Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 7:00 pm at the Halifax Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room.
Either in person, or virtual:
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/xnc-hhmz-ogs
Or dial: (US) +1 929-299-3468 PIN: 772 469 534#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/xnc-hhmz-ogs?pin=6174182167484
The text below is provided for convenience:
TOWN OF HALIFAX VERMONT ANNUAL MEETING WARNING
March 5, 2024
The legal voters of the Town of Halifax, Vermont are hereby warned and notified to meet in the Halifax Elementary School Multipurpose Room, 246 Branch Road in said Town on Tuesday March 5, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. to transact the following business from the floor:
Article 1: To hear the reports of Town officers.
Article 2: Shall the Town collect taxes for the Town and the Halifax School District as follows: Taxes will be due on or before September 30, 2024 payable to the Town Treasurer by delivery to town hall postmarked on or before that date. Taxes will become delinquent after September 30, 2024 and payable with penalties and interest to the Collector of Delinquent Taxes.
Article 3: Shall the Town approve Selectboard and Highway expenditures of $2,432,019 of which $1,967,319 shall be raised by taxes and $464,700 by non-tax revenues to care for the expenses and liabilities of the Town for FY25.
Article 4: Shall the Town set the Treasurer’s budget for salary and collection of current taxes at $20,000 plus $4000 for expenses for FY25.
Article 5: Shall the Town rescind the reserve fund called the Grant Reserve Fund to be used for the purpose of grant management accordance with 24 V.S.A. § 2804 and deposit the remaining funds, $ 136,056.46, formerly the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) balance, into the general fund.
Article 6: Shall the Town appropriate $3000 to the Wings Community Programs’ programming providing after school and summer camps including academic and physical activity programs for students entering grade K-8 in accordance with 24 V.S.A. § 2691.
Article 7: Shall the Town appropriate a total of $20,574 to the following social service agencies, in accordance with 24 V.S.A. § 2691?
| $250 | American Red Cross | Emergency & disaster
assistance |
| $200 | Brattleboro Area Hospice | Death & grief support |
| $500 | Deerfield Valley Community Partnership | Substance abuse prevention |
| $500 | Deerfield Valley Food Pantry | Hunger & food insecurity relief |
| $50 | Green Up Vermont | Roadside trash cleanup |
| $2000 | Halifax Community Club | Community service & events |
| $1000 | Halifax Fire Company | Fire & medical first response |
| $750 | Healthcare and Rehabilitation Services (HCRS) | Mental health services |
| $550 | Senior Solutions (Council on Aging for Southern Vermont) | Services for seniors |
| $790 | Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) | Anti-poverty programs & services |
| $2184 | Southern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) | Workforce & economic coordination services |
| $500 | The Gathering Place Adult Day Program | Elders & adults with disabilities programming |
| $1900 | Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire, Inc | Hospice & home health |
| $3000 | Whitingham Fireman’s Association | Emergency Medical Services |
| $5000 | Whitingham Free Public Library | Library services |
| $500 | Windham County Disaster Animal Response Team (WinDART) | Emergency animal sheltering |
| $700 | Women’s Freedom Center | Domestic violence survivors support |
| $200 | Youth Services | Restorative justice, prevention & intervention for youth |
Article 8: Shall the town assess a one percent (1%) tax on rooms in accordance with 24 V.S.A. § 138(b).
The following articles will be voted by Australian ballot:
Article 1: To elect by Australian Ballot all Town Officers required by law to be elected at the Annual Town Meeting and to fill all vacancies.
OFFICE TERM LENGTH TERM EXPIRATION
Town Moderator 1 year Term expires 2025
Selectboard 3 years Term expires 2027
Selectboard 2 years Term expires 2026
Lister 3 years Term expires 2027
Auditor (to stagger years of election) 3 years Term expires 2027
Auditor (to stagger years of election) 2 years Term expires 2026
Auditor (to stagger years of election) 1 year Term expires 2025
(Normal auditor term is a 3-year position for all 3 seats)
Collector of Delinquent Taxes 1 year Term expires 2025
Trustee of Public Funds 3 years Term expires 2027
Cemetery Commissioner 3 years Term expires 2027
Halifax School Moderator 1 year Term expires 2025
Halifax School Director 3 years Term expires 2027
Trustee to the Whitingham Library 3 years Term expires 2027
Polls open from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Dated this 2nd day of February, 2024
Signatures:
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
- Nomination Petitions with a list of open elected offices
- Petitions to place a warned article before the town voters
2024 Town Meeting Day Petitions for Office or Warned Articles Instructions and Forms
Committee Members:
Laurel Copeland
Steven M. Cohen
Patrick McAllister
Meeting Agendas:
December 1, 2023 Trustees of Public Funds Special Meeting Agenda
Meeting Minutes:
Regular Meeting, Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 6:30 PM
Remote Participation ONLY
Zoom Location: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7814490827?pwd=bTRLMCtDdzgrR2NndWV5andxTG0vUT09
Meeting ID: 781 449 0827 Passcode: 123
You can dial in using your phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Or one-tap mobile: +13052241968,,7814490827#,,,,*123# US
Dial *6 to mute/unmute on telephone
DRAFT MINUTES
Attendees: Stephan Chait (Chair; SC), Lesley Pollitt (Treasurer; LP), Mary Horne (Member; MH), Laurel Copeland (Clerk; LC), Dov Towler (Member; DT), Linda Huebner (guest, LH), Sue Kelly (guest, SK), Francisco Cabas (guest, FC).
CALL TO ORDER at 6:30 pm
CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA – None.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting Minutes of June 22, 2023 were approved with minor corrections.
NEW BUSINESS
OLD BUSINESS
Flyers on Invasive Plants in Halifax
Six flyers – 50 copies of each from C&S Printing (Putney Road) for use at events ($35). LC also made a poster about the 6 flyers with QR code & URL going to her webpage where the PDF’s are available.
Cost of 3-page, 2-sided copies from C&S – For mailing; TBD.
Letter to Agency of Natural Recourse (ANR) on Trapping Regulations and Hunting Coyotes with Dogs
Sent; no response.
Conservation Commission Letter to State Representative Roberts
SC did not hear back from Tristan Roberts, so SC contacted him, and they talked. TR apologized for not replying at all but remained noncommittal on the issue. After committee discussion, SC will ask TR to explain the process House Bill 159 is going through. LP did contact the persons on environmental subcommittee as recommended by TR some time ago but did not hear back from them, either.
SC wondered if we should contact the Humane Society of the US (not Windham Humane Society) to ask if they have information about trapping. LH commented that HSUS and local humane societies are unaffiliated, and that Vermont no longer has a representative in HSUS. Local organizations might have better information about trapping in Vermont. LP will ask Joanne Bourbeau of HSUS or Brenna Galdenzi of POW.
MH provided this link to HSUS webpage on hounding bears: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/facts-about-bear-hounding
BEEC Project entitled Beavers in Halifax and Westminster VT – LH described the beaver education event being held this Saturday afternoon in West Halifax at the Community Hall. After Patti presents for about an hour, the group will go on a field trip to a local beaver pond. Another event will showcase river engineer Denise Burchsted who can talk about hydrology and will meet with our road boss to discuss Halifax road-wetlands issues. As part of the project a Beaver Deceiver (© Skip Lisle) will be constructed at a culvert in order to protect the culvert and to provide an educational opportunity to explain the role and development of a Beaver Deceiver.
OTHER BUSINESS – SC brought up our idea to have Rich Holschuh come to Halifax and speak about Abenaki in the Halifax area. LC commented that some Native American artisans will be in West Halifax on Sept. 9th at the Community Hall, demonstrating techniques; there might be other individuals we could invite if Rich Holschuh is too busy. Dov commented that Rich might be busier now than he was at the beginning of the pandemic when we were trying to schedule this. SC commented that Rich has a perspective that the people are part of the natural system not owners of it, a useful perspective.
HEARING OF VISITORS – FC introduced himself (in Halifax on weekends). NRCS will feature a video he did about the indigenous perspective about a tree release, to be published in August. A mass tree release is when certain trees are selected to be nurtured and become elders. With a forester and Sean Dupuis of Halifax, about 90 trees on his acreage were selected, and the area around the mass trees was cleared to give the mass trees more access to nutrients and sunshine. Selected trees were oak, birch, cherries, pines, firs, and maples.
ADJOURNMENT at 7:13 pm.
Regular Meeting, Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 6:30 PM
Remote Participation ONLY
Zoom Location: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7814490827?pwd=bTRLMCtDdzgrR2NndWV5andxTG0vUT09
Meeting ID: 781 449 0827 Passcode: 123
You can dial in using your phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Or one-tap mobile: +13052241968,,7814490827#,,,,*123# US
Dial *6 to mute/unmute on telephone
MINUTES
Attendees: Stephan Chait (Chair; SC), Lesley Pollitt (Treasurer; LP), Mary Horne (Member; MH), Laurel Copeland (Clerk; LC), Dov Towler (Member; DT), Linda Huebner (guest, LH), Sue Kelly (guest, SK), Francisco Cabas (guest, FC).
CALL TO ORDER at 6:30 pm
CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA – None.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting Minutes of June 22, 2023 were approved with minor corrections.
NEW BUSINESS
OLD BUSINESS
Flyers on Invasive Plants in Halifax
Six flyers – 50 copies of each from C&S Printing (Putney Road) for use at events ($35). LC also made a poster about the 6 flyers with QR code & URL going to her webpage where the PDF’s are available.
Cost of 3-page, 2-sided copies from C&S – For mailing; TBD.
Letter to Agency of Natural Recourse (ANR) on Trapping Regulations and Hunting Coyotes with Dogs
Sent; no response.
Conservation Commission Letter to State Representative Roberts
SC did not hear back from Tristan Roberts, so SC contacted him, and they talked. TR apologized for not replying at all but remained noncommittal on the issue. After committee discussion, SC will ask TR to explain the process House Bill 159 is going through. LP did contact the persons on environmental subcommittee as recommended by TR some time ago but did not hear back from them, either.
SC wondered if we should contact the Humane Society of the US (not Windham Humane Society) to ask if they have information about trapping. LH commented that HSUS and local humane societies are unaffiliated, and that Vermont no longer has a representative in HSUS. Local organizations might have better information about trapping in Vermont. LP will ask Joanne Bourbeau of HSUS or Brenna Galdenzi of POW.
MH provided this link to HSUS webpage on hounding bears: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/facts-about-bear-hounding
BEEC Project entitled Beavers in Halifax and Westminster VT – LH described the beaver education event being held this Saturday afternoon in West Halifax at the Community Hall. After Patti presents for about an hour, the group will go on a field trip to a local beaver pond. Another event will showcase river engineer Denise Burchsted who can talk about hydrology and will meet with our road boss to discuss Halifax road-wetlands issues. As part of the project a Beaver Deceiver (© Skip Lisle) will be constructed at a culvert in order to protect the culvert and to provide an educational opportunity to explain the role and development of a Beaver Deceiver.
OTHER BUSINESS – SC brought up our idea to have Rich Holschuh come to Halifax and speak about Abenaki in the Halifax area. LC commented that some Native American artisans will be in West Halifax on Sept. 9th at the Community Hall, demonstrating techniques; there might be other individuals we could invite if Rich Holschuh is too busy. Dov commented that Rich might be busier now than he was at the beginning of the pandemic when we were trying to schedule this. SC commented that Rich has a perspective that the people are part of the natural system not owners of it, a useful perspective.
HEARING OF VISITORS – FC introduced himself (in Halifax on weekends). NRCS will feature a video he did about the indigenous perspective about a tree release, to be published in August. A mast tree release is when certain trees are selected to be nurtured and become elders. With a forester and Sean Dupuis of Halifax, about 90 trees on his acreage were selected, and the area around the mast trees was cleared to give the mast trees more access to nutrients and sunshine. Selected trees were oak, birch, cherries, pines, firs, and maples.
ADJOURNMENT at 7:13 pm.
OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD
TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT
SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
May 20, 2023
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM AT THE HALIFAX TOWN OFFICE
You can join the meeting here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83140976854?pwd=dFFkWE1tdk84VjFGc1RZODJvM2NjUT09
Meeting ID: 831 4097 6854
Passcode: 793307
You can dial in using your phone:
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Or one-tap mobile:
+16468769923,,84085362701#,,,,*258796#
Dial *6 to mute/unmute on telephone
COVID-19: Masks are encouraged for everyone. If it’s possible you’ve been exposed or are symptomatic, please stay home. To help in that regard, the SB provides a remote means of public participation. However, the Open Meeting Law only guarantees the public’s right to participate if they attend in person and therefore, the SB may continue with a scheduled meeting even if technical difficulties develop.
CALL TO ORDER
NEW BUSINESS
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding
- Halifax ARPA funding story to date (5 minutes)
- Any additional community input for projects? (15-30 minutes)
- See REVISED May 12th – BDCC HALIFAX COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT AND PROJECT PRIORITIZATION (CAPP) REPORT at halifaxvt.com > Halifax News > Halifax News for known projects to date
- Decide on process and timing for allocation of funding (30 minutes)
- Finalize town priorities for ARPA funding (15 minutes)
- Discuss DVFiber proposal(s): May 31, 2023 deadline for match (15 minutes)
HEARING OF VISITORS
ADJOURNMENT
OFFICE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION
TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT
PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
MAY 9, 2023
7:00 PM
TOWN OF HALIFAX, TOWN OFFICE CONFERENCE ROOM
CALL TO ORDER:
CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA:
APPROVAL OF REGULAR MEETING MINUTES:
- Accept minutes from April 11, 2023 as written
NEW BUSINESS:
- Mike Connelly will be in attendance from WRC to discuss progress and planning for the PC & ZBA
- Set date for Kline subdivision
OLD BUSINESS:
HEARING OF VISITORS:
ADJOURMENT:
ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
HALIFAX, VT.
March 12, 2023
Tblaiser2@gmail.com
DUE TO THE INCLEMENT WEATHER PREDICTED FOR MARCH 13-14th THE ZBA HAS MADE THE DECISION TO POSTPONE HEARING #23-1, SHR.0075 SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 14, 2023.
THE HEARING HAS BEEN RE-SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 30, 2023. PLEASE WATCH FOR MORE DETAILS.
Tina Blais
ZBA Secretary