| Selectboard Meeting Minutes |
| November 4, 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 after 7:13 pm) 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 |
| Charles Peel had an addition to the agenda to appoint Jen Chase as a member of the DRB. The DRB nominated her to the vacant position on the board. Charles Peel made a motion to appoint Jen Chase to the Design Review Board; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Curtis Chase abstained. Motion passed unanimously. |
| Conflict of Interest Disclosure |
| Charles Peel advised that he is a member of the DRB. Curtis Chase advised that he is the spouse of Jen Chase and would be abstaining from the vote to appoint her to the DRB. Gregg Herrin reminded the Selectboard that he is the spouse of a member of the library board as the Selectboard enters into budget season and will review the library’s budget. He will abstain from voting at that time to avoid a conflict of interest. |
| Public Comments |
| Marianne McCann attended the meeting to present her suggestions for changes to the current social service appropriations policy. She will follow up with the Town Administrator so the Selectboard can review a written version of her additions for consideration. Jean Bernier attended the meeting to discuss a beaver dam issue by the Jenkins Brook bridge. The dam has since been destroyed, but beavers are still taking down her trees, and she wanted to know what action she is permitted to take on her own property. Paul Libby mentioned that ANR is aware of the issue and Fish and Game provided a brochure on beaver conflicts. They advised that landowners should contact Fish and Game to verify that they can remove the beavers located on their own property. The Selectboard advised that no action was needed by the Town for residents to trap on their own properties. |
| Approve minutes from October 21, 2025 |
| Curtis Chase made a motion to approve the minutes from October 21, 2025; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| Current Events and Updates |
| A. Highway Update |
| Rick Ackerman reported that the highway department has been hauling sand lately and cutting trees after the recent storms. He has been working with Curtis and Paul on the highway equipment inventory so they can begin working on a capital improvement plan, as well as the annual budget. |
| B. Town Administrator Update |
| Curtis Chase asked about how the open highway position was advertised and if it was possible to advertise with other publications. The Town Administrator will work on submitting ads to other agencies. The Selectboard will also review the updated job description and further explore the possibility of paying for CDL training or implementing a sign on bonus. To account for this, the Selectboard decided to make a motion to advertise that the town can offer up to $62,000 for salary and possible CDL certification. Paul Libby made the motion; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| Action Items |
| A. Town Hall Facilities Agreement Draft Follow-Up |
| The Selectboard had some additional comments and questions regarding the draft of the new facilities policy. Jen Chase stated that she needs to make some edits and is also waiting to hear if the Town’s insurance for the Town Hall covers residents renting the facility. The item will be on the next agenda for final edits and possible approval. No motion made. |
| B. Brookfield Service Preventative Maintenance Agreement |
| The Selectboard reviewed options for maintenance services for the generator at the wastewater facility and selected the option for major and minor services for a total of $2600 if paid before November 30th. No motion required. |
| C. Town Administrator Office Hour Change |
| The Town Administrator proposed new office hours (Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:30pm, previously 8:00am-5:00pm), as not many residents stop by the office after 4:30pm. The Selectboard did not have any objection. No motion required. The Town Administrator will update the hours at the office and online. |
| D. 2026 Budget Review |
| The Selectboard discussed the overview of the budget preparation process as prepared by Gregg Herrin. He will be importing all department budgets and miscellaneous items in a more easily approachable way via spreadsheet. The other Selectboard members had various questions on the setup of the master file, ways to visually show the data, and how items are imported in. This item was a preliminary review of the budget lines and how the information can best be presented to both the Selectboard and the public. No budget items have been officially approved yet. |
| E. Employee Healthcare Coverage |
| The Selectboard briefly discussed the options for employee healthcare benefits, as presented via email from the Town Treasurer for MVP and Banner Health. The Selectboard agreed that MVP was a better deal financially and saw no reason to change the coverage. Curtis Chase made a motion to opt for the MVP Platinum Plan; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| F. Treasurer/Administrator Rental Lease Agreement |
| The Selectboard reviewed the renewal of the lease agreement for the Town Administrator and Treasurer’s office. They had no further questions about the agreement. Paul Libby made a motion to approve the lease agreement for 2026; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| G. Zoning Administrator Appointment |
| The planning commission had nominated a candidate for the zoning administrator position during their last meeting, recommending Kyle Hansen to the Selectboard for appointment. Paul Libby made a motion to appoint Kyle Hansen as the zoning administrator; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| H. Approve Orders |
| Paul Libby made a motion to approve the orders; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. |
| Executive Session if necessary |
| A. Personnel Pursuant To 1 V.S.A. § 313(a) |
| The Selectboard chose to enter two separate executive sessions regarding personnel. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to enter executive session, inviting Tierney Farago; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed and the Selectboard entered executive session at 9:10pm. Charles Peel made a motion to exit executive session; Curtis Chases seconded the motion. Motion passed and the Selectboard exited executive session at 9:27pm. Charles Peel made a motion to enter a second executive session; Curtis Chases seconded the motion. Motion passed and the Selectboard entered executive session at 9:28pm. Charles Peel made a motion to exit executive session; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed and the Selectboard exited executive session at 10:32pm. Gregg Herrin noted that the Selectboard discussed personnel in both sessions, and no motions were made. |
| Adjournment |
| Paul Libby moved to adjourn the meeting; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 10:33 pm. |