OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD
TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
JANUARY 26, 2026
6:00 PM AT THE HALIFAX TOWN OFFICE
CALL TO ORDER
Edee Edwards called the meeting to order at 6:00pm. This meeting is remote only related to the local incident of the winter storm. Other Selectboard members present were Karen Christofferson, Rhonda Ashcraft, Randy Pike and Lori Marchegiani. Members of the public present were Emily Dow and Patty Dow.
CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
None.
OLD BUSINESS
FY27 Budget wrap up discussion
Christofferson reviewed remaining budget line items while screen‑sharing.
Computer Hardware & Software Service is budgeted at $14,180, potentially high because it includes NEMRC. She will confirm whether NEMRC is a one‑time purchase or an annual subscription.
Town employee insurance totals: Worker’s Compensation $22,516. Highway Property & Casualty: $14,262.69
Other Funding Adjustments:
- A previous $241,000 grant reimbursement was moved to the highway budget since it relates to highway expenses.
- The line item was removed from its prior location; NEMRC may show these funds under the Selectboard budget.
- Highway budget appears unchanged because paving reserve funding was moved to a more appropriate section, not removed.
Grader Repair Update: Pike received the initial repair quote from Haven Brown: $105,685.75.
- Add‑ons requested: 5‑year extended warranty, machine rental, front hose armor, steering joints, popsicle stick pivots.
- Some confusion about whether all add‑ons were included; it was confirmed by texting Haven Brown that they were.
- Final quote: $107,766.
Trucking update from Pike: Eilers Bros no longer provides trucking for Halifax. They recommend Scott Grant, who charges $2,080 for round‑trip grader transport to/from Milton CAT.
Health Insurance: A family plan change is pending; current budgeted amount remains unchanged for now but may fluctuate.
Overall budget impact: Compared to FY26, the budget is currently up 0.72%.
Finalize and sign Town Meeting warning
Budget Totals:
- The Selectboard municipal budget and highway budget are combined.
- $270,000 resurfacing budget was moved from the Selectboard to the highway budget.
- Total combined budget: $2,413,984.
- After covering the $83,708 deficit and applying $457,755 in income (funding, grants, state aid), the total Raise & Appropriate by taxes is $2,039,937.
MERP Grant: MERP grant must be completed by December 2026. No income or expenses for the boiler project are included yet because funds have not been received. Only the mini‑MERP (website) is reflected.
Town Meeting Warning Update: Edwards updated the warning and presented changes for final review.
Article 4: Clarifies that the Treasurer’s budget is a fixed amount, not 1% of statutory fees. $500 added for Cost of Living Average (COLA), bringing the total to $20,500. Additional $4,000 included for FY27 expenses.
Article 5: Proposal to raise and appropriate $28,000 for in‑town recycling bins. Made a separate article due to recent misuse and the need for voter awareness. The budget line is currently $0 until voters decide whether to keep or remove the bins.
Article 6: Proposal to eliminate the Office of the Auditor. Future annual audits would be done by a licensed public accountant.
Article 7: Proposal to establish a Highway Equipment Purchase reserve fund for partial prefunding of highway vehicles and equipment.
Article 8: Proposal to fund the Highway Equipment Purchase reserve fund with $20,000.
Article 9: Proposal to raise and appropriate $30,000 for the Operational Reserve Fund.
Article 10: Proposal to raise and appropriate $20,165 for social service agencies.
Article 11: Discussion of other nonbinding business.
Pike made a motion to accept the warning for the 2026 Town Meeting as written. Ashcraft seconded. Motion carried 5-0.
Town report update
Edwards shared the finalized Selectboard budget along with a proposed tribute for the report to the board. Pike recommended broadening the tribute so that it honors the entire town, noting Halifax’s 275th anniversary and the many residents who contribute to the community. The Selectboard budget is finalized.
Mini-MERP discussion
The online tax payment application is now active on the town website, and testing is complete.
Edwards recommended canceling the GoDaddy subscription since the town already pays for the domain separately.
There is $2,015 in excess mini‑MERP funding, and several possible uses were discussed:
- Improve the town website’s visibility in Google search results.
- Complete remaining accessibility and ADA compliance action items.
- Conduct resident surveys about primary and backup heating sources, though interest may be too low to form a committee.
- Look into reported housing concerns, though no specific examples have been provided.
- Support activities of any related committees.
- Hire a consultant to explore energy benchmarking for town‑owned buildings.
- Host an energy fair.
- Purchase a thermal imaging camera for loan through a library.
- Supplement administrative costs for MERP implementation projects.
Marchegiani will contact the mini‑MERP representative to determine whether administrative support is an eligible use for the remaining funds.
HEARING OF VISITORS
None wished to speak.
CORRESPONDENCE
The $200 Cannabis Control Board licensing fee is currently at the town office and has not yet been deposited; two town residents operate licensed facilities.
The Windham Leadership Series event, featuring Kevin Stapleton from the Vermont Department of Labor discussing labor market trends, is scheduled for February 15, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Brattleboro.
Winter Storm Planning will appear on the next agenda, with ongoing discussion about storm preparedness, the CARE Program, and potential use of a warming shelter.
ADJOURNMENT
Ashcraft made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:02pm. Marchegiani seconded. Motion carried 5-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Emily Dow
Halifax Administrative Assistant
Recording Link: https://youtu.be/rLNqeBIRWPA
