| Selectboard Meeting Minutes |
| November 19th, 2024 6:30 pm Chelsea Town Hall |
| Call to Order |
| Kevin Marshia called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. SELECTBOARD Kevin Marshia (Present) Kelly Lyford (Present) Gregg Herrin (Present) Leyna Hoyt (Present) Jesse Kay (Absent) TOWN EMPLOYEES Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) Rick Ackerman (Highway Supervisor) Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer) Susan Elder (Lister) |
| Additions to the Agenda |
| -MVP Health Insurance: The Town Treasurer came back with additional information regarding insurance that was on the last agenda. MVP is not leaving Vermont, so the Selectboard agreed that they would rather keep MVP rather than switch to Blue Cross Blue Shield since it is more expensive and offers the same coverage. The Treasurer also brough up adding vision insurance to the current health insurance; the cost would be $12 annually (per employee) and $67 annually (Town). The Selectboard agree that this would be great to offer Town employees. This will be factored in for the 2025 budget. No motion was made. -Sewer Ordinance: A resident recently had an issue with a blocked sewer line, and it was unclear who the responsibility falls to per the current Sewer Ordinance. It was recommended that the ordinance be amended to include language that clearly states the responsibility of both the property owner and the Town. The Town Administrator will work with staff to start drafting the amendment to avoid future uncertainty. -Larry Pickett Contract: The Treasurer brought in a contract for culvert work, but because this is an action item that requires notice, this will be added to the next meeting agenda for consideration. |
| Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None |
| Public Comments |
| Pete Amber from the Forest and Parks Commission wanted to discuss the possibility of having Rick Ackerman haul in fine gravel to help level out the ice rink before the season begins. The Selectboard agreed and asked him to speak with Rick directly to coordinate the effort. |
| Approve Minutes from November 6, 2024 |
| The Selectboard requested two minor edits to the minutes for clarification on the community nursing RFP and adding the motion of approval for the highway permit. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve the minutes from November 6th with edits; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. Gregg Herrin abstained. Motion passed with 3 votes in favor. |
| Current Events and Updates |
| A. Highway Update |
| There were no new updates for the highway at this time. |
| B. Town Administrator Update |
| The Town Administrator updated the Selectboard on the status of the wastewater engineering report; we just had the 30% meeting with Dufresne, with the 60% report expected in the coming weeks. The pedestrian bridge is still being reviewed by Vermont Emergency Management. The Town was also awarded a MERP grant, which was discussed more in depth later in the meeting. |
| C. Town Report Schedule |
| The Town Administrator shared some information regarding the deadlines for the upcoming Town Report and Town Meeting. December 31st is the last day for all department reports to be submitted so they can be included in the full Town Report. The calendar with all dates, including petition and proofing deadlines, will be sent to Town employees and Selectboard. |
| Action Items |
| A. Administrative Budget (Treasurer, Admin, Listers, ZA) |
| The Town Administrator updated numbers for the administrative department’s budget, including allowances for cost of living increases and presented this to the board. They agreed that the department budget is at a point where they feel comfortable continuing with the rest of the budget and will adjust numbers if needed when the numbers have been received for more departments. There was additional discussion on the sharing of child care tax; the Selectboard agreed that sharing the cost (0.33% town, 0.11% employee) would be reasonable. This will be factored in to the budget. No motion was made. |
| B. Highway Budget |
| Rick Ackerman attended the meeting to go through each line item with the Selectboard. Several line items decreased based on need, while other items increased as necessary, like gravel and highway salaries, which will be assessed by the liaisons moving forward. The highway budget can continue forward with these tentative numbers and will be modified as more departments send in their changes to the 2025 budget. No motion was made. |
| C. Proposed Orange County Police Contract Review |
| The Town Administrator notified the Selectboard that a contract proposal from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office was received. Since the Selectboard did not have any other proposed 2025 contracts to compare it to, this contract will be considered at a later date when all other options have been received. The Town Administrator will reach out to Windsor County for data on current policing and the proposed contract renewal. No motion was made. |
| D. Forest and Parks Commission Grant Application for Trees |
| Susan Elder came to represent the Forest and Parks Commission and their effort to apply for two grants to help remove and replace dead trees on Town properties. She discussed the intent and deadlines for both grants. The Selectboard was appreciative of these efforts and they fully support submitting applications for the grants. No official motion was needed at this time. |
| E. Contract for Martinea Electric |
| The Treasurer explained that this contract was for electric services provided for the wastewater treatment plant. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve and sign the contract; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. Motion passed with 4 votes in favor. |
| F. Contract for Adam Stone Trucking |
| The Treasurer explained that this contract was for chervil mowing that was conducted in June. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve and sign the contract; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. Motion passed with 4 votes in favor. |
| G. Signatures for MERP Grant Acceptance |
| The Town Administrator shared that Chelsea was awarded the Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP) grant for $406,506.25. In order to accept the grant funding, a grantee signature is required before December 16th. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to accept the MERP grant and allow Kasey Peterson, grant administrator, to sign on behalf of the town; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed with 4 votes in favor. |
| H. Approve Orders |
| Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve the orders; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. Motion passed with 4 votes in favor. |
| Executive Session If Necessary: Personnel |
| Leyna Hoyt made a motion to enter executive session for personnel, inviting Tierney Farago and Rick Ackerman; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. The Selectboard entered executive session at 6:56 pm. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to exit executive session; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. The Selectboard exited executive session at 7:08 pm. The Selectboard reviewed and discussed applications for the open highway crew position. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to offer the position for part-time seasonal work to Larry Pickett; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. Motion passed with 4 votes in favor. |
| Adjournment |
| Leyna Hoyt made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed with 4 votes in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 9:22 pm. |