News

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    Selectboard Meeting Agenda – November 4, 2025

    ByTierney Farago
    Selectboard Meeting Agenda
    November 4, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
    Call to Order
    Additions to the Agenda
    Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    Public Comments
    Approve Minutes from October 21, 2025
    Current Events and Updates
    A. Highway Update
    B. Town Administrator Update
    Action Items
    A. Town Hall Facilities Agreement Draft Follow-Up
    B. Brookfield Service Preventative Maintenance Agreement
    C. Town Administrator Office Hour Change
    D. 2026 Budget Review
    E. Employee Healthcare Coverage
    F. Treasurer/Administrator Rental Lease Agreement
    G. Zoning Administrator Appointment
    H. Approve Orders
    Executive Session if necessary
    Personnel Pursuant To 1 V.S.A. § 313(a)
    Adjournment
    VIRTUAL OPTION: To join the Selectboard Meeting virtually, pleas request a link to join from the Town Administrator at town.administrator@chelseavt.us, or by calling 802-625-2023.
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    DRINKING WATER WARNING FOR OCTOBER 30, 2025

    ByTierney Farago

    UPDATED 10/31: THE BOIL WATER NOTICE HAS NOW BEEN LIFTED.

    Chelsea Water System WSID 5638
    BOIL YOUR WATER BEFORE USING
    Due to the need for system repair of a water leak on highland avenue between the court house and attorney Dan Sedan’s office, a section of the system needs to be depressurized. Federal and State regulations require the system to issue a Boil Water Notice when depressurization happens to make a repair because there is a strong possibility that your drinking water supply may become contaminated on the way to the tap. This situation presents a significant health risk to users of the Chelsea Water System within the depressurized area. Starting at 8am on Thursday 10/30/2025 the Chelsea Water System is issuing a Boil Water Notice for users on South Park street and Highland Avenue. There will be a disruption to your service for several hours and once service is resumed, customers on those streets will be under a Boil Water Notice until we are able to get results back from the lab that show there is no presence of Coliform bacteria in the system.

    What should I do?
    DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.
    Coliforms are bacteria which are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other; potentially­harmful, bacteria may be present. When a water system is experiencing fluctuations in water pressure the possibility exists for bacteria and other harmful organisms to enter the water distribution system and contaminate your drinking water supply.
    People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some elderly may be at increased risk. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1 (800) 426-4791.

    What happened? What is being done?
    This Boil Water Notice will remain in effect until the water system maintenance/repair is complete and the system is able to demonstrate that the quality and quantity of the drinking water meets State and Federal drinking water standards.
    We will inform you when the necessary system maintenance/repair has been completed and tests show no bacteria present in the drinking water supply. We anticipate finishing the repair on Thursday 10/30/2025, but will not have lab results until Friday 10/31/2025 at the earliest, depending on getting test to lab before closing on Thursday 10/30/2025. If we are not able to get test results on Friday 10/31/2025 the boil water notice will be in effect until we get lab results on Monday 11/3/2025. We are not able to lift the Boil Water Notice until we have those results that show no presence of Coliform bacteria.

    For more information, please contact Mike Whipple at 802-685-7727 or wschiefoperator@chelseavt.us
    Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

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    Planning Commission Special Meeting Agenda – October 27, 2025

    ByTierney Farago

    Chelsea Planning Commission

    Notice of Special Meeting

    October 27th, 2025, at 7:45 PM in the Chelsea Town Hall

    The Chelsea Planning Commission will hold a Special Planning Commission Meeting on Monday October 27th, 2025 at 7:45 PM in the Chelsea Town Hall, located at 296 VT Route 110, Chelsea, VT 05038.

    This meeting is open to the public. Please note that the times given in the Agenda below are subject to change.

    Agenda

    7:45: Call to Order

    7:46: Additions or Deletions to the Meeting Agenda

    7:47: Public to be Heard

    7:50: Review Candidate’s Application for the Chelsea Zoning Administrator Position

    8:10: Decide the Next Chelsea Planning Commission Meeting Date

    8:15: Motion to Adjourn the Meeting

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    DRAFT Selectboard Meeting Minutes – October 21, 2025

    ByTierney Farago
    Selectboard Meeting Agenda
    October 21, 2025 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)
    Rick Ackerman (Road Foreman)
    Jen Chase (Town Clerk)
    Tom Swahn (Transfer Station Attendant)

    Gregg Herrin began the meeting by welcoming the new Selectboard member, Charles Peel, to the Selectboard. The board appreciates his willingness to step in to the role on behalf of his community.
    Additions to the Agenda
    -Baseball Batting Cage at Roberts-Gould Field: Lou Marraget AND Tim Carter submitted a request to rebuild a batting cage that was previously used at the Roberts-Gould field. They will be using the old net, suspending it on a cable system supported by four bracketed 6×8 pressure-treated posts. Paul Libby made a motion to approve the request to rebuild the batting cage in the same spot the original was placed; Curtis Chase seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    -Budget Timeline: Gregg Herrin added a quick review of the budget timeline to the agenda. The Selectboard discussed when items for the budget should be reviewed during meetings to wrap up the budget by the end of the year. No motion made.
    Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None, though Gregg Herrin disclosed that his wife is on the library board, and will make mention of this during the library budget review in future meetings.
    Public Comments: None
    Approve Minutes from October 7, 2025
    Paul Libby made a motion to approve the minutes from October 7th; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Charles Peel abstained. motion passed.
    Current Events and Updates
    A. Highway Update
    Rick Ackerman let the Selectboard know that the new truck chassis is in at Freightliner. He would like to pick the chassis up and store it at the Town Garage until the body is ready in spring or summer of 2026. He would also like to start looking into prices of new trucks for his six-wheeler. He will reach out to a few companies and get quotes on them. The pickup truck will also need some bodywork, and he will get that scheduled. The Selectboard discussed working on the budget and capital planning to have a better plan for replacing town assets in a timely manner.
    B. Town Administrator Update
    -Chelsea Business Chamber of Commerce: Charles Peel discussed interest from a local business to create a type of Chamber of Commerce for other business owners in Chelsea. While the Selectboard would support this endeavor and would be happy to push out information on it, they were unsure if the Town should have more of a role in the group past that.
    Action Items
    A. Frigid Frost Fighters: Beedle Rd Trail Request
    Rory Allen attended the meeting to get approval from the Selectboard to use Beedle Rd (a class 4 road) as a snowmobile trail. The Selectboard had a few questions regarding the maintenance of the trail, access, and any potential issues with private property. Rory is confident that there will be no issues and has already spoken to property owners for permission. The trail will be maintained by their group. Paul Libby made a motion to approve the use of Beedle Rd for a snowmobile trail; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    B. Solid Waste: Reducing Transfer Station Hours
    The transfer station attendants requested that the Selectboard approve them changing the hours of the transfer station from 8:00 am-3:45 pm to 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. Tom Swahn attended the meeting to answer any questions the Selectboard had about the change. There are very few people who come to the transfer station after 2:00 pm, so reducing the hours of trash drop-off will cut down on unnecessary staffing and Town expense. Tom suggested the new hours begin On December 6th so residents can be properly notified of the change. Curtis Chase made a motion to approve the new hours of 8:00 am to 2:00 pm; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Tom also discussed the possibility of changing the padlock on the transfer station gate, as they’ve been having issues of someone leaving the gate open outside of operating hours. He will look into getting a new padlock and keys.
    C. Chelsea Neighbors Helping Neighbors
    This item was tabled for a future meeting.
    D. Town Hall Facilities Agreement Draft Follow-Up
    Jen Chase discussed changes to the Town Hall rental agreement that should help streamline the process and reduce future issues with rentals. The Selectboard will review the changes more closely and suggest a few edits that could help with clarity. The item will be on the next agenda for final edits and approval.
    E. Liaison Re-assignments
    The Selectboard discussed appointing the vice-chair of the Selectboard, due to Kevin Marshia’s resignation. Curtis Chase volunteered to be the vice-chair. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo moved to nominate Curtis Chase as the vice-chair of the Selectboard; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. The Selectboard also made some minor changes to the liaison assignments in order to redistribute duties with the new member. No motion required.
    F. Approve Orders
    Paul Libby moved to approve the orders; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Charles Peel abstained. Motion passed.
    Executive Session if necessary
    A. Personnel Pursuant To 1 V.S.A. § 313(a)
    Charles Peel made a motion to enter executive session; Paul Libby seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard entered executive session at 9:30 pm. Paul Libby made a motion to exit executive session; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard exited executive session at 10:51 pm. Gregg Herrin explained that two personnel topics were discussed, but no action was taken.
    Adjournment
    Paul Libby made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Charles Peel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard meeting adjourned at 10:51 pm.

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    Selectboard Meeting Agenda – October 21, 2025

    ByTierney Farago
    Selectboard Meeting Agenda
    October 21, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
    Call to Order
    Additions to the Agenda
    Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    Public Comments
    Approve Minutes from October 7, 2025
    Current Events and Updates
    A. Highway Update
    B. Town Administrator Update-Chelsea Business Chamber of Commerce
    Action Items
    A. Frigid Frost Fighters: Beedle Rd Trail Request
    B. Solid Waste: Reducing Transfer Station Hours
    C. Chelsea Neighbors Helping Neighbors
    D. Town Hall Facilities Agreement Draft Follow-Up
    E. Liaison Re-assignments
    F. Approve Orders
    Executive Session if necessary
    A. Personnel Pursuant To 1 V.S.A. § 313(a)
    Adjournment
    VIRTUAL OPTION:
    To join the Selectboard Meeting virtually, pleas request a link to join from the Town Administrator at town.administrator@chelseavt.us, or by calling 802-625-2023.
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    DRAFT Selectboard Meeting Minutes – October 7, 2025

    ByTierney Farago
    Selectboard Meeting Minutes
    October 7, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
    Link to recorded meeting: https://youtu.be/9UZnwITuFtg
    Call to Order
    Gregg Herrin called the meeting to order at 6:32 pm.
    SELECTBOARD 
    Gregg Herrin (Present) 
    Curtis Chase (Present)
    Paul Libby (Present) 
    Carrie Caouette-De Lallo (Present)
    TOWN EMPLOYEES 
    Tierney Farago (Town Administrator)
    Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer)
    Rick Ackerman (Road Foreman)
    Jen Chase (Town Clerk)
    Susan Elder (Lister)
    Additions to the Agenda
    -The Town Administrator had two items that were covered during the Town Administrator update, as they did not require official motions from the Selectboard.
    -Budget Preparation: Gregg Herrin added this item to the agenda to begin the conversation around the budget season, Town Report schedule, and how the Selectboard would like to view the budget in an easily digestible way. The Selectboard and Town employees will begin gathering information on the budget to bring to upcoming Selectboard meetings.
    Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None
    Public Comments
    Rory Allen attended the meeting to discuss using Beedle Rd as a snowmobile trail for the frigid frost fighters club. The Selectboard agreed to put the item on the next agenda, as they believe it should be duly warned to the public before they decide.
    Approve Minutes from September 16, 2025
    Curtis Chase made a motion to approve the minutes from September 16, 2025; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    Current Events and Updates
    A. Highway Update
    Rick Ackerman recapped that the paving for Upper Village Rd has been completed. The crew has been working on leaf blowing, hauling sand, and finishing up the Grants in Aid work from Bobbinshop Rd and Baraw Hill Rd. The Selectboard also discussed potential interest in the highway crew position and if the Town would be willing to cover the cost of a CDL license for a new hire.
    B. Town Administrator Update
    -Water Pipe Issue: Tierney Farago alerted the Selectboard to a potential urgent issue with a pipe leak in the water system at the Rte 110 bridge near Brookhaven. Mike Whipple, the water operator, has been attempting to narrow down a leak and is relatively confident that the leak is coming from that area. This leak poses issues as it goes under the riverbed. More information will be shared when the leak has been confirmed, and an action plan has been created. If deemed an emergency, the proper steps will be taken quickly and efficiently to fix the issue and keep the public informed of any potential water cutoffs.
    – Zoning Administrator Vacancy: Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission informed the Town Administrator that the current contracted ZA will be leaving TRORC on October 17th. They will still have someone else filling in the contract position until the ZA contract ends or is amended to continue.
    Action Items
    A. First Branch Middle School Scarecrows for North Common
    The First Branch Middle School reached out to ask if the Town would allow decorated scarecrows to be placed on the North Common for the community. Students will decorate the scarecrows, removing them within a few weeks for the season. The Selectboard saw no issue with the festive decorations and will allow them to install the scarecrows. No motion needed.
    B. Town Housing Study Municipal Grant and EPA Brownfield Grant
    The Selectboard further discussed the possibility of applying for the Housing Study grant (through the Municipal Planning Grant) and the EPA Brownfield grant. Ultimately, it was agreed that the deadline to apply for the housing study grant is too soon to be able to put together a comprehensive application that will fare well for a competitive grant. The Selectboard agree that it would be best to prepare to apply for the grant next year instead, to allow for a fully thought out application and supporting documents. Carrie will be meeting with Peter Gregory of TRORC, and can ask some additional questions regarding the Brownfield grant and if it would be beneficial to the Town. No motion made.
    C. Drafting Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission Questions
    Carrie Caouette-De Lallo discussed potential questions regarding grants to bring to her meeting with Peter Gregory of Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission. The Selectboard brainstormed some related questions that Carrie will bring to TRORC, and then report back to the Selectboard with answers. No motion made.
    D. Treasurer/Administrator Office Lease Renewal
    The property owner renting a suite to the Town for the Town Treasurer and Town Administrator’s office submitted a lease agreement for 2026 for a one year term. The Selectboard required additional time to review the lease agreement and approve/sign during the next meeting if there are no further questions. No motion was made.
    E. Charlie Carrier Excavation Contract
    A contract for brush hogging services was presented. The total for the contract was $695, which requires the vendor to sign a service contract with the town. The contract did not require a motion, as it was well under the purchasing threshold for Selectboard approval. The contract was signed by the Selectboard.
     F. Approve Orders
    Paul Libby made a motion to approve the orders; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
    Executive Session
    A. Executive session to review selectboard candidate applications, pursuant to 1 V.S.A. § 313(a)(3)
    Paul Libby made a motion to enter executive session to discuss the appointment of a new Selectboard member; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard entered executive session at 8:22 pm. Paul Libby made a motion to exit executive session; Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the Selectboard exited executive session at 9:35 pm. Gregg Herrin explained that the Selectboard evaluated four prospective candidates for the vacancy and entertained a motion to appoint the candidate best suited for the role. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to appoint Charles “Chuck” Peel as the new Selectboard member; Curtis Chase 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 meeting adjourned at 9:37 pm.
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    Selectboard Meeting Agenda – October 7, 2025

    ByTierney Farago
    Selectboard Meeting Agenda
    October 7, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
    Call to Order
    Additions to the Agenda
    Conflict of Interest Disclosure
    Public Comments
    Approve Minutes from September 16, 2025
    Current Events and Updates
    A. Highway Update
    B. Town Administrator Update
    Action Items
    A. First Branch Middle School Scarecrows for North Common
    B. Town Housing Study Municipal Grant and EPA Brownfield Grant
    C. Drafting Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission Questions
    D. Treasurer/Administrator Office Lease Renewal
    E. Charlie Carrier Excavation Contract
     F. Approve Orders
    Executive Session
    A. Executive session to review selectboard candidate applications, pursuant to 1 V.S.A. § 313(a)(3)
    Adjournment
    VIRTUAL OPTION: To join the Selectboard Meeting virtually, pleas request a link to join from the Town Administrator at town.administrator@chelseavt.us, or by calling 802-625-2023.