--- title: "Stamford Select Board — May 7, 2026" date: 2026-05-07 session: regular speaker_labels: 1 cluster(s) named from the roll call and that meeting's chair in the minutes, 1 named from roster attendance, 9 of 11 clusters unnamed voice_ids: {"SPEAKER_01":108,"SPEAKER_03":19,"SPEAKER_04":8,"SPEAKER_05":1,"SPEAKER_06":107,"SPEAKER_07":11,"SPEAKER_08":17,"SPEAKER_10":106,"SPEAKER_11":4,"SPEAKER_12":14,"SPEAKER_13":3} duration_min: 74 audio: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SvBeT524IZDha2khyNG_7nYagnoTzydR/view?usp=sharing audio_source: town drive minutes: https://townofstamfordvermont.org/mediaItems/Sbd%20Minutes%205-7-26.pdf minutes_pending: false present: [Nancy L. Bushika, Kurt Gamari, John Dunn, Jedidiah Gramlin, Michael G. Denault] absent: [] transcribed: 2026-09-04 (faster-whisper large-v3, CUDA; names corrected per data/name_fixes.json) diarization: pyannote/speaker-diarization-3.1 (automated; cluster labels may over-split a single voice; unattributed paragraphs have no reliable speaker) --- # Stamford Select Board — May 7, 2026 **Session:** Regular · **Duration:** 74 min · [Audio](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SvBeT524IZDha2khyNG_7nYagnoTzydR/view?usp=sharing) · [Minutes](https://townofstamfordvermont.org/mediaItems/Sbd%20Minutes%205-7-26.pdf) **Present:** Nancy L. Bushika, Kurt Gamari, John Dunn, Jedidiah Gramlin, Michael G. Denault --- Will the assembly stand for the pleasure meeting? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic of which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Welcome to a meeting from Stamford Select Board. We have a matter to discuss that is not included on the agenda. You may do so by addressing the chairperson and stating your name and address. You will notice that all our meetings are recorded, and this is to aid with summarization. Visitors are welcome, and we allow five minutes of comments per visitor and 15 minutes per topic. Discussions will be held in a calm and civilized manner and respectful of others. Select Board members present are... **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Michael G. Denault, Nancy Bushika, John Dunn, Jed Gramlin, Kurt Gamari. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Will there be any adding of items or removing items from tonight's agenda? Will there be any adjustments to the agenda, such as changing the order of items? I think we'll have to skip over Rodney Howland, so maybe he'll make it to the next meeting. Okay. And Jan, you're supporting tonight's meeting for your series of video. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Hearing of other visitors? **Speaker 1:** Thank you, Pietro. Thank you. 347 Mill Road. So today, I purchased the property behind the Auburn residence, **Speaker 2:** and there's some discrepancies on boundaries there and right-of-ways. If you look at the property, if you're looking at Auburn's house, the road that goes up to her driveway turns into the right-of-way for the land that's in the back that's locked. So, but... But the road, if you just keep driving on the road forever and ever, it comes out in Joe Dean's backyard and it'll show you the road, right? So, okay. So now there's a right-of-way that went to that gravel bed once upon a time, right? And so I have all the mapping and all the boundaries and all the stuff. So in 1986, Paul, for sure, drew a map that had his, this property, which is down here that I'm talking about, and it says, on the butter, it says, Paul LeChere. Now, that, in fact, this is the state map. And in the state map, it shows Lance Petro owns all of this. LeChere's property is way up here, a thousand feet away. So for him to have a right-of-way to something he doesn't own, it's kind of foolish, right? And so I think what happened was, is once upon a time, nobody knew where the actual boundaries were correctly. So when you guys hired the state to do this, they put in their correct boundaries to their knowledge. So that being said, there's certainly no LeChere property around there. Does the property I just bought, was that from the LeChere family? Yep, it is. It's one of the granddaughters or something from the original Paul LeChere. Now, Dave thinks that he's going to be able to drive his truck from his land, which is 1,000 feet from my property, and about 900 feet from a gravel bed that he doesn't own, that he thinks he owns. Apparently, they've been using it for years and years. And right now, his tractor's on that property, and there's trees cut down. Do I care about that? Nope, I don't care because it's not my property. But I do care about the fact that he thinks his driveway is my yard, and that's not going to happen. So what I'm saying is, his property's all the way up on the top of Henry Hill. He has a road that goes to his property, but then when he leaves there, he decides he's going to come all the way to the top, and then he goes to his property. But then when he leaves there, he decides he's going to come all the way up to the top of Henry Hill. he's gonna come all the way down here, and this is Scott's property, this is Bosburg's property, this is Lance's property, then he gets to my property. So not only is he using a right-of-way that's fictitious that doesn't belong to him anymore, he also drives through everybody's property to get there. So he also has a fence, a chain, that on the abutment of Lance's and my property. I'm pretty sure you can't put chains on somebody else's property. So my problem is, there's no problem, it's not up to me, and I talked to my lawyer, Tom Rumble, about it today. He said, Nate, it's up to him to prove to you that he has the ability to use this. Well, this map was built in 1986 that was drawn by his grandfather or his father, whoever, doesn't give him the ability to use that right-of-way, just because they wrote it on a drawing paper. When we go to the deeds, it says that the grantor has the ability to use, the right-of-way to the gravel. Well, if the grantor never owned the gravel pit, how does he get to do it? I mean, because in Los, once, and I don't know the whole story yet, but I just want to keep everybody abreast of what's going on here, because I do have the road blocked, and nobody's gonna go up and down until we get it figured out, period. So when the road, when this was built, probably the whole mountain was Luscious, I don't know that. Maybe in the early 1900s, they owned a whole ton of stuff. But according to the drawings, and the deeds, in like 58, some of this stuff was owned by Foley, then it was owned by the Luscious. So where Lance's property, that was the McNulty's, and they also, and that's always been their, the acreage has always been the same size, same as the 45.33 acres that Luscious owns. But I think Luscious thought their property was down the bank more. And it can't be, because it's in Rosberg's property, and Scott's property, can't have two places at once. So either, once upon a time, they owned the whole mountain, and they owned the gravel bed. Because I've been told by the family, we've sold gravel out of there in the 80s, **Speaker 3:** like you read about. **Speaker 4:** What's that? One of the oldest names in town, sure. **Speaker 2:** Yeah, yeah, I get it, 100%. They probably did own that. They probably did, and I don't care if they did. Right, so according to the state, if you guys say to me, hey Nate, that state map is garbage, don't go by that, then I won't. But I can tell you guys paid a lot of money for somebody, to correct, so. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** The state, three plus acres, to 17 acres. So my point is, number one legal thing is no one can. **Speaker 2:** I just, I don't. But if you have a right, so I have the right of way to go to that gravel bed. But there's a fence up, a chain. So if I can't go there, how come he can come on my property? Because he's a grantee here, and I'm the grantee here. Whatever the wording is, that's what I am. So you're not gonna tell me, I can't go through a piece of property, off of my property, if you're gonna drive in my property, whenever you feel like it, and use it as your driveway. It's not a driveway. It's not for constant use. It's for, it was built there for that gravel. Not for him to drive from the top of the mountain, down through two other pieces of property that he don't own, three other pieces of property, onto my property and up. That's just not, doesn't make any sense. That's common sense, it just tells you it's not right. You're already trespassing on three other pieces of property. So, that being said, I'm just, I'm gonna, I'm just, I'm gonna, I'm just, I'm gonna dig into it deeper, but Tom Rumble, my lawyer, said to me, Nate, make him prove to you that he has the access to go there, right? **Speaker 5:** And that's what I'm gonna do, **Speaker 2:** but I'm gonna tell you, he's gonna be pissed, because he didn't buy the property from his sister, that she'd been paying taxes on for 20 years, and he had no want or needs then, but I know that he's gonna be pissed as soon as he hears that I bought that property, and that's tough shit. So the second thing is, he's going to say, well, I still have a right of way there, but you don't. You don't have a right of way there, and if you do, you need to show me that you own the land. You don't own the land. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** This is, like Mike said, this is civil. **Speaker 2:** 100%, no, no, but I just wanted to let you guys know what's gonna happen, because I'm not gonna stand back and just let people just trespass. It wouldn't be the first time that someone's upset in this town. Well, you know what, I'm not upset. He's, he, he, here's what happened. When I was starting to look at that land, I drove up Henry Hill, he's got cameras up there, so he stopped one day and said, you driving my land? I go, who are you? He's like, I'm Dave, sure, or Crusher or whoever they call this guy. So he says, do you, you up on top of Henry Hill? I said, yup. He's like, well, that's my property. He goes, and I don't want anybody up there, because I have stuff up there. I go, you got a bunch of junk up there, and do you think I need any of that shit? So listen, I'm not gonna, and I'm like, I'm not, you came barking at me, and I'm not gonna deal with that. So now I have the other side of the flip coin now, and now he's gonna try to be using my property, and if he owned the land next to it, I can't stop him, it's all his, and away you go. But because you don't own anything abutting me, where that land, that goes. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** If you get surveys, or this is, anybody that gets surveys, **Speaker 6:** I will get a survey, but yeah. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Give it to us. **Speaker 6:** I mean, today's the first day. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Yeah, record it here, we turn it over to the mapper, she fills out and changes the line, because she has to go by the surveys. **Speaker 2:** Right, and so does everybody else. Mm-hmm. So she's gotta go by the surveys. And so until he shows the mapper, there's no question. Right. I don't have to do anything. I'm not the one in dispute here, right? So I'm gonna stand by, I'm gonna go by the drawings that I have, the markers that I have, I'm gonna mark the property, I'm gonna start cutting trees, I'm gonna tear the building down that's down there, I'm gonna ask the Stamford Fire Department if they wanna have some fun first, and if they don't, that's fine, I'll just put it in a dumpster. But I'm gonna tear the buildings down, I'm gonna level that ground off, I'm gonna put a new curtain drain in, and it's gonna sit like that for this season. Next year, there'll be something there, but I don't know what it's gonna be yet. So a farm dominium or a big garage and make all kind of noise. So, but, that's it. And so I don't wanna be in trouble, but you're not, like, it's funny because the road's got a chain on this side and a chain on this side now. So, and the chain that's on the other side is on nobody's land that he owns. So, that's all. Yep. **Speaker 2:** All right. It sounds like you're... I'll handle it. You're handling it. Yeah, I will. **Speaker 7:** You guys know what I'm talking about. I helped myself on Saturday and went around the loop, picked up a ton of trash. I had already previously done that up there in the high-tension lines. We picked up a bunch of stuff, more trash, and I just went back out there and there's more trash. So, if anybody has any idea of what's going on, I would like to be informed. Is this with, I'm sorry. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** County Road. County Road, the loop that way. Yep. And you guys did it with your ATV group, yep. **Speaker 7:** Snowmobile group or... Small group. Yep. Me, myself, and I went with my group. So, just letting you know that I did that. I've just seen a lot of, it's not side-by-siders. I can definitely tell you that because we're not carrying gas cans and big pallets and bed frames or anything like that or sheetrock. I mean, we're not carrying any of that. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** You're doing pretty good on your road. You're doing pretty good with the cameras. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Yeah, they go up County Road now. **Speaker 8:** Now they've got a different road. Yeah. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** If I buy a piece of land up on County Road, we can stop that, too. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** You can put signs up, cameras, and you can... **Speaker 8:** We've got some methods. You can just do that, right? **Speaker 1:** Right. If you just do that, that'll solve the problem. **Speaker 7:** I also did cut a tree out at Risky Ridge. Removed that, so. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** You took the wood, too? **Speaker 7:** No, there wasn't enough wood to take. But it was a good-sized tree. But I did clear it out. I mean, obviously, the trees weren't to be done on Risky. I just wanted to let you know that we are out there working on the job. Yep, okay. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Working on trails. Working on cleaning. **Speaker 9:** Your last question. Pardon. Pardon. So, in anticipation of the Newtown Plan, there will be a survey coming to people in their mailbox. Also, it can be completed online, if you prefer. If you don't want to spend money on a stamp, you can drop it off in the box. Also, on May 30th, at 12 noon, Native's son, Kurt Gamari, will be leading a walking, a historic walking tour for about an hour, an hour and a half. And then at 1.30, there's going to be, this is, again, to facilitate, you know, what people want in our town plan, a community visioning session. Basically, I think we'll be hanging out, talking ideas, and having some snacks. So, the ring date, so the date is May 30th, 12 noon, here is where it starts and finishes, and then we have the visioning. And if it rains, it will be the following Saturday, June 6th. So, plan your trash and recycling so that you're done. And then just come right on down here. Save on gas, have a good time, learn some history. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Where, are you walking just the village district, or what? **Speaker 4:** Yeah, we're, they're kind of narrowing it down, and they're going to have a bit of things to say as well. But I'm going to be there. **Speaker 4:** I don't know if we have anything to discuss. Yeah, kind of a guide, and just to point things out historically. They're going to lead with moral support. And we may go up Sevens Lane. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Is that where the village district starts right now? **Speaker 4:** Yes, yeah, it goes from the Methodist Church down to the Villanueva. Once on the east side of the village, it stops at Jepson Road. They were reluctant to expand it even to Belmonts in the past. There's also, I mean, there's going to be chatter about developmental, straighten out all the tiers and everything that's going on with Act 181 right now. So, that. Did you see that, it did get repeated today? Did you see that? The whole thing? The rule in Tier 3. **Speaker 4:** Yeah. So, the rest of it, everyone seems to be all right with. Yeah. I mean, that's all, they're going to look for spaces that they can expand in Vermont, more or less centrally located. I mean, they're going to expand out over the mountain range because the goal is to keep the scenic beauty and preserve natural resources. But they may bring up a discussion where you can expand out from the village center, however far it is, like a half-mile circumference or something like that, and focus on developing that area. Yeah. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Anything else, Meredith? Tim? Hey, that's it. **Speaker 10:** I just want to respond to what Kurt's saying. The village center was designated 20 years ago, and that's how we got the grants for the sidewalk and the school parking lot and all the other things we did. **Speaker 4:** It's not true, Dave. Dave, it's not true. We went through a whole process that designated the village center district about maybe five years ago. Five years ago, yeah. That's it. It's not true if it was, it was never met to be the case. **Speaker 10:** Okay, that's, we still got the grant. And that village thing, we had to do a lot more. Yep. You probably want to inform it. But at the same time, under 181, we don't have city water or sewer. To expand the village center when you don't have city and water and sewer for housing is a waste of time. It's a waste of time looking at this. It's not what Stamford wants, and I'm sure we'll find out after we. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Right, after the survey and the plan. **Speaker 10:** Get the survey done, and we've been down this road five times. Yep. The bottom line is I just would hate to see the committee put a lot of effort into something that's not going to go on. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** That's what they have to do for the plan. They've got to do these steps and. **Speaker 4:** I'm just saying it's just going to be part of the process. It's something that's going to come up. The town doesn't have to do anything if they don't want to. There's so many other things we should have. Yep. **Speaker 4:** So it's always going to come down to a town goal. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Okay, anybody else for visitors? Okay. Reading and approval of records and orders. The special meeting minutes of March 30th. I don't think you were here. John and Jed were not present. **Speaker 1:** So can I make a motion to accept them? Motion. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** All in favor? Regular minutes of April 16th. **Speaker 8:** April 16th you weren't here. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Motion to approve. Second. All in favor? Aye. No vote. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** John and Kurt. Yeah, okay. Okay. And the special meeting of April 23rd. Kurt was not here. I'll make a motion. Second. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** All in favor? Highway update. Approve and sign annual financial plan. This is the one Dave and you and I sat in on the Bennington. Yeah, the numbers are on the back, but you have to sign there. Basically what it is, they want to make sure we have enough money to run the highway department. We can't get grants. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** We tax people, we bill into our budget every year, but at the state, we can't go that way. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** So can I have a motion to sign? **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Motion to do. Second. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** All in favor? We break it out into summer budget and winter budget. And this, a percentage of this is for FEMA too, for grants and how they figure it out. Certain, the class roads we get so much money for too. Not the class one, but class two. And class three. **Speaker 11:** What's the front page say? **Speaker 12:** It says about $300. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Funds raised by taxes are equivalent or greater than a sum of at least $300 per mile. So we have to spend at least $300 per mile. That's how I'm reading it. I think we do. Average. Do we all have to sign it? Dave was unable to be here tonight, so what else did he give us? We were awarded. We were awarded. **Speaker 13:** We were awarded the Better Bench Works grant to work on a culvert replacement on sportsmen and smoothing a drive. They are giving us $16,000. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** What's the match on that? Is there one? Yeah, there is one. **Speaker 11:** Five percent. I'm not sure what the match is. **Speaker 14:** I'm not exposed. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Twenty percent. A receipt from you, Tal, will be reimbursed for 80 percent of the project cost. And that includes, I don't know how much it is. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. ierigate, and that includes the use of our equipment, which we can charge at theme rate, so that's... **Speaker 11:** And he's working on tearing down the state shed. Is that part of the old state shed? Is that what they're doing up there? **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** It's all down. **Speaker 12:** Today they took the salt shed down. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** The cake end? Yes. The track area. from the state. That's what Dave. Anything else on highway law? Okay, recycling. An alliance meeting yesterday afternoon. It was online. It's no longer than a half an hour. These meetings go quick. I'm promoting it. We need somebody next year. Somebody's got to go online at 4 o'clock and you'll be off at 4.30. But in order to hold a meeting, they need a quorum, so we need to sign up. And if you're home, you can eat supper. They can't see what you're doing. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** You probably hear that. How often do they have soda? Quarterly. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Just four times a year? Yeah. So our proposed budget is BCRC runs this for us, the alliance. It's 2% more than last year. And our budget last year, we budgeted $5,600 and this year will be $6,800. We spent more than our budget, but we didn't get reimbursed last year for some payments that are coming back from the state like paint, pesticides. They have to send in their paperwork to get reimbursed. The alliance has hired an outreach manager and he goes to every, he tries to go to every school and every business in the alliance area, the 13 with recycling and like the garlic fest in Bennington, he works with them to make sure they're recycling as much as they can. And the fellow they hired is John Pitchroff from Adams. I guess he's got a business already, composting or recycling business, do you know? And the household hazardous waste facility will be opening on May 18th and we are going to be open 18 hours a week. The minimum for the state is 18 hours a week, but we're going to try 19. And one thing we talked about or somebody brought to the alliance chairman was a one drum system for battery collection. They're looking into that so you don't have to tape the ends of your batteries. So when the outreach coordinator is hired, he'll be looking into that. And it might be easier for the people working at recycling too. So in case anyone else wants to become an alliance representative, the next meeting is September 9th, online. Just putting it out there, guys. Anything else on recycling? How did Green Up Day go then? Did anybody **Speaker 15:** participate? Pam said it went similarly to last year. Yeah, she said it went well. **Speaker 9:** Without a hitch. I mean, I'll be back next year, I just couldn't do it this year because I had a memorial service. **Speaker 2:** On the state roads up there, I know it's not part of the Green Up, but from here to **Speaker 5:** Wilmington, the sides of the roads are spotless. Yeah, they cleaned up like last week. **Speaker 16:** I saw the men cleaning up. Those beer cans in front of my house. **Speaker 17:** They just got there. I saw a lot of caps down the middle. **Speaker 16:** Yeah, that's decoration. If they're five cents, why aren't kids picking **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** them up? **Speaker 8:** You'll never see it, but I'll throw a can on them. I didn't see it. I was just telling them they were there. **Speaker 17:** Just reached out because I felt that this compressed time of just a few hours on Saturday kind of alienated a lot of people. So I reached out to the person who had Green Up Day Vermont, and she said a lot of communities have it like the week before. And they hand out bags prior to, and they have the collection day on Saturday. So all week long. So you can do it at your leisure. The kids come home from school, you can help them. That's a great idea. **Speaker 17:** I think I would like for next year to do that. Do you think people could just bring the bags right to the recycling center? And have it somehow tallied. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Different color bags. Yeah. The green up bags are here in the office. They give them to you probably what, a month before? At least. **Speaker 18:** She said that's why they do that. **Speaker 17:** They give them to you prior to so you can have more of a control over what streets are going to be taken care of, assign them to people, and they can do it at their leisure. Because Mill Road basically didn't get done. I did from Tatro up, but the lower part as I'm driving back is really bad. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** I think, too, this year it was very short notice. Yes. But if we get somebody that wants to do this like a month or two ahead, they can plan. You could send a notice and a bag home to another kid. **Speaker 19:** Exactly. **Speaker 9:** That's an idea. Exactly. We did send the notices home last year. This year they did. They sent it this year. Sign a bag. Give them a bag. Give them a bag. And also, last year, you know, the littlest kids did, you know, just around the school. Yeah. You know, on a school day. But also, not just Saturday morning. It's true. Kids have activities and sports and, you know, whatever. So, I love this idea. Yeah. Okay. So, whoever is next year. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Great. Okay. **Speaker 9:** To make a note of this, Lorna and Deb, next year. We'll do it. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Sure. Put that down, Lori. I got it. I'm good. Lest we were hacked. All right. We'll be here before we know it. I know. Yeah. Um. **Speaker 9:** Dispensary. **Speaker 20:** Dispensary. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Dispensary. Dispensary. Dispensary. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Dispensary. Yeah. Dispensary. Less was done. Huh. Yeah. Space. Lots is done. Less is done. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Now let's handover to graduated attending. Christie. And here we go. I don't know. Pisces. How to receive a dental records isn't еæ This is practising Praecipitar's Carbon Number Thermometer? Yes. Oh. It's tecnologia. It's a recognizes engineer. Yes. The diplomatic company. Yeah. would like to use work with you and see if we could have this space at this time that's what we're doing could it could be down the road if some things don't work out we could go to the lawyers and now let's just be adults what was the **Speaker 9:** takeover for testing conversation that's what prompted this meeting right and **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** we're talked to the school board and we hope if this happens doesn't happen again they had three weeks notice they could have talked to the library and tried to work some out that's what the trustee said here that they would have been willing to work something out the library didn't have to be closed all day **Speaker 21:** testing mostly in the mornings from what I understood I know one day they did not **Speaker 4:** so well **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** I wish they would do their executive sessions a lot of times you know I've **Speaker 9:** gone and you sit there and say the pledge or whatever and they go into executive session and it's just like okay don't waste my time I mean yeah **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** it's on purpose that's not cool see you later we have one right now and said I'm going in an executive session half you guys be going alright that's 20 **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** minutes yeah yeah that's so anything else on that special meeting other comments policy for appointments I'm drafting with Lori's help I drafted up a policy for appointments if we want to implement this if we don't that's fine it's just something to go by and it's up to you yeah it looks like this so I don't know if you all had a chance to read it over what you want to say about it or do nothing well one of the things that we tended not to do in the past is interview people **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** we didn't have all of a sudden this and again this is I mentioned this before it's great we have people signing up joining and not new blood coming in you know elections where we have signs out there it's a very nice thing to see that people are getting more involved but what we have to keep in mind is a slapboard at least I can't talk very good tonight and I couldn't at the school board meeting but I seem to do a lot of talking yeah I do but one of the things I said at that school board meeting was it's all about our town it's not about other people outside this town supervisor unions and other school districts and so on town plan they've said well it might not be feasible for some things in this town that's right it might not be so it's all about what fits this town not what the state tries to shut down in great words am I good with that? the only thing that's not possible is giving the new front in father push back sometimes against that and I'll push back you know we have to start looking at our town Dave xo said this a long time go to all that live together I've **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** hoped that you know at this work I'll see we can just say it's not this man **Speaker 21:** I'm we could call this guy for appointments our polices sorry I was **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** like you so much okay you know something crap okay um so I'm talking about the look it over keep it do whatever I like I like it whatever you think change the name guy that way it doesn't just a guy you need to be changed in there good with it want to accept this implement it try to follow it the main thing is is the appointed position in March because we're all over the board with that do we send the letter appointing them and they get back to us and say no I don't want it or do a letter and say you are appointed or you're not going to go **Speaker 22:** back to me why should it be our responsibility to tell people who have seats that their seats are up and they need to be you know they need to see it **Speaker 23:** should be our job to tell people okay so is this going to follow along what do we **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** do here vacancies position so for appointed position a month before March election we're going to say that the position for whatever it might be people know that these vacancies if they want to stay in this position send a letter of interest to the first select **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** board meeting in March so if there's so you're saying when when you're a three year plan for a member your time's up you're no different and the other guy right right **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** you don't want to run wait to let him do it like a new guy just like with my sister yeah that's fun to try different ways different ways **Speaker 4:** are consistent we should be consistent with all the questions to each individual **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** yeah we shouldn't vary in questions because I'm a difference in their own reaches should all be you see some members saying What I hear from them is, I don't want to do it, but if nobody else wants it, I'll stay out of it. **Speaker 11:** So if your time's up, and you don't send in your letter, is your position considered vacant? **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Your position is vacant, but not gone. **Speaker 11:** It's vacant every time a position is up. **Speaker 12:** The term is not gone. **Speaker 11:** No, if your term's up, and you do not reinstate your letter of interest, is that position considered vacant? **Speaker 22:** Yes, I think it is. But we're not going to tease you to say if you want to do it. It has to be. Right? **Speaker 17:** Yeah, because I think we've had problems in the past with maybe emails not getting to all of you. So there possibly should be a procedure on how somebody should submit their letter of interest, rather than just an email. The lawyer gets a thousand. Submit it, who knows if it goes into junk. Yep. They're, they're possibly. **Speaker 4:** The best way would be to hand it right through the window. Yep. And have it scanned. There you go. We'll submit a letter of interest. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** It is email, it needs to be acknowledged, yeah. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Acknowledged, yes. How, how do you want to say that in here? We'll submit a letter of interest within two weeks, or. **Speaker 11:** Just follow the election north laws. If you guys want to get a, you know, run for an office, you have to put papers in. No, this is an appointment. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** I understand that, but it would. Be sure that it's, be sure that it's here. Like the date, like the. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Yeah. **Speaker 13:** If you don't get it now. It's at two o'clock and they haven't checked them since. **Speaker 24:** So if somebody's written me something at four. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Yeah. And they want to be appointed tonight, you're not going to see it. So it's best to hand it in in person. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Yeah, so we should have someone say, you know, make sure you're. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Hand delivered, by hand delivered. That's going to be hard to do, but we'll be able to tell. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Well, you can't hand deliver a, you know, for a meeting, see if they're. Right. Right. Right. **Speaker 9:** So that's like a test. Hand delivered. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Bring me the head of the dragon and you shall be appointed. **Speaker 9:** I think we should have, we should have just in writing. Yes. In writing, not email. Oh, I like that. Sheila? I didn't send a letter in the beginning because I was told. As of that meeting, she did state my. **Speaker 25:** I was told that, you know, by the. We knew that. That position. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** It was through a. **Speaker 25:** There was a recommendation from the. The president's office. No. It was a recommendation from the. The president's office. Right. In the email. What was that? Yeah. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** It was a recommendation from the. **Speaker 10:** The president's office. **Speaker 26:** Yeah. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** The president's office. **Speaker 10:** It was a. I thought you were talking about this newest position that's open now. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** You sent the letter in for that. If you're going to change your ex, I'm not giving letters. You sent the letter in for this new time. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Yeah, after I gave the letter. Can we change it to that? Do you want to look at it one more time in the next meeting or do you want to? Okay, have Lori change it. This is the guide. Kind of like the Constitution? **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Yes. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Resignation from Justice of the Peace. Locating as of May 1st, 2026 and I'm resigning as Justice of the Peace effective May 1st. Thank you for your consideration. Mary Lou Wright. Can I have a motion? Motion to accept her resignation with regret. She has moved to North Adams. Motion. And so now we have a vacant position. Put it to the test, Kurt. Alright, here we go. **Speaker 10:** I'd like to nominate myself. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** This was an elected position. So... They motioned it. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Good boy, you asked for it. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** The Justice of the Peace position is open. Any interested candidates will submit a letter of interest within two weeks of tonight's meeting in writing to the select board. So we have one already that came in by Connie York has expressed an interest. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** There's got to be a leak in the system. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** How did she know before? So we will keep this until next meeting if there's any other candidates. And as far as Justice of the Peace, this goes to the state and they will appoint until the election in November. And the term starts January 2027. So the select board can recommend one person or the select board could send in all of the letters of interest and let the state pick? **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Keep the can down the row. Keep the bucket means up. Go ahead. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Well, you sounded tonight like, sorry. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Please just make it down the row and find your cans. **Speaker 27:** Okay. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** That's what I've been doing, kicking cans down the row. I don't drink Pats. I drink Coors Light. **Speaker 17:** Did you change? I had to. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Library Board of Trustees vacancy. That position has been vacant since the election. And we have one last vote. We have one interested candidate. But like our policy, we should advertise and say as of tonight. **Speaker 4:** Did we not advertise? Did we do it last November? We did it last year. Okay. This has already been advertised. Yes. That's been advertised. I think we discussed it last time. The advertisement says as long as it's in the minutes. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Library Board of Trustees. Yes. **Speaker 4:** And we only have one candidate. So we don't have to do it, do we? No. So you want to? Yes. That's it. It was in the minutes, so. **Speaker 22:** Victoria. Victoria. Yes. Yes. Victoria. Until the next election. Until the March election. All right. Appointed. So currently the motion that we've seconded. Second. Second. Commission vacancy. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. I don't know why I just felt as if this was talking. Oh yeah, and that's Pam Torrey. Jennifer, weren't you on before? I was. So we got on before. The last time we did the body house. I think Aaron looked back at her. Aaron? I think he backed up. OK, well, he didn't send a letter saying he did. So I was just, OK. **Speaker 11:** Well, if he could let us know that, it would be good. Who's that? Aaron. He called me personally, too. **Speaker 11:** And I told him that he said he was going to go his way. Yeah. OK. He said the brown barrel of . I think you should contact him, though, to make sure. Yeah, I have not heard from him that he hasn't wanted to do it. Yeah, I would like to make sure from him. I'm not saying I believe him. No, I'm just saying. I just want to make sure. Trump the bearer of hope. Pam? There you go. Jennifer. There you go. Raise the pace. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** How many positions do we have this week? **Speaker 8:** One. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** One. So according to our policy, do we get to do an interview, then? Can we do it after tonight's meeting? We're having an executive session, if they are willing to wait. **Speaker 28:** Well, Aaron's not here. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Aaron's not here. **Speaker 28:** But that's what we can do. **Speaker 4:** We should formulate questions so we have them all the same. We can't be asking different questions. **Speaker 29:** Yeah. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** OK. It's not a good habit. Well, we could do that in an executive session, if you will. **Speaker 17:** Yeah. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Just come up with a handful of questions and say, this is what we're looking for. OK. Questions. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** We could do it before the next select board meeting, go into executive session before the meeting. Enter candidates. That would be . Not for that situation, right? No. All right. So we've got four interested parties. And we will... We'll interview next select board meeting. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Matter of fact, why can't we do this? Why can't we have the meeting? **Speaker 10:** Yeah. What's that? Why are you having an executive session? Is it in regards to the agency? Yes. Yep. If you don't mind. According to the planning commission meeting, they had read a pamphlet about something's changed. Is that true? **Speaker 30:** Is that true? **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Yes, we have the letter. **Speaker 31:** We have another candidate. **Speaker 10:** No, no. I understand. But let me finish what I have to say. They went into... You did ask a question. Oh, I'm sorry. I said, well, I'm going to ask the question. I answered it. You're throwing me off. At 6.05 and exit, the next statement was famously recommended pamphlet. So I have to assume they didn't say what the executive session was for. I'm just telling you. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** That's the planning commission, right? **Speaker 26:** No. **Speaker 10:** But I have to assume, by the way it's written, is that they were discussing who they were going to nominate. I just... Let them know and you know. As far as appointments, that's open meeting. When you go in and start discussing people in an executive session, other than personnel or sickness, employment... Interviews. Interviews. You can't... You have to have an open meeting with a lot of the public to give input. So you can't go to an executive session and pick a candidate. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** They could recommend... **Speaker 10:** Not an executive session. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** No. They can recommend anybody. Yeah. But by law, the only recommendation that they give is for the AO. **Speaker 10:** I'm just reading. Yeah. I can hear what you're saying. **Speaker 26:** And I agree. **Speaker 10:** And that goes for you guys, too. When you go to appoint, you have to allow the public. Yeah. Now, on personnel, that's different. Insurance, blah, blah, blah. And so I have a letter I'm going to give Lori here. I want to... I'm going to address this to the planning commission. I want to know how they're going to rectify the situation. The future. Of not doing it. Okay? And it's a copy to you. Okay. And I'm not trying to be a hard guy about it. But when you start closing meetings like that. No. Having this type of stuff go on. It's not fair. It's not fair to anybody. Maybe I wanted to put in for that job. Maybe I'm the most qualified guy. They don't know anything about me or my background. Nothing. Right? Other than maybe I was in jail one time. But other than that, there's really nothing. Your file's in the mail. It's in the mail. It's in the mail. It's in the mail. It's in the mail. It's in the mail. It's in the mail. It's in the mail. It's in the mail. It's in the mail. But other than that, there's really nothing. **Speaker 11:** Sheila? Linda got out. I'd like you to just take a moment. **Speaker 17:** Sheila? **Speaker 32:** Yeah. **Speaker 11:** I'd just like to take a moment. **Speaker 17:** Do you have any more? **Speaker 11:** I can't hear you. Go ahead again. What's your hearing ache? Oh, I can't hear her all the time. My head's clogged up. Give me a break. I'm screaming right now. Mike, Mike. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Mike, Mike. Mike, Mike. Mike, Mike. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Mike, Mike. **Speaker 25:** Mike, Mike. Mike, Mike. Mike, Mike. Mike, Mike. Mike, Mike. Mike, Mike. Mike, Mike. Mike, Mike. SPEAKER 4 You don't follow all their rules, that they like everyone to go down the line to give or give, yes, or no, no. I ask questions. I think they like that, and I think they don't want me there, because they can't get everything that they want unless they have the right people and that. And in my book, that's not fair. I mean, I've put on a long time on these. And when I say no, it's just because that does not seem right. But we have this in our obstacles. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** We have our interview with you. **Speaker 25:** Now you guys speak up. Oh. They're just following their suit where they can get where they want. Who wants them? Since 1990 something. I'd like to put you on first. I'm just going to ask the question of dates. Being able to go into an executive session **Speaker 22:** to talk about these things. Is it the same thing for us? Come on. **Speaker 10:** Then we can make nominations. I don't even make decisions. You should probably check on that. I think we can. I'm not going to argue with that. We can treat a board member just like an employee. **Speaker 10:** The law is very specific. The law is very specific. They're appointed by us. I understand, but I'm just saying during that process it's not supposed to be an open meeting. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** No. Yes. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** We have to vote. I don't think it's a good idea. I think it says something. Because you would have personal information. You could ask someone not that we would **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** but you could ask someone do you do drugs? That could be one of our criteria. I'm thinking about it. Yes. What came just came. Does it work? No. It's making it worse. Can I make a comment on this? Why not? **Speaker 33:** I would just like to advocate for the idea that if people are offering their help and time that we should find a way to use them and not like exclude anybody that wants to serve and I don't know how we do that necessarily. It doesn't necessarily mean everybody is on the same commission or whatever but **Speaker 33:** I would assume that there are places that people can help. So there should be a feeling **Speaker 10:** of inclusivity regardless of like you know. They did that 10 years ago much of the time they fought it back down to five again. It has sincerity. Sometimes you're more effective if you're just in the problem. You've got to **Speaker 10:** just see where I'm going. Come to the visioning. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** Are we looking for assessors? Listers. Listers. Listers. So right now if you don't get on as a plan board member there's Listers and there's justices of peace openings right now. And it might even be the tree warden might be open too. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** I'm not sure. And then we select work from March to April. 30 bucks a night. **Speaker 18:** Sometimes it's five dollars a night. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** My codeed's working. Where are they? **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Ole Miss' 911 numbering update. Bob Briggs gave us a list with about 80 people on it that do not have their 911 numbers displayed properly. Do you know where we got the sign tips from Tom's? Have they come yet? Tom's in violation too. Can I just get a little history? What's that? They have to be reflective, correct? Contrasting. Do they have to be reflective? So am I on there? Because cars are reflective and contrasting. So how do they know they're reflective unless they go at night? Right. If you have a $15 donation **Speaker 11:** to the Volunteer Fire Department they will make you one that fits the criteria. And you can throw it on your CD or truck and leave it there. Mine's propped up inside my house. Okay, so we got the letter from Bob Briggs. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Have you guys read it? These are things that I'd like to correct or just grammar there. And maybe put a statement. Please display your numbers properly. I think that statement should be in there. So if it's okay I'll tell Bob to send them out and go with it. There's some on here that have like the boxes around town there's four or five boxes. What if somebody's working there and gets hurt there? That should be displayed. Fair point. Put your number up on your box. Are we going to pick and choose? **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Then figure out who they're going to send it to. So we've got 80-some people on here. I spoke to one and... Am I on there? **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** No. Are your numbers up? No. How come you're not on the list? What's your number down there? You're not on the list. They must have found it. I'm on the list. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Well, maybe you should display them. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** I got the sign. **Speaker 16:** I paid for the sign. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Oh, and the last are we okay with the Stamford volunteer fire department can provide or you can buy your own. Give people the option. **Speaker 4:** Are you putting your rules **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** in the letter? **Speaker 8:** Well, he says **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** that's what I want to make sure of. **Speaker 16:** Four inch **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** the town requires reflective numbers or a sign with four inch contrasting numbers. So that's what it has in the letter. Buy your own. Contrasting so it's not reflective? The town requires reflective numbers or a sign with a four inch contrasting numbers. Bill. The state. We're just copying last. **Speaker 1:** The state. Yeah. The state, yes. **Speaker 10:** Blame it on the state. I'm sorry, I got sidetracked. I had one more question. First of all, how many people are open position to the left in the planning warden? How many people are present? **Speaker 30:** Are we talking about one position? **Speaker 10:** Is one position open? **Speaker 26:** For seven? Five. **Speaker 10:** Oh, there's seven. There's seven. Here's my question. Are you a full voting member of the planning commission as a member? Yes. Okay, so that's something you guys really ought to think about and Deb ought to think about simply because you can't legislate and adjudicate. Kurt knows this better than anybody. He says it a million times. She really shouldn't hold positions. She just shouldn't. **Speaker 34:** If she wants to DAO, DAO. **Speaker 10:** Okay. That's why she had to step down. Okay. According to the state, but they don't recommend it. It's one of those deals. So, we got enough trouble in this town. We really do. Open up another seat for somebody. Save yourself a lot of trouble. Trust me. **Speaker 17:** And I mean this from the bottom of my heart. Save yourself a lot of trouble here. I'm fine with it. Whatever you guys decide, I'm fine with it. We've had this discussion before. You guys asked me just to stay. **Speaker 13:** There was a limit of **Speaker 35:** there were nine. **Speaker 11:** One, I believe. **Speaker 13:** New business. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Lori sent us a two-page document about the remount power. **Speaker 16:** It's a process **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** that they have to do. Notify the area planning and select board. Get the stakes off my lawn. That's where there's I'm guessing. They're going to put an ATO. They're getting ready **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** for all those windmills. I wish they would go up my driveway instead of through the pine trees. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** They're all falling down. This is for the ones up in Searsburg. They're going to remove 11 and put up three large bigger ones that are currently the second batch. **Speaker 11:** They're supposed to be 110 feet or something like that. Or maybe 70 feet. That's why all the new bucket trucks are blown up. So this is **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** just notifying us. I think there's a 45 day notice of petition to be filed with Vermont Public Utilities. Are you coming to June? Do we object to it? Did they do a visibility study? Does it affect anyone? Just when you're going up the mountain. Not from here. **Speaker 11:** I don't understand why they don't put them underground anyway. Think about the trees and everything. I understand it's more money. Well, I thought you followed somebody to put them underground. Maintenance-wise, you know, if you maintain it over those years. Moving on. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Here's Green Mountain Power. We're done with that. BCA training. June 17th. Online webinar. 6 to 7.30. That's for Selectmen, **Speaker 4:** Justice of the Peace, **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** BCA training. 6 to 7.30 is the online webinar. It's probably free. **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** It's just good for Richard. A question on us. You see this Act, we were talking about the Act 1. A lot of accounts have sent letters. Where I think a lot of people didn't really read the fine print and then they were surprised. **Speaker 4:** Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. I'm sure they're going to come back to it at some point. Is this in place in 250 or is it? Easier. Or more difficult depending on how you look at it. Everything's still about 2,500 feet from the end. The listening sessions might be. Has this been given to the Planning Commission? **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** He just gave it to me tonight. He said earlier that he was going to submit it to the Planning Commission. **Speaker 17:** This is our copy. I made a copy and I don't know if he wanted it. You know, I would just suggest that **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** just like we've done in the past and I told Dave this before. Make a mistake. Thank you. It's going to be a learning curve for them too. **Speaker 20:** Just try to do the best we can. **Speaker 9:** Also, I'd just like to say we were responding to the conversation at last time where it was like let's come up with a comprehensive format for bringing new people in. And that one component of that was that the Board can look at the applications that we've got before us and be able to recommend to you guys. Which is, and I know that Lisa got in touch with you about doing a last minute executive session because it seemed inappropriate to be talking about that in the meeting with people there. Just not to hurt people's feelings or whatever. I was unaware if we did some sort of a mistake. But it certainly was not done maliciously we were trying to do it for the good. And then to be transparent about what we'd come up with and bring it to you. We didn't have as many candidates as we do now. I'm perfectly sorry and willing to go by whatever protocol you guys **Speaker 36:** make up. **Speaker 9:** Wrong job! **Speaker 33:** Shh! Every other week. And you can't take my money. Quarterly! **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** I don't see any of that if you give it to me. Anything else under new business? Can I have a motion to go into executive session for personnel? Are you sure you could do it? **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** We're talking about you! **Speaker 37:** Can I stay? **Michael G. Denault (inferred):** I don't even know what we're doing. **Nancy L. Bushika (Chair):** Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. How's your lawn looking, Bill? It's getting there. I don't know if Madden says about those trees or not. **Speaker 11:** I haven't forgotten about it. I'm waiting on some equipment to come. It was supposed to come yesterday. I'm hoping it's there by the time I get out of the meeting. **Speaker 38:** I know it's starting to find some **Speaker 11:** Yeah, I'm just trying to do the spring cleaning. But I haven't forgotten about it. Like I said, I was waiting for some gear. A new rope and stuff like that. Trying to upgrade my stuff before I start pulling on things. But yeah, I'll make sure you get taken care of. You have a good night. So what are you thinking for the lawn? Maybe next week? Depending on what the weather does. Are you driving separately? If you feel it needs to be done sooner. How close? Good night Bill. Good night.