| Selectboard Meeting Agenda |
| October 1st, 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 (Present) TOWN EMPLOYEES Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) Rick Ackerman (Highway Supervisor) |
| Additions to the Agenda |
| The Town Administrator added final signatures for a previously approved loan agreement for the Wastewater Plant upgrade project. The Selectboard had questions regarding the loan and what part of the earmarked funds would be used for the loan. The Town Administrator will follow up with the engineering firm to confirm. |
| Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None |
| Public Comments |
| Frank Keene and Tim Courts attended the meeting to express their frustrations with the ongoing process of attempting to rebuild the pedestrian bridge. Mr. Keene obtained a petition from numerous residents to allow work to be conducted to rebuild the bridge. The Selectboard heard these concerns and are working diligently along with the Town Administrator to find the means to properly rebuild the bridge by following all rules and regulations required. |
| Approve Minutes from September 17th 2024 |
| Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the minutes from September 17th; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 votes in favor. |
| Current Events and Updates |
| A. Town Administrator Update |
| The Town Administrator updated the Selectboard on the first meeting regarding the engineering study for the wastewater plant upgrade. FEMA meetings are still occurring to wrap up the projects for emergency work done last year. There have also been ongoing talks with ANR regarding the pedestrian bridge replacement. Further clarification is needed. |
| B. Highway Update |
| Rick Ackerman gave an update on the Grants in Aid projects that were completed for several areas around town. All projects went smoothly. He will be working on gravel and sand for future road work. There have been no additional applications for the open road worker position. |
| C. Transfer Station |
| The Selectboard discussed revenue and expenditure numbers provided by the Treasurer regarding the transfer station data of trash and recyclables received. Based on past year totals, the transfer station is currently breaking even rather than being over-budget. It appears that implementing tickets and recycle stickers have been helping alleviate costs accrued for the transfer station. |
| D. Quarterly Library Update |
| Kezia Frayjo presented a quarterly update on the happenings of the library. Currently their budget is healthy and they recently received a $20,000 grant to help upgrade the library/Town Hall to be more ADA accessible. They have had great success with after school programs, summer programs, the book sale, and certifications for the librarian. Their challenges include space needs and shared resources currently. Kezia requested a motion to remove 50% of the balcony chairs in Town Hall so the remaining chairs can be refurbished and the balcony can be cleared for more storage for books. The Selectboard agreed to add the item to a future agenda to have proper warning for the public. Kezia will work with the Town Administrator to reach out to the fire inspectors about the plans and ensure it is acceptable from a fire safety perspective. |
| E. Community Nursing Forum |
| Several community members and a representative from First Branch Ambulance attended to show support for acquiring a community nurse for the town. Jodi Hoyt, community nurse for Tunbridge, gave a summary of the program for those that may not have been looped in during previous Selectboard meetings. The Selectboard discussed the possibility of cost-sharing with the Chelsea Health Center in order to be able to fund the position. The Health Center will internally discuss what they may be able to offer financially. The Selectboard also heard some comments from residents who are concerned about tax raises to pay for the nurse position. Kelly Lyford mentioned that a contract position rather than a Town employee model would be the best fit for the Town if it moving forward with acquiring a community nurse. This item will be added to the October 15th meeting agenda to discuss further. |
| Action Items |
| A. North Common Landscaping |
| The Town Administrator brought up the topic of landscaping updates for the north and south commons from the previous meeting. There are funds in the budget to pay for services to infill areas, aerate, fertilize, and otherwise tidy up the commons. It was also confirmed that the expected monetary threshold is low enough to proceed with accepting services from the current mowing contractor. Work would be done on the commons on days that do not interrupt any scheduled events. Due to the expected pricing of the services (approx. $2,400), the Selectboard did not need to make a motion and agreed to let the Town Administrator proceed with executing the contract. |
| B. Town Forest Management Plan |
| David Paganelli, Orange County Forester, attended virtually but was unable to stay to discuss the Forest Management Plan. Kate Willard stepped in to elaborate on the plan for the Selectboard. The Management Plan includes timber sales and a path to both preserve and prune the forest as recommended by the foresters. Jesse Kay made a motion to adopt the Town Forest Management Plan from 2023; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 votes in favor. The Town Administrator will follow up with the County Forrester to begin plans for following forest management. |
| C. Approve Orders |
| Leyna Hoyt made a motion to approve the orders; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 votes in favor. |
| Executive Session If Necessary: None |
| Adjournment |
| Leyna Hoyt made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed with 5 votes in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 pm. |