News

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Special Selectboard Meeting Minutes -January 25, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Special Selectboard Meeting Agenda
January 25th, 2025 8:00 am Chelsea Town Hall Library
Call to Order
Kevin Marshia called the meeting to order at 8:05 am. 
SELECTBOARD 
Kevin Marshia (Present) 
Kelly Lyford (Present) 
Gregg Herrin (Present) 
Leyna Hoyt (Present) 
William Lyon (Present)
TOWN EMPLOYEES 
Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) 
Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer) 
Additions to the Agenda
Leyna Hoyt had an addition to the agenda; Rick took his truck in for maintenance and found out it needed parts for the manifold and the work was estimated to be between $4,500-$6,500. He wanted to get the Selectboard’s approval in the event the work is over the $5,000 purchasing limit and he needs the work done as soon as possible to get the truck up and running. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve work on the truck up to $6,500; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None
Public Comments: None
Approve Minutes from January 21, 2025
The Selectboard did not have the opportunity to review the minutes; the item was tabled until the February 4th meeting. No motion was made.
Action Items
A. Budget Amendment
There was a mistake on the previously approved budget; an appropriation petition for the Central Vermont Center on Aging was incorrectly listed at $1,000 instead of the requested $1,250. This affected the overall budget and the Town Meeting Warning.  To remedy this, the budget was adjusted for the additional $250, resulting in a general budget of $1,751,244, $1,144,192 of which will be raised by taxes and $607,052 by non-tax revenue. The Selectboard double-checked the numbers and added them into the final budget spreadsheet. Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the budget of $1,751,244 of which $1,144,192 shall be raised by taxes and $607,052 by non-tax revenue; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed.
B. Town Meeting Warning
The Town Meeting Warning also had to be amended to reflect the appropriation amount, as well as editing the petition for the Chelsea Health Center to reflect the exact language written in their official petition. Article 7 was also added: To transact any other lawful business to properly come before the voters. One last review was made before the Selectboard agreed to approve the Warning. Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the edited Warning as written; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Executive Session If Necessary: None
Adjournment
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to adjourn the meeting; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 8:28 am.
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Selectboard Meeting Minutes – January 21, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Selectboard Meeting Agenda
January 21st, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall Library
Call to Order
Kevin Marshia called the meeting to order at 6:33 pm. 
SELECTBOARD 
Kevin Marshia (Present) 
Kelly Lyford (Present) 
Gregg Herrin (Present) 
Leyna Hoyt (Present)
William Lyon (Present)
TOWN EMPLOYEES 
Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) 
Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer) 
Rick Ackerman (Road Foreman)
Additions to the Agenda: None
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None
Public Comments: None
Approve Minutes from January 14, 2025
Kelly Lyford made a motion to approve the minutes from January 14; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. William Lyon abstained. Motion passed.
Current Events and Updates
A. Highway Update
Rick Ackerman let the Selectboard know that a substantial amount of sand has been necessary to use due to recent weather. He is working to conserve as much sand as he can. He also discussed the lead times for truck components for the Town truck that was ordered; factory delays may affect the finish date for the truck. He will work with Leyna and Tierney on getting a better idea of production dates.
B. Town Administrator Update
The Town Administrator updated the Selectboard that several FEMA projects are moving forward through the review and approval process. The Selectboard would like to receive updates regarding the pedestrian bridge progress when available. The Town Administrator is consulting with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns regarding recent legal questions on funds appropriated during the 2023 Town Meeting and will update the Selectboard when more information is available.
Action Items
A. Recreation Committee Mowing Budget – John Parker
Gayle Durkee discussed information sent in by John Parker regarding mowing contracts for the coming year. Prices have gone up, so she worked with John to redistribute some funds between the Recreation Committee and the Town to help cover the increased rates. No motion was required.
B. Windsor County Police
Sheriff Palmer with the Windsor County Police attended the meeting virtually to discuss a proposed renewal of the policing contract with the Town and what services Windsor County has provided during the yearlong contract they’ve almost completed. Hourly rates for his officers will be raised from $65 to $78, which will likely bring the current contract up to $56,784 for 14 hours of service provided weekly. In order to finish the budget, the Selectboard decided to account for this price increase in the budget line item of Law Enforcement in the event that a contract is renewed. A request for proposals must be sent out to give fair chance to any agency looking to contract with the Town of Chelsea. The Town Administrator will work on the RFP and post it as soon as possible. No motion was required.
C. Budget Review and Finalization
The Selectboard discussed several remaining items on the budget, and adjusted them accordingly. Some funds were shifted from line items to account for the $20,000 previously dedicated to a community nurse, while others added to Law Enforcement funds. Leyna Hoyt presented information regarding competitive salaries from other towns, mainly for the Road Crew, Road Foreman, and Town Treasurer roles, so the Selectboard could consider budgeting for salary increases. After much discussion, Gregg Herrin suggested a lump sum of money to budget for overall increases in salary for all Town Employees. This was due to time constraints on the budget; it was proposed to reassess all Town Employee salaries at a later date. The amount proposed was $35,000, split between two line items for Highway staff and Town staff. After reviewing the full budget and altering some items, the Selectboard settled on a final budget which includes the total general fund expenditures of $1,750,994 of which $1,144,742 shall be raised by taxes and $606,252 by non-tax revenue. Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the budget of $1,750,994 of which $1,144,742 shall be raised by taxes and $606,252 by non-tax revenue; William Lyon seconded the motion. Motion passed.
D. Town Meeting Warning
The Selectboard looked over the drafted Town Warning with the town Administrator. This warning includes requests for tax exemption for the Chelsea Health Center, several social service appropriations, and standard language for the Treasurer to collect tax bills and set a due date of November 1st for taxes. The selectboard added in the finalized budget number and approved the warning. Kelly Lyford made a motion to approve the Town Meeting Warning as written; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Approve Orders
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve orders; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Executive Session If Necessary: None
Adjournment
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. Motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 9:40 pm.

Request for Proposals: Law Enforcement Services

ByTierney Farago

Town of Chelsea: Law Enforcement

The Town of Chelsea will be accepting bids for law enforcement services within the Chelsea jurisdiction. The Town would like services to be provided during weekdays, weekends, and nights, not to exceed 14 hours weekly. Officers providing the proposed police services should be certified and qualified individuals. The Town of Chelsea is greatly appreciative of all law enforcement officers helping keep Chelsea a safe and secure community.

Bid Process and Deadline

Bid packages must be sealed and received by February 3rd, 2025 at 4:00pm at PO Box 266 Chelsea, VT 05038 (ATTN: Selectboard/ Town Administrator). Please include the following information in your bid:

  • On the outside of the sealed envelope: PO Box 266, Chelsea VT 05038 (care of the Selectboard/Town Administrator), Town of Chelsea Law Enforcement RFP, the deadline for bid opening (February 3rd, 4:00 pm)
  • A copy of bond/insurance
  • A cover sheet with the title of the RFP; the bidder’s name, physical address, and all other contact information
  • A cost estimate with anticipated hourly coverage

Bid Opening

Sealed bids will be opened and selected by the Chelsea Selectboard during the meeting at Town Hall (296 Vt Rte 110 Chelsea, VT 05038) on February 4th, 2025 at 6:30 pm. Bids will be judged by the following factors:

  • Price
  • Bidder’s ability to perform within the specified time limits
  • Bidder’s experience and reputation, including past performance for the Town
  • Quality of the services proposed
  • Bidder’s ability to meet all terms and conditions spelled out in this RFP

Contact Information

Questions regarding this RFP shall be submitted by email only to the Town Administrator, Tierney Farago, at town.administrator@chelseavt.us. The Town Administrator will maintain a list of RFP questions and answers posted on the Town’s website when received. Questions will be accepted until 5:00pm on January 31st, to ensure all parties have adequate time to review the answers before the proposal submission deadline.

Disclosure

The Town of Chelsea is an equal opportunity employer.

The Selectboard reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any and all bids, wholly or in part, to waive any informalities or any irregularities therein, to accept any bid even though it may not be the lowest bid, to call for rebids, to negotiate with any bidder, and to make an award which in its sole and absolute judgment will best serve the Town’s interest. The Selectboard reserves the right to investigate the financial condition of any bidder to determine his or her ability to assure service throughout the term of the contract. The Town assumes no responsibility and no liability for costs incurred relevant to the preparation and submission of proposals or any other costs prior to the issuance of a contract.

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Special Selectboard Meeting Agenda – January 25, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Special Selectboard Meeting Agenda
January 25th, 2025 8:00 am Chelsea Town Hall Library
Call to Order
Additions to the Agenda
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Public Comments
Approve Minutes from January 21, 2025
Action Items
A. Budget Amendment
B. Town Meeting Warning
Executive Session If Necessary
Adjournment
Links to join the Selectboard Meeting:     
https://meet.google.com/fwf-ayyb-acq
https://www.youtube.com/@chelseavtselectboardofficial/streams
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Selectboard Meeting Agenda – January 21, 2025

ByTierney Farago
​​Selectboard Meeting Agenda​  
January 21st, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall Library 
​Call to Order​ 
Additions to the Agenda 
Conflict of Interest Disclosure 
Public Comments 
Approve Minutes from January 14, 2025 
Current Events and Updates 
A. Highway Update 
B. Town Administrator Update 
Action Items 
A. Recreation Committee Mowing Budget – John Parker 
B. Windsor County Police 
C. Budget Review and Finalization 
D. Town Meeting Warning 
E. Approve Orders 
Executive Session If Necessary 
Adjournment​ 
Links to join the Selectboard Meeting:       
https://meet.google.com/fwf-ayyb-acq 
https://www.youtube.com/@chelseavtselectboardofficial/streams 
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Selectboard Meeting Minutes – January 14, 2025

ByTierney Farago
​​Selectboard Meeting Minutes​  
January 14th, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall  
 ​Call to Order​ 
Kevin Marshia called the meeting to order at 6:31 pm. 
SELECTBOARD 
Kevin Marshia (Present) 
Kelly Lyford (Present) 
Gregg Herrin (Present) 
Leyna Hoyt (Present) 
TOWN EMPLOYEES 
Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) 
Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer) 
Karen Lathrop (Town Clerk) 
 Additions to the Agenda 
-Kelly Lyford added the item of her resignation to the agenda. Kelly informed the Selectboard that she would not be finishing her term (term expires in 2026) and instead would like to resign effective immediately. Gregg Herrin made a motion to accept Kelly’s resignation; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed.  To help the Selectboard keep a quorum, she asked the Selectboard to appoint her to the vacant position left by Jesse Kay until Town Meeting Day, where another member can be elected in her place. Gregg Herrin made a motion to appoint Kelly to the vacant 2 year term Selectboard position until the election is held; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed. Karen Lathrop was present to swear Kelly Lyford into office.  
-Billy Lyon was nominated to be appointed to the newly vacant Selectboard role left by Kelly Lyford. Gregg Herrin made a motion to appoint Billy Lyon to the Selectboard until an election occurs on Town Meeting Day; Kevin Marshia seconded the motion. Motion passed. Mr. Lyon will be sworn in at the Town Clerk’s office when he has some availability.  
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None 
Public Comments 
Maryann McCann attended the Selectboard meeting to express her concerns regarding funds that were dispersed to the Chelsea Spotlight in 2023. Maryann stated that she has filed a tax fraud complaint with the State of Vermont regarding this funding. She was also seeking official commentary from the Selectboard regarding the claims that the request and funds were made illegally. The Selectboard disagrees with her stance and will verify that the steps taken to have the item voted on during Town Meeting were correct.  
Approve Minutes from December 3, 2024 and December 17, 2024 
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve the minutes from December 3 and December 17 with edits made by Kevin Marshia; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. Motion passed.  
 Current Events and Updates 
A. Highway Update 
The Town Administrator informed the Selectboard that the road crew is keeping the roads in great working shape. There were no significant updates other than the recent Stantec work occurring on Edwards Rd, Doyle Rd, and Maple Ave for the engineering report that is being conducted for the Town.  
B. Town Administrator Update 
Town Report Schedule and Preparation: The Town Administrator shared the calendar of deadlines for Town Meeting Day with the Selectboard. The Town Report is coming along and only needs a few more final additions before it can be sent to the printer at the end of the month. 
C. Sudie Marcuse Piano Repairs 
Sudie Marcuse obtained a quote for piano repair for the historic piano located in Town Hall. These repairs would be funded privately by donation and would restore the piano so that it may be used in the future. The Selectboard thank Sudie for her work and greatly appreciate the help in preserving a historic feature of Town Hall.  
D. Delinquent Water Bills 
The Town Administrator and Town Treasurer informed the Selectboard that residents will be notified for non-payment on water bills soon. There will be a short period of time before the water will be shut off. Those wishing to make payments can visit the Treasurer during her office hours.  
Action Items 
A. Interim Zoning Administrator  
The Selectboard and members from the DRB discussed needing an interim Zoning Administrator. Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission may be able to help with permits and any existing cases until a permanent ZA has been appointed; they will attend the February 4th meeting. The Town Administrator will work with the DRB for any meetings or warnings they may need to schedule.  
B. Zoning Violation Fees 
The Selectboard and members from the DRB discussed the need for violation fees to be established. There is some confusion on whether or not the Selectboard needs to determine the fee schedule and create an ordinance, or if the fees need to be established in the Zoning Bylaws. Representatives from the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission have volunteered to attend the February 4th meeting to further explain the process to the Town. No fees were determined during this meeting until more information has been gathered.  
C. Susan Elder: Forest and Parks Commission Grants, Approval to Plant Trees on Public Property 
Susan Elder is working on two grants for the Forest and Parks Commission and the grants require the Selectboard to give their express permission to plant new trees on public property. The Selectboard did not have any issue with this, as it involves replacing old or dead trees. Gregg Herrin made a motion to allow Susan Elder to apply for these grants and allow trees to be planted on public property; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed.  
D. Library ADA Access Grant: Automatic Doors 
This item was tabled until contractors has been finalized for the work in the library. 
E. Water/Sewer Budget and Fees 
Gregg Herrin prepared cost assessments to increase water and sewer fees to help the Town catch up to the current expenditure for water/sewer services. Fees have not been raised since 2018, which has put a serious strain on the budget, as expenditures have now surpassed revenue. There were several options on an immediate increase followed by smaller incremental rises in fees over several years to help the Town catch up on revenue. Kevin Marshia suggested that the Selectboard present the information to the public on February 4th so that residents understand why the fees need to be increased and how it will affect them. 
F. Transfer Station Budget 
The Selectboard discussed the possibility of cutting down on how much the construction dumpster is used to possibly help cut costs at the Transfer Station. Currently it costs $450 to get the dumpster and $50 to return it, plus the following additional fees: $155 per ton, $60 per mattress and couch (in addition to the tonnage), and an environmental fee of $100 for each time the dumpster is picked up. The Transfer Station employees have mentioned this may help bring costs down since the dumpster is emptied several times while it is in Town from about May-November. The Selectboard will consider this option.  
G. Selectboard Budget 
The Selectboard accepted the proposed budget as outlined by Gayle Durkee, which is in line with the previous year’s budget line items. 
H. Salary Budget 
Leyna Hoyt brought up the possibility of building in the ability for raises for many Town employees so that Chelsea is more comparable to the salaries of surrounding towns. Kevin Marshia requested more statistical information on competitive salaries and believes it to be too late in budget discussions to be able to factor in salary increases beyond what was already calculated for the 2.5% cost-of-living increases.  
I. Miscellaneous Budget Items 
The Selectboard reviewed all budget items to see if there were any immediate issues with . There were some changes a minor items, but the board was satisfied overall. Gayle Durkee will adjust a few line items that needed additional information. There will be a final review of the budget on January 21st.  
J. Town Meeting Warning 
The Town Administrator reviewed a draft of the Town Meeting Warning. Karen Lathrop suggested edits regarding phrasing and the dates. The Town Meeting Warning will be finalized after the budget has been decided at the next meeting.  
K. Approve Orders 
Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the orders; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed.  
Executive Session If Necessary: None 
​Adjournment​ 
Leyna Hoyt made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 9:53 pm. 

Recreation Committee Meeting – January 14, 2025

ByTierney Farago

Chelsea Recreation Committee Meeting
January 14th, 2025
6:00pm
Zoom

Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/ecg-nnmu-jaz

Agenda:
1) Assign titles to Rec Members:
a) President – Samantha Allen
b) Vice President: Robin Amber
c) Treasure: Neil Kennedy
d) Secretary: Ashley Grote
e) Member: John Parker
f) Member: Ally Hook
g) Open member space: ?
2) Topics
a) Town Report due by 1/17/25
b) Mowing payment
c) Fertilizing the field and who should get a hold of the person to schedule this for this spring.
d) Google Form for trash and field use: (Sam will do this)
e) Saturday morning workouts have been going great. We will continue these classes.
f) Grants: Winter Sports Youth Grant, Byrnes Grant, VT Sports and Rec Grant
g) Softball and Baseball Code of Conduct or rules?
h) Amber Cup Date?
i) Resurface basketball court
j) Spring Clean Up Date for Baseball
k) Tunbridge Rec payment: I haven’t received a check but I will ask Gayle about it.
i) $100.00 flat fee to use the field
ii) All trash needs to be bagged and taken away
iii) Don’t spit gum out on the grass
l) Others?
Next Steps

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Selectboard Meeting Agenda – January 14, 2025

ByTierney Farago
Selectboard Meeting Agenda
January 14th, 2025 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall
Call to Order
Additions to the Agenda
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Public Comments
Approve Minutes from December 3, 2024 and December 17, 2024
Current Events and Updates
A. Highway Update
B. Town Administrator Update
-Town Report Schedule and Preparation
C. Sudie Marcuse Piano Repairs
D. Delinquent Water Bills
Action Items
A. Interim Zoning Administrator
B. Zoning Violation Fees
C. Susan Elder: Forest and Parks Commission Grants, Approval to Plant Trees on Public Property
D. Library ADA Access Grant: Automatic Doors
E. Water/Sewer Budget and Fees
F. Transfer Station Budget
G. Selectboard Budget
H. Salary Budget
I. Miscellaneous Budget Items
J. Town Meeting Warning
K. Approve Orders
Executive Session If Necessary
Adjournment
Links to join the Selectboard Meeting:     
https://meet.google.com/fwf-ayyb-acq
https://www.youtube.com/@chelseavtselectboardofficial/streams

2025 Offices up for Election

ByKaren Lathrop

2025 Offices up for Election and Consent of Candidate Forms/Petitions may be found on the Elections page of the website. Scroll down to Local Elections in the middle of the page. If you have any questions please give the Clerk a call at 802-685-4460. The office will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday for New Years and open on Thursday with regular hours. Consent of Candidate and Petitions must be turned in to the Clerk’s Office by January 27, 2025 by 5 pm.

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DRAFT DRB Meeting Minutes – December 18, 2024

ByTierney Farago

Chelsea, Vermont, Development Review Board
Meeting Minutes December 18, 2024
Members Present: Johanna Welch (Chair), Ed Kuban, Charles Peel
Others Present: Josef Cox, Melissa Cox, Cynthia Masterman (by phone),, Mary Ellen Parkman
(ZA)

Johanna opened the meeting at 6:00 pm. The hearing began with a reading of the notice as
posted and published. No conflicts of interest or ex-parte conversations were disclosed. Johanna
reviewed the definition of interested parties and explained the hearing process and swore in
attendees. The DRB moved directly to the first agenda item.
Conditional Use Review of Application #ZP24-21 by (Diane) Melissa Cox and Josef Cox to change
the use of an existing accessory structure to a retail shop. This property is located in the Village
District at 282 VT Route 110 (Parcel#010-047.000).

Johanna invited the applicant to review their application and plans. Melissa explained that she had
grow up in Chelsea and they were back part time splitting their time between Chelsea and the Cape.
She has own several retail business and now wants to convert an existing 12’x20’ existing accessory
structure on her property into a retail shop that sells a mix of old and new with a French flair. The
shop would sell an assortment of things including french soaps, lavender, and jewelry.
It is anticipated that the business hours will be 11-4 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The building
already has electricity and there is no plan to add heat. It will be a seasonal business.

Johannas asked about lighting and signage, would there be water or sewer? The plan is to use a
temporary sandwich board to announce the shop and hang a flag. The ZA added that any sign
mounted on the building or a post at the entry would require a Zoning Permit. They may add a light
over the doorway that will be downward facing. There is no plan to add water or sewer.
Cynthia Masterman participated as an interested person via. telephone and stated that she is
concerned that the application mentions 4 parking spaces at the side of the driveway. Her property
borders the driveway and currently the construction workers have recently parked beyond the
driveway on her property.

Melissa and Josef were quick to respond that they understood the concern. They modified their
application to read 2 parking spaces near the building and four parking spaces along Route 110. They
don’t expect more than a couple of cars at a time.
Charles made a motion to close the hearing, Patty seconded the motion and the hearing was
closed at 6:20pm.

Deliberation:
At 6:20 the Board went into deliberation. Based on the application and information as presented,
the DRB unanimously voted to approve application ZP#24-21 provided parking be limited to 2
parking spaces near the store building and on-street parking.

The DRB meeting ended at 6:35 pm.

Submitted by,
Mary Ellen Parkman
DRB Clerk