Selectboard 2/10/2026

  • Tuesday, February 10, 2026
    6 PM –

Selectboard

Minutes

Selectboard 2/10/26 Approved Minutes 132 KB

Approved on: Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Printable version

Selectboard 2/10/26 Approved Minutes 132 KB

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SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES

February 10, 2026  6:00 PM

Townshend Town Hall

Approved: 2/24/26

 

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

In Attendance: Connie Holt, Jeremy Zumbruski, Brian Guerrino – BCTV

Members of the Public: Helen Holt, Laura Richardson, Shaun Marrow, Charlie Merchant, John Evans, Ross Evans, Kat Taffet, Cory Ciklin, Amy Blazej, Christine Heye, Allie Dercoli, Tyler Burns, Warren Beattie, Haley Felker, Kaitlyn Mays, Dan MacNamara.

  1. Meeting Call to Order: Evans opens the meeting at 6:00pm and reads the meeting decorum statement.
  2. Approval of Minutes: Suarez makes a motion to approve the January 27, 2026 meeting minutes. Wright seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.
  3. Additions and Deletions: none
  4. Members of the Public: See below
  5. Correspondence: none
  6. Warrants: Wright makes a motion to pay warrants 1 – 7.

Payroll:  $16,584.86

Payroll Taxes: $7,004.20

General Fund: $2,170.33

General Fund: $27,600.75

General Fund: $97.36

Highway: $610.25

Highway:  $43,934.84

Total: $98,002.59

Suarez seconds the motion. Motion carries 4-0-1.

  1. Reports:

    1. Highway: Zumbruski reports that the big news is the lack of salt. Like other towns, he cannot find a supplier. He has contacted the 3 suppliers in the area and they do not have any. The state has slowed down their supply in order to free up salt for towns.

    2. Treasurer: Evans gives the Treasurer’s report. There is $602,491.92 in the municipal investment fund and $30,000 in the swing account.

    3. Town Clerk: Evans gives the Clerk’s report. In the second two weeks of January the clerk took in $1,526.00 in fees and services.

    4. Chair: Evans directs the attention of the Board to the budget status reports available for their review.

    5. Grant Coordinator: 2nd meeting of the month.

  2. Old Business:

    1. NEMRC contract for reappraisal: Helen Holt summarizes that the price per parcel is about the same as Brookline. She states the town really needs to do this because it is way overdue and the properties in town are not being taxed at the fair market value. The CLA is currently around 58%; meaning every parcel is estimated at about half value. The last appraisal was in 2012. The State will most likely change the way reappraisal will be done in the state. Suarez makes a motion to approve the contract with NEMRC to perform the reappraisal. Wright seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

Members of the Public: Frisk makes a motion to hear Members of the Public that have come to the meeting. Suarez seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0. Resident, Tyler Burns, submits and reads a statement thanking the Selectboard for their hard work and effectiveness. 

Resident, Caitlin Maze reads a statement expressing her concern about Article 16 of the Town Warning for its redundancy to the current Town Hall Reserve and cost to the taxpayers. She also expresses her concern for the protection of self-governance in this political climate. Resident Laura Richardson states that working to upgrade Town Hall has been an uphill battle with the Selectboard. Amy Blaise, local businesswoman, reads a statement that she is concerned that non-residents usurp the authority of and harass the Selectboard and residents.

  1. State Animal Control form: Evans presents the State’s Animal Control form for signing by the Selectboard. Suarez makes a motion to sign the Animal Control form. Wright seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

    1. Treasurer Transition Plan: Connie Holt gives a summary of what the Transition Team has worked on and what the Selectboard needs to decide tonight.

      1. Treasurer Job Description; Suarez makes a motion to approve the treasurer job description. Wright seconds the motion. Motions 5-0-0.

      2. Bookkeeper Job Description: Suarez makes a motion to approve the bookkeeper job description. Wright seconds the motion. There is a discussion about the amount of hours and compensation. The motion fails 1-4-0.

      3. NEMRC Cash Receipts Module: Suarez makes a motion to purchase NEMRC’s cash receipts’ module. Marrow seconds the motion. Motion fails 1-3-1.

      4. NEMRC Bulk Contract: Suarez makes a motion to approve a bulk contract with NEMRC. Frisk seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

      5. Tax Administration: Frisk makes a motion to retain Anita Bean to do tax administration through fiscal year 2026. Suarez seconds the motion. Motion carries 3-2-0.

  2. New Business:

    1. Pre-Town Meeting Information Meeting: Suarez makes a motion to hold the Pre-Town Informational Meeting on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 6pm at Town Hall. Marrow seconds the motion. Motion carries 4-1-0.

    2. Green Mountain Power’s request to move telephone pole in front of Library: Marrow give a summary of GMP’s request to move a pole. She suggests that the Selectboard consult with the Town Attorney. Wright makes a motion to have the town attorney vet GMP’s request. Suarez seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

    3. Leland & Gray’s town hall use request: Suarez makes a motion to approve Leland & Gray’s Town Hall use request for the VT Regional Drama Festival on March 28, 2026 from 9-6pm, waive the fee, and to have Evans sign on behalf of the Board. Wright seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

    4. Finallie Ferments common use request: Marrow makes a motion to approve Finallie Ferments’ common use request for the Pickle Festival on August 8, 2026, and to have Evans sign on behalf of the Board. Wright seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

    5. Friends of Town Hall - Town Hall Use request: Suarez makes a motion to approve the Friends of Town Hall town hall use request to hold A Beautiful Life historical presentation on May 21,2026, to waive the fee, and to have Evans sign on behalf of the Board. Evans seconds the motion. There is a conversation regarding the certificate of insurance. Charlie Merchant, Townshend Historical Society, states that the historical society is co-hosting the event and therefore does not need to produce a certificate of insurance. Suarez suggests that the form be resubmitted as a Townshend Historical Society town hall use request. Suarez amends his motion to table the request until the THS resubmits the form. Frisk seconds the amendment. The amended motion carries 4-0-1.

    6. Cory Ciklin’s request to launch the town website at Town Meeting: Suarez makes a motion to launch the website at Town Meeting. Wright seconds the motion.Ciklin states that it does not make sense to launch at Town Meeting, and he also requests the Selectboard appoint himself and Pam Corbett as the website coordinators for one year. Suarez states that the issue of coordinators is not on the agenda. The motion to launch the website at Town Meeting fails 0-5-0. Ciklin requests to give a report on Europa. Evans states that it is not on the agenda. She asks Ciklin if he wants the issue put on the next selectboard meeting. He says no.

  3.  Executive Session: Evans makes a motion to enter into executive session per VT State statue 1 V.S.A 313(1e). Suarez seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0. The Board moves into executive session at 7:54pm.

Suarez makes a motion to reconvene the regular selectboard meeting. Frisk seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0. The meeting is reconvened at 8:52pm. Suarez makes a motion to authorize Marrow and Suarez to consult the town attorney with legal concerns. Frisk seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0.

  1.  Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting: February 24, 2026 at 6pm 

  2.  Adjournment: Suarez makes a motion to adjourn. Frisk seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0-0. The meeting is adjourned at 8:33pm.

 

Printable version

Selectboard 2-10-2026 Agenda 2 MB

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