| Selectboard meeting agenda |
| December 17th, 2024 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, left early at 8:00 pm) Kelly Lyford (Present) Gregg Herrin (Present) Leyna Hoyt (Present, joined late) TOWN EMPLOYEES Tierney Farago (Town Administrator) Rick Ackerman (Highway Supervisor) Gayle Durkee (Town Treasurer) Karen Lathrop (Town Clerk) Tom Swann (Maintenance) |
| Additions to the Agenda: None |
| Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None |
| Public Comments |
| -A letter from Frank Keene was received and read during the meeting regarding the pedestrian bridge. He reiterated the fact that he would need to purchase materials for the bridge soon in order to get a discount with his supplier. The Selectboard agreed that they should allow him to purchase materials so he doesn’t miss out on the discount. Progress has been slow with Vermont Emergency Management and FEMA. Gregg Herrin made a motion to allow Frank to move forward with the pedestrian bridge project, working with the Town to submit permits; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. Motion passed. -The Selectboard brought up emergency water and sewer expenses as detailed by the Treasurer. The department is in dire need of funds and the Selectboard was required to make a motion on where the funds would come from in order to pay for the contracted services. Gregg Herrin made a motion to move $40,000 from the ARPA funds to the water/sewer fund; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed. |
| Approve minutes from November 19, 2024 and December 3, 2024 |
| Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the minutes from November 19th; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. Motion Passed. Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the minutes from December 3rd; Kevin Marshia seconded the motion while Kelly Lyford abstained. Due to only having three selectboard members at the time, the item will be tabled until the next meeting. Motion was unsuccessful. |
| Current Events and Updates |
| A. Highway Update |
| Rick Ackerman reported that all is well in training Larry and Tom. Labor was required for one of the trucks after a part broke down. |
| B. Town Administrator Update: None |
| C. Pedestrian Bridge Update |
| The pedestrian bridge was discussed during the reading of Frank Keene’s letter. |
| D. Library Capital Improvement Plan |
| Kezia Frayjo attended the meeting to give an overview of the library capital improvement project. In addition to the grant they received for ADA improvements, they will be working on upgrading the library in the coming months, including getting printers and computer for the public, fixing broken blinds, replacing old cushions, opening up the space for more movement, and overall improving the library space for the public. |
| E. Carrie De Lallo Chelsea Exhibit |
| Carrie Caouette-De Lallo will have her art exhibit for Chelsea displayed at the state capital building. There will be an event for the exhibit on January 16th from 3:00 – 5:00 pm and all are welcome to attend if they are able. An announcement will be posted regarding the exhibit so the public is aware of the event. |
| Action Items: Please note some items may be tabled due to time constraints |
| A. Water/Sewer Budget and Fees |
| This item was tabled until the next meeting. |
| B. Transfer Station Budget |
| This item was tabled until the next meeting. |
| C. Security Camera RFP Bid Opening |
| The Selectboard opened a bid for security cameras at Town Hall and the Town Garage. The only proposal was from Green Mountain Security with a bid package of $18,706. The Selectboard discussed the proposal’s specifications and qualifications. They had some questions on how the camera videos are stored and how they can be accessed. Due to time constraints of entering in to a contract by December 31st, the agreed to accept the bid and clarify how the images will be stored. Kelly Lyford made a motion to accept the bid from Green Mountain Security, clarify how the videos are stored, and enter into a contract not to exceed $20,000; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed. |
| D. Selectboard and Clerk Budgets |
| The Clerk only had a few small adjustments to the Clerk’s budget from 2024. The Selectboard’s budget will be reviewed during the next meeting. |
| E. Auditor RFP Bid Opening |
| The Selectboard opened two proposals for auditing services. The Joachim Group CPAs & Consultants LLC offered services for a total bid of $33,352.98. Batchelder Associates, PC offered services for a total bid of $19,500. After reviewing the packages and qualifications, the Selectboard agreed that they would like to accept services from Batchelder Associates PC, under the condition that they would be able to offer a one year contract as opposed to a multi-year contract. If that was not an option, the item would be brought back to the Selectboard for further discussion in January. Gregg Herrin made a motion to accept the bid from Batchelder Associates PC for a one year contract; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed. |
| F. Zoning Violation Fees |
| After a short discussion, the Selectboard decided the table this item until they receive more information on what the recommended fee is for zoning violation, as there was not any historical data on how many violations the town gets annually to help decide on a set fee. |
| G. Town Hall Rental Fees |
| The Selectboard discussed how often the Town Hall is used with Clerk Karen Lathrop. Currently the rentals account for about $2,180 in revenue, which helps offset the heating bill of $3,800 annually. Because commercial entities rarely book the venue, the Selectboard agreed that the commercial fees should be eliminated. Gregg Herrin made a motion to eliminate commercial fees and continue with only half and full day rental fees; Kelly Lyford seconded the motion. Motion passed. |
| H. Larry Pickett Contract |
| The Selectboard signed the culvert work contract for Larry Pickett. No motion was required. |
| I. Approve Orders |
| Gregg Herrin made a motion to approve the orders; Leyna Hoyt seconded the motion. Motion passed. |
| Executive Session If Necessary: Personnel |
| The Selectboard had two items for executive session, both regarding personnel. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to enter executive session; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. The Selectboard Entered executive session at 8:51 pm. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to exit executive session; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. The Selectboard exited executive session at 9:19 pm. The Selectboard took action to determine holiday bonuses.Leyna Hoyt made a motion to enter executive session; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. The Selectboard Entered executive session at 9:20 pm. Leyna Hoyt made a motion to exit executive session; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. The Selectboard exited executive session at 9:51 pm. The Selectboard took action to create a job description and post the opening for a zoning administrator when finished. |
| Adjournment |
| Leyna Hoyt made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Gregg Herrin seconded the motion. Motion passed and the meeting adjourned at 9:52 pm. |