I got seven. You guys all got seven.
Okay.
>> Good evening everyone and uh welcome and
thank you for coming out on such a hot
steamy evening. I'm going to break with
tradition here just a little bit because
I would like to uh make an introduction.
Uh, Chief, can you come forward? And
Officer Fontana,
uh, this is our police chief, as you all
know, but this lovely little lady
walking with her is our newest police
officer, uh, fresh out of the academy
and
here to uh, serve Brandon. I had the
opportunity to meet her and and visit
with her the other day, and I'm very, happy to have her on board.
Um, I'll let the chief say anything
else, but we're This is the first step
of our rebuild. You are
>> it
to us from um
and she is presently going through field
training right now. She's attended the
part-time academy of the police academy
in Pittsford. And our hope is as soon as
she's done with field training, she'll
be on the road in a solo capacity. Um,
and you'll be out seeing her patrolling
the streets.
» Thank you.
>> Welcome.
>> Very excited to be here.
>> Very excited to have you.
>> We're very excited to have you. Welcome.
>> You want to get a picture, Steve?
>> No. No. Steve is our uh owner and editor
of our Brandon newspaper, and we would
like to feature a picture of the two of
you as our
Good news that we get things rolling.
Yeah, you don't want us in the history.
>> You want to break the camera.
» You know what? Stand just like that. We
can see the
All right.
Awesome.
>> Thank you.
beautiful
» and we really are happy to have you and
I'm sure some of the other board members
will stop in and visit with you at the
uh office when you're around. So great.
U now moving on. We are going to do the
uh we've got full list of meetings here.
So we're going to start with cannabis
control.
I move that we adopt the uh agenda
first as
» we have a motion and a second on the
agenda. Reoccurring matter is to approve
the minute from the May 26 cannabis
meeting.
>> Make a motion we approve those minutes.
>> I'll second that.
>> Motion and a second to approve cannabis
minutes. All in favor?
>> I opposed. No one. Item three, it's
three applications for
uh tier 2 and tier one. Uh they're all
renewals.
[Music]
» That we consider items 3, A, B, and C
under consent agenda.
>> Second.
>> Okay. Motion in a second to approve all
three under consent. All in favor,
please say I.
>> I.
Opposed. No one.
>> Public comment or participation on
cannabis.
There's never any hurt on that.
>> Motion to adjurnn cannabis.
All in
favor?
>> I'll second that.
>> Motion a second. All in favor?
>> I. Okay.
>> And we move on to liquor. cover all the
sins in life this evening. Um the agenda
>> I move to adopt the agenda for the
liquor control commissioners as warned.
>> I'll second
>> motion in a second on the um agenda. All
in favor say I.
>> I.
>> Opposed? No one. Reoccurring matters
would be approval of the liquor minutes
from June 23rd.
Make a motion we approve those minutes.
>> Second that.
>> Motion in a second. On the minutes, all
in favor say I.
>> I. Oppos? No one.
>> I move that we uh adopt a consent agenda
for items three and four.
» Go ahead. I'll second. We have a motion
and a second for item three and four.
Any discussion? None heard. All in
favor? I
>> I opposed. No one public comment on
liquor.
None.
>> Motion to adjurnn liquor.
>> Motion to adjurnn. Second.
>> Second that.
>> All in favor of joining liquor say I.
>> I. I.
>> Okay.
And
sewer commissioners report
agenda.
>> Come on. Someone else.
>> I'll make a motion to adopt the agenda.
I'll second it.
>> Here we go. We have a motion and a
second to adopt the agenda. All in favor
say I.
>> I.
>> Reoccurring matters is the sewer
commissioner's minutes from June 23rd.
>> Make a motion to approve those minutes.
>> Second.
>> Roman.
>> Okay. Motion and seconds to approve the
minutes. All in favor of the minutes,
please say I. I.
>> I.
And what we are here for is to consider
purchase order for more root x root
killer which is above the town manager's
uh spending option and the price is
right so we're buying it early.
>> And this is last time too isn't it?
Yeah.
>> Is this a year supply?
>> So with what we got in the previous
fiscal year and this he believes it will
be about about the year.
Pleasure of the board.
>> I move that we approve the purchase
order uh 12405 for Routtex in the amount
of $12,600.
>> Second.
>> Motion in a second. Any additional
discussion?
None at all. In favor of the motion to
purchase $12,600
of Rudex, please say I.
No one. Public comment on sewer.
None heard.
>> Motion to adjurnn. Sewer. Second.
>> Motion to adjurnn. All in favor?
>> I I
now we are up to the select board the
agenda. First
» I move to adopt the meeting agenda as
» any addition.
All in favor move adopt of the agenda as
presented say I I
>> I oppose no one collect board remarks. I
would just remind everyone that we are
here to do the business of the town. Um
when speaking we need you to come
forward and speak into the microphone so
it can be heard and state your name and
treat everyone with respect please and
we will have a very happy meeting. It's
a lengthy agenda, but I think mostly
fairly straightforward items.
So,
>> anyone else have any other select board?
>> One one quick one for me. Um,
>> summer school's out. I've seen a ton and
of kids riding without helmets,
especially on the sidewalk, but all over
the place. I've had brain surgery. You
don't want it. Please, if you have kids,
or if you are a kid who happens to be
watching this, put on a helmet. Might
save your life.
I'll get off my soap box now.
>> And it really doesn't take much of a to
cause a traumatic brain injur.
» Very good point. Uh reoccurring m um
matters. We have select boards from June
23rd, select July 7th and 11th.
I hear the board.
Um,
I would ask a question. How is this new
system working? Because I'm realizing we
haven't identified ourselves at all this
evening.
>> So, it's okay. Um, I think that what
we're going to end up with will be okay.
I think as long as you're comfortable
with um say the July 7th minutes, if you
look at that, you have um at number one,
you have who called the meeting to order
and things of that nature. But when it
gets into the discussion, it doesn't
always attribute an individual statement
to an individual speaker, but then when
we get down to the motions, those were
jotted down and so you know who made
motions and seconds and the outcomes.
So, if that's satisfactory to the board,
I think it accomplishes what the open
meeting law requires. Now,
>> so you're jotting it down. We don't need
to say should should we state our name
when we're making a motion?
>> No. Uh, I'm I'm jotting down who's
making motions and seconds and vote
outcomes and the machine is basically
trying to capture the content of the
discussion.
>> Perfect.
>> And
excuse me. And if anyone needs further
elaboration on the discussions, those
are on volume.
>> We have the recording. at the recording
somewhat.
>> Yep. Okay. So, we do have a motion and a
second to approve the two select board
um minutes.
All in favor of those minutes, please
say I.
>> I.
abstain on the seventh.
>> You abstain on the seventh. You weren't
there. Correct.
>> Now, we get into the warrant. The reason
there's two warrants is some are bills
from the prior year, some are bills for
this year.
pleasure of the board.
» So, I move to approve um warrant report
63873 in the amount of $168,911.88.
» I'll second that one. Okay.
Uh questions?
None. We have a motion and a second to
approve the first warrant. All in favor,
please say I.
>> I.
>> Opposed? No one.
Second warrant.
>> I move that we approve warrant report
number 6387.
Check. Any questions on
all of
you please say I
» item four, town manager report.
>> Thank you, Mr. chair, members of the
board, members of the public. Um, my
report was part of the packet. I do want
to add a couple of things to it. Uh,
one, about twothirds of the way down the
front page, I I submitted the report
without finishing the sentence about the
town clock. Apologies for that. So, the
clock works themselves are still an open
issue with a knowledgeable local person.
That's the person um who with his family
has been taking care of the clock for a
number of years. and that person's
working with um an outside contractor
that is able to perhaps fabricate the
new gear or identify a source for the
new gear. There's a broken gear up
there. Um I do want to call attention to
the near completion of the town hall
roof reslating. That project is going
very well. They did elect, as many of
you will have noticed, they elected not
to put slate over the eaves at the edges
uh because of the Boeing and so they've
put copper there. It won't be an extra
cost to the town and it will act like as
a snow pan would act on on your house
roof.
And the work on the Sanderson covered
bridge did start today. Uh that repair
work should go this week. And so Pearl
Street will not be a through street from
7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily for the
rest of the week while they're working
on the bridge. Um there are three
announcements to make about vacancies on
town boards. If you're interested on
serving, please submit a cover sheet and
letter of interest to me. There's a a
voting position on the energy committee
that generally meets the first Monday at
4:30 p.m. And then there's two alternate
positions. Alternates sit on the boards,
they attend the meetings, they discuss,
they contribute, they can be on
subcommittees and working groups. They
just only vote if one of the voting
members is absent. So that's the only
difference. There is an al an alternate
position on the planning commission that
meets the first Monday at six o'clock
and there's an alternate on the
development review board that meets the
fourth Thursday at 7:00.
Um
you've met with officer Fontana tonight
which is great. And I guess the other
thing I would call a little bit of
attention to um is
whether you would like to consider
exploring um combining these four
meetings into one meeting. So the select
board every year at reorganization
designates itself as the board of
cannabis control commissioners, the
board of liquor commissioners, and the
board of sewer commissioners. It's
possible to just have one meeting with
one agenda and one batch of minutes if
you're not um opposed to that for a
reason.
I can investigate it some more.
>> I mean I don't know if there would be
any reason
uh administratively that we would want
to keep them.
>> It's largely been separate so that the
minutes could be searched separately.
But I think now that minutes can be
searched by computer and not just, you
know, by opening a binder and looking
from date to date to date, it's it's
potentially going to streamline your
operation.
You don't have to decide anything. Just
offering it out there.
>> It's about all we have.
I would like to add to your report as
you printed it and I know it will be in
the newspaper but we did introduce
officer uh Fontana and u the we we are
finally getting some activity on some
additional interviews at the police
department and have two other
>> yes
>> potential candidates in the works.
Not going to say any more than that, but
so that's that's good that we're working
towards getting our police department
back in order.
>> U questions for the town manager from
the board.
Questions for the town manager on his
report from the public? Barry.
» Um Barry Varian. Um I live up off
seminary. So
» so so I get an opportunity to see the
town hall for a bird's eye view as I
come down at least once or twice a day.
And I remember when we we set funds
aside ARPA money for that roof. It was
like a staggering amount of money.
>> But I've been watching what those guys
are doing and it's amazing to me they
could even get done what they got done
for that amount of money. I mean,
there's a tremendous amount of labor and
equipment and and time that goes into
that roof. They're doing a hell of a
job. They really are. And it looks
great. So, um, feel good about it,
really.
>> Thanks.
>> They actually put some uh some
additional plywood down for some wood
that was rotten and whatever. So, I
mean, this was a big job. Ken Kulage.
>> Ken Kulage on the roof. Thank you.
>> Um, I did have a question. So, I know in
the quote when it was presented, there
was the option of doing the plywood,
which when they did that one quarter, we
knew that it was going to be pretty
rotten, which
kind of turned out to be. What other
damage was there? How bad was it up
there? So, um I did not see it
firsthand, but the uh
>> pictures online fact
>> pictures Yeah. the pictures that were
taken by Carl Spardella, who's the owner
of the slate company, um he indicated it
was it was predominantly at the eaves
where the most rot was. Um I don't think
they had to replace any of the joists or
anything, but there were then spots
around chimneys and so forth where
natural spots where water would collect.
They they didn't end up redecking the
whole roof, both sides. They ended up
redecking sections of it in plywood.
It's
>> good. Put all that work into it. Might
as well make sure the
>> underllayment is
>> right.
>> Good. So, where does that put us
budgetwise for the estimate?
>> I think it's going to fully obligate all
that was set aside. Um the amount set
aside was the amount that the select
board set aside from the ARPA award.
Then there was part of the insurance um
claim for the chimney that was blown and
we got the new boiler down here with
part of that and the rest was to put
toward rebuilding that chimney. There
was a third source uh not getting me
right now. So we don't have the final
bill. We've made the initial payment
which was about a third of the quote a
progress payment when they switched from
the east side to the west side of the
roof. They got another third and so at
this point this is when he's going to
start. He has a little bit to do I think
on the south facing. Um there's a small
little roof at the base of the triangle
that I don't know whether they're going
to do copper or slate there. And then
once that's all done, we'll get the
final bill and it it's likely to be a
third plus the add-ons.
So, I would just make a suggestion if
you it is over and with all those funds
you'd already set aside to take it out
of the um the not the grand
>> the the 1% fund.
>> No, I would leave that alone. I would
take it off of the reserve if you have
anything extra because as the reserve
goes up,
you want to use it. We used it a couple
years ago to offset the tax increase,
forgot about it the next year, that that
increase needs to be accounted for the
following year in the budget. So, if you
use the reserve for some an overrun,
it doesn't affect your taxes. It doesn't
affect you the next year. Um, it's just
a way to use up some of those funds for
unplanned items while you're still
staying above your limit.
>> That's good advice. I think, you know,
when it's when we get the final bill,
I'll certainly come back to the select
board and give them the final accounting
of what's been laid out and what they've
already kind of set aside and we'll see
what's left and what what might the
options be. just to suggest.
>> Yes,
>> a lot of that would depend if if I
reserve
is above the 15% bottom threshold. So, I
mean, we're right at it, but I don't
know. We haven't got last year's results
yet.
>> Yeah, it's 569
report.
» Any final questions for the town manager
on his report?
» None seen. Moving on to
Hey, Doug. Uh, community development
report for today the 14th. Uh, after
what I assume was a tremendously
successful chamber auction with our
Friday. The town hall upstairs is back
open for entertainment. July 19th, the
town hall's wildly popular silent movie
series resumed for Jeff's
company screening of the 1922 comedy
Grandma's Boy. Free donations are there
to support the 2026 series. Um, July
26th, LC Jazz returns with Big Van
Sound. A 6 PM start time with a $5
admission gains you access to swing
dancing fun. Proceeds are to benefit
music theater scholarship funds.
July the 27th, we're partnering with the
Brandy Museum to host Howard Coffin from
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. upstairs. This is
a free wall offering uh renowned
historian's presentation of the Great
Bennington Battle in Vermont. It's a
great way to get geared up for Vermont's
250th celebration, which is next year.
Youth dance, cheer, field hockey, and
outdoor camps have some limited
registration space and start this week.
Visit brandonere.com.
I have an error in my report. The town
has not picked up its grantfunded BWID
buzz on Friday. It was delivered to us
today uh by the dealership. U we have a
phase, again, a reminder, grant funded.
This costs us nothing. The phase plan
will have it as a rec support vehicle
with some volunteer scheduled ride share
public transit connections coming online
in the next two months be structured
with that site. We started with the
right-of-way easement acquisition for
the Union Street sidewalk project. The
next this is the next phase to be
completed. Um these are all temporary
easements. We're not taking any land to
make these to um to have the sidewalk be
reconstructed, but it does require some
disruption in people's lives.
We started uh let's see, Youth Works is
back in town. Uh they were this church
youth group that was really ramped up
prior to COVID and then CO put a dent in
their camping uh camping missions, but
now they're back. Um for the next three
weeks, we'll be working with this
organization to complete many projects
all over town. groups of 10 to 15 youth
with counselors. We'll be helping to
beautify public parks and other spaces
three days a week. You'll see them
around a couple projects that they're
going to be working on
decking to be painted at the gazebo
park. Mother is clean up downtown.
They'll soon be constants
pay at the end.
Um uh fall planning is underway. Uh next
report will have the follow youth
offerings. The reminder that the great
Brandon Carnival is coming July 24th to
27th. This former collaboration is now
exclusively a field rental following
right events. Fun activities on tap with
Miller music rides state trivia
championship over open night and more.
Um I just want to say we had successful
I thought Independence Day celebration
last weekend.
I earned some coverage lease. Um I've
been the chair on that committee for
nine years. of stepping down as chair. I
encourage any young pupils that are
around in the audience. I guess
anybody that would like to volunteer to
help make 2026 celebration even better.
Um cool thing about um volunteerism in a
small town is you have the opportunity
to make the changes you want to see by
simply showing up at meetings and
expressing your opinions and then
working to make that happen. uh when I
» like to add to Bill Moy's report that
last year I was able to see some of the
youth works doing some of their jobs and
stopped to talk to them and thank them
for being here. So if you run into a
bunch of kids working in our parks or
around town, it's great to thank them
for what they're doing because they're
coming here and they're saving us money.
So it's really a that's certainly a a
really nice thing. Questions for Mr.
Moore from the board?
questions of Mr. Moore from the public.
Mr. Moore is off the hot seat.
>> We'll get back on
>> uh
temporarily.
>> Okay. Item six on our agenda is to award
the uh bid for demolition of a femur
buyout property. Um
Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Moore, I don't know
who's doing that. Me again.
>> There you go. We're back on.
>> So, I'll read the letter. I submitted as
a part of the uh select word packet. Uh
the town hosted a bid opening on June
27th 125 of demolition services of an F
FRCF FEMA hazard mitigation program
acquired property located at 317 North
Street. Um there were results. We had
quite a few biders. Um the low bid is
current low bidder is Richard Reedson.
They have performed this type of work in
the past. most recently for properties
located at 17 Burke Park and 301 Newton
Road. Their work was excellent and met
the requirements uh of FEMA FRCF. It's
my recommendation the select board
consider that to be a valid bid and
award the demolition board Richard Reed
and son I listed all the bids there
of the board
that
second motion and a second
the vid Mr. Ree and son I've known them
for many many years and they have done
other jobs very good so I agree but any
other discussions I will
second. All in favor? So morning to
Richard Reed and son say I I
>> I
um item seven considering a revolving
loan to Pit Factory Fitness LLC.
>> Hey, it's me again
LLC. So I have a letter that I uh
prepared for the select board. Um on
July the 10th, the Brandon revolving
loan fund committee met with Andy Donor
consider a loan request for Fit Factory
Fitness LLC. Board was impressed by the
presentation and his plan to establish a
fitness gym facility in the building
that was the former home of Upscale
Resale. fitness craze that has emerged
since Brandon's last gym closed around
15 years ago demonstrates that Brandon
can support this type of business,
addressing the retail leakage that
occurs with the many people that live in
our community that travel to either
Rutland or Mbury to work out. Andy
Donor's proven track record as an owner
principal of multiple successful
businesses along with his wife coupled
with a comprehensive plan made for
unanimous endorsement from the board
members present and terms are listed in
the letter. uh loan amount will be
$59,989.
Turns be 5.5% interest rate enterprise
is a 120month loan. The balloon payment
at 60 months and collateral will be
security interest and business assets
factory versus loan guarantee
the board.
Motion we approve that second.
We have a motion and second.
None heard. All in favor of approving
the uh loan
>> say
>> I
say I
>> I
found
I can't wait for it.
and it it really been the reason that
we're able to do the thing in town that
we do. So, um thank you for honoring
that again. Um but I think it's an
awesome opportunity for uh people that
are trying to get going in town. So,
thank you for having that.
Can you say roughly when you might be
opening and when memberships will
» I was looking at him
>> but in typical fashion my wife always
answers for me too
>> Andy when when might you open and
memberships would be available. So,
right now we're dealing with the the
septic design um which we're going back
and forth, but we're hoping to have the
design completed for the end of next
month and then submitted to the state
for the permit to complete. So, we're
hoping for like fall um late fall
opening. And when we get everything
ready to go, there's a big sign out
front with the QR code you can scan
before we're open, bring you to the
website, memberships will be available
and all that stuff. So
>> fantastic.
>> Look for the big banner.
>> Okay. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you guys.
>> Happy to have another good business in
town.
» Moving on.
Uh set terms for Bravo's door.
>> Is that is that you?
>> So Mr. Chair, there's a short memo in
the packet. Uh the Bravo board uh is the
restorative justice program in Brandon
and the Bravo um the Bravo panelists are
different from the Bravo board. So the
panelists are the ones where they
actually get a group together to meet
with uh the victim and the offender and
kind of sort through what the process
would be to come to restorative justice.
This is kind of the supervisory board,
the advisory group. uh they're supposed
to recruit some volunteers to sit on
those panels, link them up with the
police chief and the town manager, make
sure that uh we're moving restorative
justice along in Brandon, get them some
training, that kind of thing. So, the
names are of the current members are
Mitch Pearl, he's currently the chair.
Paula Ashley is currently the
coordinator. Sue Gage uh has expressed
that she will be the incoming
coordinator. She's willing to do that.
Paula is ready to step out of that role.
Debbie Boyce who is a founding member.
She started this with Art Dodie and
can't remember right now Dick Kirby or
somebody and then Erin Kilpek. So, uh
they're asking for one-year terms to run
from July 1st to June 30th. this has
kind of been an indefinite informal
thing and they're trying to formalize it
just a little bit, but they don't want
to have um what might be the customary
rotating staggered three-year terms.
They really all prefer to have a
one-year appointment.
>> Pleasure of the board.
» Um that's what they want. Uh I will move
that we adopt the uh term limits uh as
set out in the memo you sent for Bravo.
>> I'll second that.
>> Now will they come forth with the names
of the people on an annual basis to us
like when we appoint everybody else or
>> it would it would be added to the list
um that Elaine generally calls to see if
someone is still interested in
continuing or not. It would be on that
list.
>> Okay.
Motion and a second. Any additional
discussion?
None heard. All in favor of adopting the
motion to
uh give them one-year terms, please say
I.
>> I.
>> Opposed? No one.
Very agreeable group this evening.
Uh board driven ordinance and repeal of
the pool hall regulation. Okay.
» Well, we can have a pool. It's got to
meet these requirements.
>> So, um I have in my in your packet, I do
have a little letter about uh I just
want to read a little piece of it. Um
which is that the select board's
influence in leading the community is
through shaping policy, right, in this
form of government. It's one of the
statutory roles that the select board
has as the elected legislative body of
the town. So, I did bring um at Jeff's
left hand there is the binder. So,
that's basically about six dozen
ordinances that the town knows that the
select board has passed at some point
and has been keeping track of. Many of
them have not been reviewed in a number
of years. Um uh Mr. Dr. Bailey as board
chair has talked about the board's role,
you know, kind of it would be good to
keep refreshing these and we should make
sure that whatever ordinances we have in
effect actually reflect the wishes of
the select board in terms of what
they're trying to regulate. So, um
there's some possibilities to have an
outside firm do this for you. A ballpark
figure would be like $15,000.
it would be you'd end up with something
like called the Brandon Municipal Code
or something to that effect. They made
reference uh the group that I was
speaking with about this, they made
reference to Rutland City. They've just
done this for Rutland City at some point
in the past. There's an online version
that's kind of interactive so people can
search around if they want it. And then
there's a formal code book that's
produced that can be distributed or
whatever.
Um, if you don't want to go that route,
um, there's other options. I thought I
could just bring you one or two every
time and you could look at it, lay it
over a meeting. If you want to consider
altering it or whatever, you could
appoint a working group to meet before
the next select board meeting and report
back to the full board. Um, others have
thought maybe a working group could look
at the whole thing holistically rather
than doing it um, one at a time. So,
there's some options before you. And I
did pick out the pool hall ordinance
because that for a long time has been
kind of the the one that seems the most
irrelevant to the way we live today.
So if you wanted to do anything with
that or with any of the ordinances, um
the process is written down at the
bottom half of my page there talks about
um the notices that have to be posted
and what the process is for advertising
and entertaining public objection.
Thank you. Um, today Cecil and I met to
go over this whole agenda with Seth and
I voiced my concerns that I personally
would rather have us do this and not
spend $15,000.
um whether we do it peacemeal or one
giant thing and and Cecil offered to
kind of lead this along which I totally
satisfied with.
Um but what would the board what's the
board's feelings? I mean, I I figure
that what we could start doing, and I'm
happy to do it, is start going through
that binder and just looking at, oh,
it's fairly easy to tell by looking at
an ordinance whether, okay, there's
something that definitely needs to be
fixed about this or repealed or
whatever. Um, others it may be that we
may want to look at them in more detail
to see whether we need to make
amendments to them or not. But I'm, you
know, I'm more than happy to
make a first run through it and tag
stuff that we can deal with in short
order or is order and then go back to
the stuff that may need to be dealt with
in more depth. Um, we have no deadline.
This isn't like the town plan where we
have to have it done every five years or
every years. It's it's more like, you
know, it's better not to have
like ordinance, which is actually pretty
amusing. Um, you know, to just go
through and see if there's something
that's like really out ofd or archaic or
um and pull those out. And so, and then
my thought was after that, then we could
have a working group to really kind of
drill down into the ones that need to be
dealt with in more detail and hopefully
come up with something that, you know,
may take longer than the professional
codification would, but um I'm free and
that's better than $15,000.
>> Mr. hand.
>> So, one one of my goals um with this
even coming up is something that I had
as a goal even when I was on the select
board. It was basically to organize them
that I'm not saying that they are
disheveled in any way like they're kept,
they're careful, but there's no theme
like this is public safety, this is
public works. There's there's no
compartments or departments of the of
Brandon's book. It's more or less
alphabetical order, which is not how you
store chemicals and not how you plow
streets in the winter, right? Um, it
should be organized in some way. So, if
while we're organizing it, we decide
some stuff should be kind of called out
of it, that's probably the right time to
do it.
My feelings are if you know our one of
the the major thing for a brand or for a
Vermont select board is to set policy
and procedure which this is right up the
line. If we fail, we can always go back
to hiring someone in a year from now.
If we are successful, we save $15,000
and
always with our eye on the budget, I
think it would be move us to uh give it
a serious look and work our way through
it slowly.
>> Am I correct that many of these are not
digitized? I would say the vast majority
are not digitized
>> because that's something else we could
probably take a swing at or we can get
some volunteers to take a swing at that
would at least get a rudimentary
>> list of them online or something.
>> Okay.
Yep. I saw you walking. I assumed you
were going to raise your hand.
Vicki Disorda,
I think I just heard you say that it's
the select board's responsibility to set
policies.
>> Yes.
>> And uh my question tonight that I came
here for is uh I guess now is a good
time as any to ask about the select
board's responsibility as far as
following policy
>> for which policy
>> for following policies.
I would think that we
>> Is there a particular policy in mind?
>> Yes, there is. Uh I think it was the
June 23rd
select board meeting.
There were eight seats
presented to the board all three-year
terms for vacancies on different
volunteer boards.
And our town policy states that when a
vacancy occurs in an office, board or
commission, which the select board is
the appointing authority, one, the board
will announce the vacancy at the first
regular select board meeting following
notification of the vacancy
and um require letters of interest from
those wishing to serve. And that the
town will post the vacancies in the town
clerk's office. two bulletin boards,
front porch forum and the newspaper, and
that the board will make appointments no
earlier than the second regular board
meeting after the announcements of the
vacancy, none of which occurred prior to
those appointments. And as I watched
what was happening, all I could think of
is a nominating committee on a church in
a church.
And that's the way I feel those
vacancies were handled.
um uh equal opportunity begins with
opportunity and so it is going to be 3
years before anyone else in town has an
opportunity to serve in those positions.
So, I'm wondering if you can explain to me
how this entire panel is not was not in
violation of the town policy. And please
explain to me how this failure to follow
a documented policy is any different
than the trouble we just had with the
former elected board of public trustees.
>> Okay.
>> And this is not a new problem. I just
want to say because in May of 2023,
I expressed an interest on being on a
committee in town and um to the town
manager. I again expressed an interest
on July 26. I emailed the entire select
board and no one responded to me until
April of 2024. That's 11 months later
when it was to let me know that someone
else was being appointed to a position
that was never posted. And then um just
last week on a one commission I finally
got on to because no one else applied
for it for months. Um a gentleman showed
up and said that the town manager had
asked him to be on the board. So again,
explain to me how this municipal body is
functioning any different than uh 501c3
religious organization. Thank you.
>> Um I'm happy to take a stab at answering
that. Um I I think that um I can
understand your concern
but
uh from the point of view of the board
and this has been in the past there were
not vacancies on any of those boards.
All those boards had filled seats and
the procedure has always been that they
first look to see if the people in those
seats want to continue on. And so the
policy regarding vacancies is if within
a term a seat becomes vacant because
someone decides not to do it anymore or
has a conflict or moves or any number of
reasons that seats have become open. And
for example, when I was on the planning
commission, we had openings. One, two,
there were three different seats that
became vacant in the two years that I
was on the planning committee commission
that were filled. Um, I think the same
has happened with a lot of others. And
so I understand your concern. I think I
respectfully disagree with your
interpretation of the select board's
actions. Can you explain to me what the
purpose of term limits is then if
whoever's serving on a board can stay on
it indefinitely as long as they want to
once they're in the position. We have a
town of 4,000 people
and the same individuals serve on
multiple boards.
How does that give any other residents,
registered voters, taxpaying citizens an
opportunity to do their civic duty?
So, we don't have term limit. We have
terms that can be reuped. And so,
someone gets appointed for a set term,
they can choose to re-up or they can
resign at the end of that term. but it's
not term limited in the sense of that
legal term of art. Um, I would also say
that we've had openings on some boards
that we've been begging people to apply
for. So, it's not so much that there is
a ground I I would love it if we had a
ground swell of volunteers wanting to be
on these boards,
but to be honest, that hasn't really
happened. Well, what you're telling me
may be technically and legally correct,
but I feel like it's a spiritual
violation of the purpose of having
terms.
» Yes. I do want to clarify that um just
because somebody has been on a
commission or a board, filled a term,
and been asked if they want to be
considered to continue, that doesn't
mean that they get to stay on that
committee as long as they want, as was
just said, right? The select board still
chooses whether to appoint, reappoint,
or not every member of the commission
when the terms come due.
So, it's not like you get appointed once
and you're you're in for good behavior.
like you get appointed once and then if
the select board determines that that
board needs to be rebalanced or there
needs to be other voices represented
they they can thank you for serving and
they can choose someone else.
>> I could let me I want to add to that and
then I'll let you talk again. I I know
last year when we did the budget
committee, we had everyone reapply and
we did actually make changes and we did
have
people who had been on the budget
committee who
had agreed that they would stay on. We
wanted to add a different voices and we
added new and different people last year
and and did not renew everyone. So, it's I guess each time it might be a
little different, but
>> Mr. chair, the reason you were able to
create a more diverse board is because
that was posted and you had a bigger
group. But if positions are never
posted, how can you ever see if there's
an opportunity for more diversity,
equity, or inclusivity?
» Okay, good point, Jan Kulage.
>> To me, it's like you change your mind
depending on the board.
One year it's this way, one year it's
this way. Where's your consistency?
Where some boards, like you said, you
see if they want to continue and you
leave them on. Like for the budget
committee for years, every once we were
elected, once you guys elected us, you
know, we had to submit our letter and
that we were on that every year we got
asked, do you want to continue? Yes. If
not, then they may post for one person
because they left. They posted for a
position. Then two years ago, just out
of the blue, you told us, "Oh, you have
to apply."
So, where's your consistency? So, now
we're hearing it on different boards.
Then I look back to how you did the
budget committee. So, where was your
consistency? all of a sudden you decided
you're going to follow the rules that policy says where it you didn't
follow it before that then. So I'm just
wondering what changed that we were
asked did we want to continue and then
the last two years we had to apply. So
I'm just wondering
what changed on that committee not just
on that committee you know other
committees you have different reasons
but it's like consistency so everyone
has the same expectation
you know townwide
>> Vicki one more time
>> I I would just like to make a
observation and answer to Miss Kulage's
question um that change occurred
following the very contentious
budget season where the previous board
stood up and said that the select board
did not listen to them and then the
positions were put on posted for people
to apply.
>> As part of the budget committee, I would
say that um like Jan, I was on the
budget committee prior and then when the
email came out and said we all had to
reapply, maybe like Jan, I was almost a
little offended saying, "I've been doing
this for a number of years. now I have
to apply for it. And I was on vacation
in Maine and I almost didn't want to
apply for it, but my wife talked me down
off the ceiling and said, "Don't be an
idiot. Apply." And last year
as the board chair, I wanted to open it
up for a whole, you know, relook. And
I'm sure that's what we're going to do
again this year is have every, you know,
let everyone know that's on the
committee that uh,
>> you know, we want to know their interest
and we're going to look at it. On some
boards certainly there's a learning
curve and um, sort of we'll say start
with a whole new board in some fields
would be probably a very difficult
thing. But I'd say that should be maybe
one of the first policies that we look
at is how we do that and and follow it.
So I think that would be a plus as far
as looking at what our policies.
>> Okay.
» Well, we will try to attack that.
>> Okay.
» Pardon?
>> I think we're still in the pool.
>> We're still in the pool. All
>> I would just
as uh Mr. Hopkins noted there are three
committee
uh seats that are open for people who
are interested. There's the voting
position on the energy committee and
then there's the alternate position on
the DRB and the planning commission. I
know from experience that uh at least on
the planning commission, people that
were originally appointed as alternates
uh ended up getting voting seats. um
when vacancies occurred, they put in
their names for the voting seats that
got them. So, you know, it's a way to
get your foot in the door. Even if you
don't have a voting seat for every
single meeting, you do have the
opportunity to participate and to vote
if they don't otherwise have a quorum.
There's that.
So, do we want to do anything on the
pool hall regulation or do we want to
have that that was just an example or do
we want to act on it tonight and we we
want to review it?
>> Pleasure to the board. Well, given that
we have no bowling alleys or footballs
in town at the moment,
um, and given that
um,
the
reasonable requirements for the
protection of the public morals are not
um, in keeping with today's standards. I
would move to repeal this particular
policy since it's in front of us.
>> I'll second that.
Okay, we have a motion and a second to
uh get rid of our pool hall and bowling
alley policy.
Any other dis discussion from the board?
Motion in a second. All in favor of
doing away with this policy say I.
>> I.
>> Opposed? No one.
Bools and bowling alleys.
And and any of you who manages to leave
this room without the music man stuff
like that?
>> I played the music man in middle school.
>> Okay.
>> I played for
>> uh right in line with the discussion the
uh FY27 budget process. Uh
» all right, Mr. Chair. I was hoping I I
>> I just noticed a question up here that
answer something I was
>> Okay.
20 minutes ago.
>> Zoe
saying, "No, late, but I know I'm late
on this, but why? Can someone comment on why they're
demolishing a property?" Just curious
mitigation.
Hello. Hello.
» We bought it because it's in the
floodway.
Reach out to me if you have any other
questions.
was a long uh mosquito district
>> and the batteries have been completely
recharged.
» Did you get that question answered?
>> LOL. Okay.
>> Okay. Um so next on the agenda is the uh
budget process. Um, I would like to
say that we're going to send an email to
the people who are on last year's budget
um committee, ask them for their
interest in retaining and to apply again
and anyone in the public have Mr.
Hopkins put an ad out or anyone else who
would like to join the budget committee
and then we will interview
um those people early in August.
>> I'm assuming only people that haven't
served before because we we know the
people
>> we know the people who have served. So
uh we will
uh test the waters there and come up
with it. It's our intent to start uh the
budget process once again very early
which would be um in the tail end of
August and we would have budget meetings
on opposite Monday nights of select
board meetings. So select board is the
second and fourth and the budget will be
first third Mondays. I hope that our
procedure may be a little easier now
that we've been through it once this
way. But um um clearly the time and the
effort we put in last year was important
and we want to do that again. Um
and I think we'll be prepared for it. So
is there more on that subject than my
announcing that?
So, watch for the announcement. And for
those who were on the committee, you
will be receiving a email from Elaine
asking if you're still interested in
being on. And for others, we will um be
taking applications.
No comments on that. Good. We are now up
to item 11, public comment and
participation. First, any comments from
any board members?
None. Any other? Yes, I see two hands.
Uh, we're going to go with Brent first.
Bear, you spoke once already.
>> Yes, Brent Buler. Um, I do like the idea
of you all combining the commission with
the select board meetings because I came
illprepared tonight for the sewer
commission meeting and the uh submitt by
the town manager Seth Hopkins for
Rootex. I think that's a perfect thing
once the board of trustees for the
Shirley Far fund get up and running.
That's a perfect expense to submit to
them for payment. $12,600.
So, thank you. That's it.
>> Thank you, Mr. Beer. Now, Barry,
>> just aformational question. I came down
for the Fourth of July fireworks um and
sat on the the town hall steps with a
gang of people. Thoroughly enjoyed it as
did everyone around me. But the the big
question that came up from any everyone
I had no answers for where exactly do
they shoot up from
» this secret location uh everyone was
trying to guess
uh at the end of Mill Lane uh just below
Hannerford and above the river a high
spot. It's an amazing spot and we have a
couple land owners that are really cool
about letting us set it off right there
because it's safe. Um, and it's awesome.
Yeah, it was awesome.
» Any other questions or comments
participation from the audience?
None heard.
Uh we will then take a 10-minute recess
before the board goes into executive
session.
Thank you very much for coming everyone.
» You guys all ready?
>> Yep.
Um, I move that we enter executive
session per 1BSA section 313A2
regarding negotiating or securing real
estate purchase or lease options uh to
include the town management team.
>> Second.
>> All in favor say I.
>> I. I.
>> Mike.
» I move to exit executive session. Second
motion
out of executive session. All in favor?
I close. No one.
» Oh, I was just going to move to come
out.
Um,
I move that we
refund to Julie Delelfi the $750 that
she paid to purchase swamp land from the
town that appears not to have been the
town's to sell.
>> I'll second that.
>> We have a motion in a second.
refund the 750. All in favor say I.
>> I
unanimous.
>> Maybe also a motion to accept her quick
deed.
>> Okay.
>> And
» so did she prepare this or our attorney?
>> Um
it hasn't been executed yet. So do we
accept it until it's executed?
I don't
>> to authorize me to accept it.
>> Yeah.
>> Um I move to authorize uh Seth Hopkins,
town manager, to accept a fully executed
quit claim deed from Barry and Julie
Delia in exchange for the payment of
$750
once that deed is fully executed.
>> Second. We have a motion, a second to
have Seth Hopkins
finish this after receiving the executed
deed. All in favor?
» No one
need a
item 13, executive session.
I move that we enter executive session
pursuant to 1BSA section 313 sub A sub3
regarding the appointment or employment
of a public officer or employee. Uh and
this is in regard to police department
applicant status to include the town
management team.
>> I will second.
>> All in favor of entering executive
session say I. I. I.
» No one but we're good.
I move to exit executive session.
» Second motion in a second to come out of
executive session. All in favor say I.
>> I.
» Um we are out of executive session at
8:31. No action taken. Moving on to the
last
>> motion to adjurnn.
>> Second. All
>> in favor of adjourning say I. I.
>> I.
So
same thing here we had
when we were at the board meeting way.