4-28-2026 Selectboard Meeting

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2026-4-48 SB Approved Mtg MIns 156 KB

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SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES

April 28, 2026   6:00 PM

Townshend Town Hall

Approved: 5/12/26

Present: Nick Saurez, Allie Evans, Katie Marrow, Steve Frisk, Rob Wright

In Attendance: Jeremy Zumbruski, Connie Holt, BCTV Tech

Members of the Public: Dale West, Win Clark, Scott Dorman, Don Mills, Laura Richardson, Charles Marchant, Tim Massucco, John Evans, Carol Young, Helen Holt, Shaun Marrow.

1. Meeting Call to Order: Suarez calls the meeting to order at 6:02pm.

2. Approval of Minutes: Frisk makes a motion to approve the April 14, 2026, meeting minutes. Wright seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

3. Additions and Deletions: Suarez reads the additions to the agenda.

   1. Executive Session item: VSA 1x313(1.a) – contracts

   2. Library Correspondence – 5.a

4. Members of the Public: 

   1. Tim Jones gives an update on the GMP Projects (including Peaked Mtn Rd and Athens & Grafton Roads). He requests that the Town sign the easement for the work by Town Hall and the Library. Wright raises concerns about the work. Wright makes a motion to have the Chair send the easement to the town attorney to have him review it. Marrow seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

   2. Richardson asks a couple of questions and is given an answer by Suarez.

5. Correspondence: Library Correspondence: Suarez reads the email from Karen LaRue. Zumbruski states it is not something the road crew can do. The Board decides to have Zumbruski and Holt put out a Request For Proposals for the removal of the tree.

6. Warrants: Wright makes a motion to pay payroll and payroll taxes warrant of $18,135.63. Evans seconds the motion. Motion carries 4-0-1. Wright makes a motion to pay the General Fund/Highway warrant of $36,143.18. Frisk seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

7. Reports: 

   1. Highway: Zumbruski reports that the grading is almost done.

   2. Treasurer: Holt reports that there is an under collection of taxes going into the final tax collection of the year. Board discusses doing more research into the matter. Evans volunteers to look into it. Evans makes a motion to allow Suarez to send a letter to taxpayers who are falling behind in their current taxes. Frisk seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

   3. Town Clerk: Suarez reports that the Clerk took in $2,277.00 in fees and services.

   4. Chair: Suarez reports that the recent storm caused numerous trees to come down in Acton Cemetery. The town is pursuing an insurance claim. We will see if they cover any of it.

   5. Grant Coordinator:

      1. Federal ADA directed funds for town hall is filed and waiting to hear.

      2. VTrans Cat D grant for Athens Rd culvert – have not heard

      3. Tree grants attended the required webinar for the grant.

      4. Slope Stabilization grant for West Hill: opening the bids tonight

      5. Grants -In-Aid: have signed and sent the letter of intent

      6. Culvert 42 replacement grant – have applied but Townshend is low on the list because we received the grant last year.

      7. Paving – have applied but told we are low on the list because we received the grant last year.

      8. HISP guardrail grant – applied and have not heard yet

      9. Temprorary signage grant – waiting on next steps

      10. UVM Capstone Grant – they will be submitting their designs this month.

      11. Preservation grant for second floor windows – pursuing

      12. Fountian restoration grant – T-Mobile has ended the grant program.

   6. Auditor’s Recommendations Update: Suarez reports that without a treasurer a number of the recommendations cannot be researched. The Policy Committee is active and reviewing policies.

   7. Committee Reports: Holt reports on various other committees. The Common Committee is preparing to implement the spring part of their lawn treatment plan. The Highway Committee is working on a truck proposal for the May 12th meeting. The General Fund Committee has not met so there is nothing to report.

8. Old Business:

   1. Roads Reclassification: Wright makes a motion to table the road reclassification issue until the next meeting with a list of the roads. Frisk seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

9. New Business:

   1. Town Hall/Common Use Request: Marrow makes a motion to approve Sarah Wiswall’s request to use town hall for a Celebration of Life for Patsy “Hoard” Brosemer contingent on the submission of insurance certificate and to waive the fee. Wright seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

   2. Streambank Repair Bids: Wright opens the bids: AS Clark: $12,400.00, Bryant Excavating: $9,400.00, Sam Bourne: $10,975.36. The selectboard receives the bid and tables the awarding of the bids until next meeting.

   3. Fire Dept: Fire Pond grant issue: Fire Chief Beattie reports that Pumper #2 has been taken out of commission. The town needs to decide what to do with the decommissioned truck. He also announces the Fire Dept has received a private donation for a hydrant. He gives it to the Selectboard to deposit into the Fire Pond Fund. Beattie then reports that they have received the grant reimbursement for the fire pond. He said that the grant reimbursement needs to first pay back the town and then remainder should go into the Fire Pond Fund. Wright makes a motion to accept the donation of $9,500. Marrow seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0. 

   4. Authorize John Evans to work on repair to the fountain: John Evans clarifies that he is pulling back from “repairing” the fountain. He would like to make sure there is water in the fountain for the summer, but that is not repairing the fountain.

10.  Executive Session: Marrow makes a motion to go into executive session via -VSA 1x313(a) – the appointment or employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee and VSA 1x313(1.a) – contracts and to invite Zumbruski and Holt. Frisk seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0. Meeting is moved to executive session at 7:17pm. Marrow makes a motion to end executive session and to reconvene the regular meeting. Frisk seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0. The regular meeting is reconvened at 8:29pm. 

    Marrow makes a motion to offer the road Crew candidate a job at $25.00 start rate, a 90day probationary period, and then a $1.50 bump up on the completion of 90 days. Frisk seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

    Frisk makes a motion to hold a Special Town Meeting on June 3, 2026, at 6pm at Town hall to address the issue of a non-resident serving as town treasurer. Marrow seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

    Frisk makes a motion to review and revisit the Windham Hill Tree Removal bids. Marrow seconds the motion. Motion carries 4-0-1.

11.  Adjournment: Marrow makes a motion o adjourn the meeting. Frisk seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0. The meeting is adjourned at 8:31pm.

12.  Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting: Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 6:00pm