OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD
TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
July 15, 2025
6:00 PM AT THE HALIFAX TOWN OFFICE
CALL TO ORDER
Edee Edwards called the meeting to order at 6:00pm. Other Selectboard members present were Karen Christofferson, Rhonda Ashcraft, Randy Pike and Lori Marchegiani. Members of the public present were Stephan Chait, Nancy McCrea, Emily Dow, Linda Huebner, and Patty Dow.
CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
- Old Business: MERP Grant Update
- Correspondence: Sign warrant for unlicensed dogs
- Remove from Agenda: Plans/use for old town garage property
NEW BUSINESS
Set Tax Rate for FY26
Patty Dow provided the board with the details for calculation of the tax rates.
Set tax rate
The setting of new tax rates yielded the following, with FY 2025 rates given as a comparison:
| Resident | Non-Resident | |
| 2026 | 3.0247 | 3.2496 |
| 2025 | 3.0862 | 3.4514 |
VLCT recently promoted a tax rate calculator website to input items during budget season to get a better understanding of how the budget decisions will impact tax rates.
Tax rates are down overall. There was a slight increase in municipal portion of the rates, but school rates were lower. Hold harmless payments from the state to the town were up fairly substantially.
Edwards made a motion to sign the tax rate for the fiscal year of 2026. Christofferson seconded. Motion carried 5-0.
Clark Road plow turnaround and junk ordinance concern
The snowplow turnaround area on Clark road is cluttered with objects that may well fall under our junk ordinance, making it difficult to use for plowing turnaround. Edwards visited the site, which is a dead end road.
Pike questioned if the items are in the town trail interfering with the town right-of-way.
Ashcraft is concerned the discarded vehicles on the property can pose health concerns such as if the chemicals are leaking into the ground. The junk ordinance specifies a limit of no more than 4 discarded vehicles can be on the property.
- The junk ordinance grants the ability to enforce through fines.
- Constable Farnsworth has yet to receive a ticket book; the Selectboard needs to redirect these efforts with a newly understood procedure.
- Christofferson will draft the junk ordinance letter and send it to the attorney for review.
- Assess the turnaround radius needed for the plows to turn around and enforce the junk to be moved behind that point.
- A permit for a junk yard can be requested however, there are specifications needed to be adhered to the permit requirements.
VTrans: Sign documentation for Class 2 Road Grant
In March, Christofferson applied for a grant of $240,000 to upgrade the paving on Jacksonville Stage Road and the town was awarded $192,000. As the estimated cost is higher than the awarded grant, less paving will be done. The grant can be used between July 1, 2025 until December 31, 2027. Current projections of paving should be complete by October 2026 with the intention of paving toward Tucker Road.
Edwards commented that paving currently unpaved roads is costly and was not discussed by the full board.
Christofferson met with Jeff Nugent and Patrick Wilson, of the Windham Regional Commission, and they explained an analysis that was conducted pertaining to maintaining and extending pavement and the long-term costs and benefits of doing so. We need to research this more.
Christofferson made a motion to sign the paving grant. Edwards seconded. Motion carried 5-0.
Upcoming Races through town
Following the bike race that was held the previous weekend, the Fire Department sent a letter pertaining safety concerns, to Edwards, Christofferson and the race coordinator. This letter will be discussed at a future meeting so included personnel can attend.
Upcoming races:
- Saturday, August 23: D2R2 is a self-guided recreational bike ride that is mostly on dirt roads. It is a fundraiser for the Franklin Land Trust in Shelburne Falls, MA. They sent a courtesy letter stating they are not asking for assistance. Their attendees are discouraged from race mentality and will adhere to road signs as well as staggered starts to prevent large groups.
- Sunday, August 24: The running race will begin at 7:00am and will travel on Green River Road between the intersections of Moss Hollow Road to Deer Park Road. In previous years, this section of road was closed to motor vehicle traffic from 7:00am to 8:30am. Previously, Fournier provided signs and volunteers placed and removed the signs. During a future meeting, a motion will be made to close the road. Christofferson will assess specifics and the process to close a road.
- Races should provide their own safety measures. Edwards will send an email to the events ensuring their safety measures are set.
OLD BUSINESS
Ethics Liaison Appointment
A resident delivered a notice with material to Edwards about the Ethics Liaison position. The position can be filled by only a town employee or Selectboard member. Edwards shared the notice with the board.
The liaison’s duty is to inform the person who presented a complaint, the legal process to follow on addressing and resolving the complaint.
Christofferson made a motion to appoint Edee Edwards as the Ethics Liaison. Marchegiani seconded. Motion carried 4-0-1 Edwards was the abstention.
F550 Truck Trade-In
The town vehicle F550 was not traded in as the trade in value decreased by half. Christofferson will contact AutoMall and revisit their trade in value.
Another option is to sell the vehicle and the board can send a notice for a request for bids.
Future discussion (old business): Trade in value and options.
Grader Refurbishment
Christofferson has made multiple attempts to contact CAT for the refurbishment appointment and will continue to make contact.
Hatch School Road Closure
Hatch School Road is currently closed. The Ash trees within the easement have been removed. Scott Jenson was satisfied with progress thus far and presented ideas on best placement for excavated material. The landowner expressed interest in using a fill without invasives. It is determined that the same fill will be used to place back in.
The boxes will be set on Friday in 6 different sections. There will be cranes and heavy equipment placed sideways, blocking the road.
Christofferson will download the stream profile.
Communication: Edwards sent out a VT Alert notice about the Hatch School Road closure for which can be received through email, cell phone call, text and house phone. This service sends alerts for VT emergencies and messages as well as be used for communication for hurricanes and other natural disasters.
GMP Zero Outage Initiative- Sign Addendum
GMP sent the board an addendum pertaining to the GMP Zero Outage Initiative. Christofferson volunteered to take inventory of the project status and what remains to be completed to the town’s satisfaction. There are many culverts and work that has yet to be completed. GMP said at the previous meeting the process to complete the work will happen upon the roads being fully energized. GMP also states they will repave the road up to standard if they need to repave.
The chart will be posted to the website as well as town locations.
MERP Update
Mike McConnell from Windham Regional Commission offered to oversee the work and inspections of the town garage. The fee for the use of their management tools is not to exceed $5,280 and the implementation grant covers the cost. Funds were previously designated within the grant for this cost.
Marchegiani received a “soft cost” statement from the state and it needs to be signed. The service communicates with contractors and oversees the work as well as completed building inspections. There is oversight on the roof crack sealing, wall sealing, weatherstripping, overhead doors, and installing the high efficiency gas boiler.
The implementation grant was awarded $28,644. An assessment estimate for the town garage work to be done is $21,700, leaving roughly $1800 left from the grant, minus the cost of the management service through Windham Regional Commission.
Edwards said there will need to be oversight as well as further clarification on the service.
- Procurement Coordinator/Contractor: Do they create the RFP and Bid forms?
- Does the town pay for the ads from the grant amount?
- What is covered under the cost of the service for $5,280?
- Phase 1- Information gathering for ADA Compliance: This has been completed and a report needs to be received.
Mini MERP, which is a grant funded project, is designated for ADA Compliance for the Halifax website. Marchegiani will reach out to the grant coordinator as well as the Town of Marlboro to find out what company they used.
Future Agenda item for 7/29: MERP Update
Accounting Software conversion update
Patty Dow uses double entry in QuickBooks and NEMRC to ensure balancing. She is prioritizing important factors to be entered first. For the current fiscal year, all employee wages are entered so the NEMRC system can produce reporting and W2’s. The next step is to produce monthly financial statements to ensure balancing.Then to create quarterly statements. This will ultimately decrease the future audit cost.
The treasurer can appoint an assistant treasurer, and the Selectboard can appoint someone (by statute) if she does not. Edwards is concerned about a single point of failure for town operations.
Christofferson says the NEMRC system is interactive and responsive in assisting with balancing issues.
HEARING OF VISITORS
No visitors wished to speak.
CORRESPONDENCE
Unlicensed Dogs
Once a year Patty Dow sends out a warrant for unlicensed dogs and it gets sent to the town constable, Farnsworth, asking him to impound all dogs who will not get their license. Edwards signed the warrant.
Dangerous Heat
The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory to parts of Vermont through Thursday. The air quality alert remains in effect. In the year prior, the board spent time talking about managing heat for the highway department. Christofferson recently shared a heat index app with Fournier and it gives hourly updates on the heat advisory as well as signs and symptoms for heat strokes.
Driveway Permit- 1077 Collins Road
Driveway permit is for a temporary culvert and driveway for well drilling equipment.
- The check number is not listed.
- The property has 200 feet of road frontage.
- Patty Dow said Fournier viewed the property last week.
Edwards signed the permit.
Windham Regional Town Focus Group Meetings
The Windham Regional is holding town focus group meetings pertaining to the Vermont evaluation of the rural technical assistance project.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
July 1, 2025 Selectboard Regular Meeting Minutes
Pike made a motion to accept the minutes from July 1, 2025 Selectboard Regular Meeting as amended. Ashcraft seconded. Motion carried 5-0.
SELECTBOARD ORDER
The Selectboard orders were signed and Edwards read the aggregate amount for orders on July 15, 2025 for an order total of $11,043.33
ADJOURNMENT
Ashcraft made a motion to adjourn at 9:00pm.
Marchegiani seconded the motion. Motion passed 5-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Emily Dow
Halifax Administrative Assistant
Recording Link:
