May 5, 2026 at 6:30 pm – Chelsea Town Hall
Present:
Selectboard members:
Gregg Herrin
Curtis Chase
Charles Peel
Paul Libby
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo (joining remotely)
Town employees:
Kasey Peterson
Rick Ackerman
Gayle Durkee
Jen Chase
Also Present:
Marianne McCann
Chintana Herrin
Peter Carbee
Aileen Lem
Alexandra Oles
Gregg Herrin Called the meeting to order at 6:33PM
Additions to Agenda –
Kasey Peterson added an amendment to the Dufresne Engineering contract
Rick Ackerman will provide a Highway Update
Paul Libby expressed his thanks for the efforts of the Green Up day crews and volunteers for making Chelsea look so nice
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo will recuse herself from voting on the oil tank proposal as she is related to the contractor
Public Comments
Marianne McCann gave positive feedback on the meeting minutes written by Charles Peel for the April 21 meeting, citing excellent detail and professionalism.
Ms. McCann also expressed her concerns of a conflict of interest for Carrie Caouette-De Lallo and Charles Peel in decisions regarding water and wastewater issues currently being experienced by building owners in the town as they are also users of the town’s water and wastewater systems. She included an AI generated assessment that suggested conflicts of interest are as much an appearance of impropriety as an actual one.
Ms. McCann shared her thoughts on the Administrative Assistant position. She feels it is not a full-time position and instead a job that can be handled in 15 hours a week. She is willing to take that role for twenty-seven dollars ($27) an hour without benefits. Ms. Mcann suggested the use of AI to help with some tasks and to freelance others. The key to the job is email and keeping on top of those requests.
Gregg Herrin thanked her for her feedback and insight on all three of her comments.
Ms. McCann finally raised a now resolved issue she previously raised by email regarding the inflatable at the Post Office.
Ms. McCann left the meeting at this time.
Approve Minutes from 21 April 2026 –
Curtis Chase made a motion to approve the meeting minutes. Paul Libby seconded. There was no discussion or corrections. The motion passed 5-0-0
Presentation By Windsor County Sherriff’s Office
Claude Weyant was present to discuss his time on the Sherriff’s dept and the reshuffling of responsibilities that have recently happened within the department.
Discussion focused on the contract with the Town of Chelsea – how many hours of coverage the town needs, how best to allocate those hours between day and nighttime presence. Gregg Herrin suggested that perhaps the Sheriff’s Office could report directly to the Board during a warned meeting might help to identify the best times for patrols.
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo also thanked the deputy for his insights on Animal Control and Animal Control Officer, Leyna Hoyt’s, safety.
No Action was taken at this time.
Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District Intro and Board Representation
Peter Carbee, Aileen Lem, and Alexandra Oles were present to encourage the Chelsea Selectboard to send a representative to the Waste Management District. They cited disaster resilience and grants for schools, businesses, and disposal for low-income folks trying to clean out a property as programs that the Town of Chelsea is missing because the town has no representative on the Waste Management Board. Furthermore, sending a representative to the Waste Management Board would provide access to people from other member towns that may be able to add insight and suggestions regarding the costs of running the transfer station vs. the fee structure. The Waste Management Board members that were present are also willing to come to an informational meeting on the subject if/when the Selectboard members are ready to further address the fees at the transfer station.
No action was taken at this time.
Transfer Station Compliance and Directives
Carrie Caouette De-Lallo opened the discussion by stating that the Agency of Natural Resources had identified some issues at the transfer station. Most items were minor but the waste oil tank and the area surrounding it was an area of greater concern. Safety Kleen will be testing the tank to make certain it is not leaking, Rick Ackerman and ‘Snook’ Downing have cleaned up around the tank and found that most of what looked like a potential leak was just water. Shavings were put down to absorb any further run-off or spills.
Discussion then turned to enclosing the oil tank with doors and a roof to shed water. Ms. Oles offered to provide guidelines for specifications and added that there might be a grant available to help with the cost. Curtis Chase suggested we wait until we have more information and a better understanding of what is allowed, what is needed and if oil disposal is a service that the Transfer Statin should continue to provide. No action was taken at this time.
Mr. Carbee, Ms. Oles and Ms. Lem left the meeting at this time.
United Church of Chelsea Wastewater Issue
Charles Peel presented a brief explanation of the upgrades to the building and how that has impacted the sewer system and acknowledged that the Church has spent twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) so far on this project.
A lengthy discussion followed. Mr. Aicher presented numerous proposals to connect to the main further to the west than the connection that is causing the issue. An email from Mike Whipple was cited that determined the best way for the church to connect to the town system is at a manhole instead of the main line and may require a pump system. Mr. Aicher pointed out that a pump system will be more costly as it requires electricity, frost protection, alarms, and a higher level of general maintenance.
The discussion then turned to contractors and the liability of connecting straight to the sewer main.
Ultimately Mr. Aicher’s request to the Board is to continue the plan for a gravity feed system in such a way as to protect the town and the church. And that the cost should also be shared between the town and the church.
Charles Peel cited the ordinance directly which states that the building owner is responsible for the cost of new connections to the water system.
There was general discussion of how to potentially apply the same standard used to correct the broken connection at Charles Peel’s house to the church project but further information would be required to make any decisions.
Gregg Herrin asked Mr. Aicher to bring clearer proposals with clearer numbers to a future Selectboard meeting.
No other action was taken at this time.
Town Clerk Jen Chase needed final approval on the Town Hall Rental Agreement for activities in the hall. Curtis Chase asked for comments or questions. Gregg Herrin had a question regarding time of payment, and a couple of minor editorial comments. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo made a motion to accept the contract as written for the use of the town hall with minor edits and formatting adjustments. Curtis Chase seconded. There was no further discussion. The motion passed 5-0-0
Contracts:
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo stepped away from her computer at this time.
Ronjon mowing contract was signed administratively as the contract had been approved at a previous meeting. Paul Libby made a motion to hire Ronjon Mowing to do spring cleanup at a rate that is 10% more than last year’s spring clean. Charles Peel seconded. There was no further discussion. There was no further discussion. Motion passed 4-0-1. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo abstained by her absence.
The Lyon Excavation contract was signed administratively as this project, for Russell Noel’s water line, was done in an emergency capacity. Charles Peel made a motion to accept the contract from Lyon Excavation for one thousand one hundred and five dollars ($1105.00). Paul Libby seconded. There was no further discussion. The motion passed 4-0-1 Carrie Caouette-De Lallo abstained by absence.
Two-Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) invoices. TRORC terminated the contract with the town of Chelsea for management of the Municipal Energy resilience Program (MERP) grant when they were asked to provide backup documentation for recent invoices. According to the contract, they have 10 days to provide full accounting – they have not. The deadline for the information is 7 May. The only leverage the town has to obtain the information is refusal to pay until the requirements of the contract are met. No further action was taken at this time.
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo returned to the meeting.
Rick Ackerman provided a Highway Update.
The Road crew will be at the Municipal Show in Barre on 6 May.
He had no update on a new truck in the town’s price range. Silloway will be fixing a drain in the garage and Rick will be going to Kentucky to assess the tractor the town is looking to purchase.
Discussion of upcoming issues and agenda items this item was tabled due to the length of the meeting.
Orders
Paul Libby made a motion to approve orders. Charles Peel seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Charles Peel made a motion to enter executive session inviting Kasey Peterson. Carrie Caouette-De Lallo seconded. Executive session started at 9:55. Motion passed 5-0-0
Carrie Caouette-De Lallo had to leave the meeting during the executive session.
At 10:20 Curtis Chase made a motion to end executive session. Charles Peel seconded. Motion passed. 4-0-1
During the executive session two motions were passed.
Charles Peel made a motion to keep the rate and the maximum number of available hours for the Interim Town Administrator consistent with the Town Administrator position. Paul Libby seconded. The motion passed 4-0-1
Curtis Chase made a motion to Increase the annual stipend for Animal Control Officer from five hundred dollars ($500) to two thousand dollars ($2000). The motion passed 4-0-1
No non-board members influenced the decisions made during the executive session.
Paul Libby made a motion to adjourn. Charles Peel seconded. The motion passed 4-0-1
Meeting adjourned at 10:21 PM
Respectfully submitted
Kasey Peterson