments |
| -Marianne McCann attended the meeting to follow-up on her proposed amendment to the social service appropriation policy. The Selectboard has reviewed, and Charles Peel mentioned that the proposed amendment defined social services more narrowly than allowed by statute and that the narrowed definition eliminated the ability to fund the TVT bus and farmer’s market. He also raised concerns regarding the possibility that the policy could be read as discriminatory on its face. He noted that groups are already collecting signatures on petitions for presentation at Town Meeting and that any amendment would need to take effect following Town Meeting. He further noted that the board may be open to creating a global appropriations policy but that it would need to be done with an eye toward historic appropriations and with careful review of statutory authority to avoid conflict and ensure that the policy adheres to what is legally required of the Town. The Town will continue to review the policy and make edits, though any changes which may be made will occur after the 2026 Town Meeting. -Marianne McCann inquired about the status of the Creamery Road drainage issues; Curtis Chase informed her that the Town was still waiting for a survey to be conducted. -Kate Mclean introduced herself as the new Chelsea correspondent for The Herald. |
| Approve Minutes from November 4, 2025 |
| Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to approve the minutes from November 4th; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| Current Events and Updates |
| A. Highway Update |
| Rick Ackerman updated the Selectboard on the status of sand; he is stockpiling as much sand as he can and will likely use some of his gravel funds on sand to ensure the Town has enough to spare for the winter. He also mentioned the quotes he obtained for front end repairs to his truck; the |
| B. Town Administrator Update |
| The Town Administrator has been in contact with a company called Text My Gov, which provides text-based services to keep residents informed of any Town business. The service can be used to communicate emergencies including weather-related issues, water main breaks, service outages, etc. with the public via text messages. The annual price for the service is estimated to be between $2,000 and $2,500. The Selectboard discussed the benefits and drawbacks of the service and prepared a few questions to ask the representative for further information. |
| Action Items |
| A. Two Rivers Capital Budgeting |
| Item was tabled, as the Selectboard liaisons would like to discuss capital budgeting with Two Rivers separately and bring the information back to the full Selectboard. |
| B. 2026 Budget Review |
| The Selectboard reviewed the highway budget while Rick Ackerman was in attendance. Rick and Gayle were able to answer questions on certain line items and explained what those items included. Overall, there was mostly discussion on preparing for capital planning and accounting for the replacement of equipment in the coming years. The Selectboard will continue to review the budget in preparation for the remaining Selectboard meetings for the year. |
| C. Library Budget Presentation |
| Kate McLean and Nick DeFriez attended the meeting to present an end of year review of the library and their budget for 2026. They shared data on attendance and the events and programs they hosted for the public in the last year. The library will ask for $65,000 in appropriations from the Town overall and will fund the rest of their budget in the coming year. Their appropriation request and overall budget are level funded from 2025. |
| D. Town Hall Facilities Agreement Draft Follow-Up |
| Item was tabled due to time constraints and moved to the next Selectboard meeting. No motion made. |
| E. Highway Permit: Kennedy Dr |
| Item was tabled, as more information is needed. No motion made. |
| F. Signage at Old Town Garage |
| Paul Libby had previously talked to Marty Gratz about her concern regarding folks parking near the Old Town Garage and subsequently blocking her driveway. Her suggested course of action was to install signage that discourages drivers from parking in front of the driveway. The Selectboard agreed that this was an easy fix; the Town Administrator will look at possible signs and order them. Rick Ackerman said the road crew can put up the posts for the signs. |
| G. Community Nurse MOU |
| The Selectboard discussed the drafted memorandum of understanding with First Branch Ambulance for the community nursing services. The Selectboard will finish their final draft of the MOU by the end of the week so it can be sent back to First Branch. No motion made. |
| H. Approve Orders |
| Paul Libby made a motion to approve the orders; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| Executive Session if Necessary |
| A. Personnel Pursuant To 1 V.S.A. § 313(a) |
| Charles Peel made a motion to enter executive session, inviting Tierney Farago; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard entered executive session at 9:55 pm. Charles Peel made a motion to exit executive session; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard exited executive session at 10:04 pm. Personnel was discussed and Charles Peel made a motion to hire Reuben Hook as a temporary seasonal road crew member at a pay rate within the presently-posted hiring range; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| Adjournment |
| Paul Libby made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard adjourned the meeting at 10:05 pm. |