Selectboard Meeting Minutes

Draft Selectboard Regular Meeting Minutes, 8/18/2025

Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82923623115?pwd=Y8mwXFBz1EXkv5iWbOROTgAAO3PJ6z.1
Zoom Meeting ID: 829 2362 3115   Passcode: 974520

BOARD MEMBERS: Todd Lawley (Chair), Marion Dowling (Vice-Chair), Katy Johnson-Aplin, Chris Cleverly.

OTHERS PRESENT: Melissa Brown (Treasurer), Katie Bristol (Zoning Admin & Lister’s Data Entry Assistant)

CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Chair Todd Lawley.

CONFIRM PROPERLY WARNED: Confirmed by Katie Bristol.

Executive Session Pursuant to:

Pursuant to 1 VSA § 313 (a) (3) Discussion of hiring of a public employee.

  • Chris Cleverly made a motion to enter executive session. Dowling seconded. The motion passed. The Board entered executive session at 6:02 p.m.

The Board exited executive session at 6:22 p.m.

  • Cleverly made a motion to establish a position of Town Office Assistant to work 10 hours per week under the supervision of the Selectboard, the Treasurer, and the Zoning Administrator. Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion. The motion passed.

 

ADDITIONS/AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA: None.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

August 4th, 2025, Regular Meeting Minutes

  • Johnson-Aplin made a motion to accept the regular meeting minutes of August 4th, 2025. Cleverly seconded. The motion passed.

ROAD FOREMAN & ROAD COMMISSIONER’S REPORT:

The sign for the south entrance of River Road has been delivered and installed.

  • This is to prevent trailers/campers from going down the south entrance.

We will be replacing a culvert on Dover Road starting Wednesday. The traffic will be one lane while we replace it. This may be completed on Wednesday, if not then by Thursday.

  • Johnson-Aplin asked if ditching would also be done. Wilson confirmed ditching will take place approximately 200 feet south of the culvert.
  • Lawley asked where the paving will be done. Wilson explained the paving will be done from Monroe Bridge to South Newfane Bridge. Lawley asked if it was 1 ½ inches. Wilson said it was a half inch shim and an inch overlay. While the contractor is there for the paving he is going to patch a spot on Depot Road.
  • Lawley asked about the plans for Rolling Meadow Bridge. Wilson explained that it would be best to get Marc (Vtrans) and Matt (Daniels Construction) to visit the site to review and discuss. There is going to be difficulty in keeping the bridge open for traffic while the paving is being done. The bridge must be paved all at once, not half and half. Wilson was hoping that Marc could come up with some money, but it may be a couple of years. If part of the bridge is taken down and they find concrete problems they’ll want to fix those, then put the membrane on and then pavement.

Melissa mentioned the South Newfane Store property needs mowing per discussions with residents. I will go look and see if it’s smooth enough to be mowed.

  • Jay will look at the property to see if it is smooth enough to be mowed or if it needs to be weed whacked for a year or two. Theres is straw netting that is put down which could cause an issue if mowed.
  • Lawley suggested seeing if Marc Gray could do this. Wilson suggested Marc could weed whack it three-four times a year.
  • Dowling received emails regarding the grass needing mowing at the property. She mentioned she had a conversation with Carol Hesselbach regarding FEMA buyouts, where the grass is typically left to grow naturally and not mowed. Wilson explained that they are supposed to make sure that nothing invasive grows up. The Dover Road properties that were purchased through FEMA have been mowed.

We have updated the storm water permit for the gravel pit and resubmitted it.

  • Melissa will submit this online with ANR (Agency of Natural Resources) and pay the permit fees.

I will be meeting this week with Colin from WRC to put out an RFP for the Newfane Village sidewalk engineering.

Discussion:

Lawley asked how the Town truck was coming along and asked if Wilson had the purchase price. Wilson said the price to purchase the new truck is $288,899.00. This is for a Mack truck, plow, and wing. It’s the same specs as the 2017 Mack truck. The Town saved about $40,000 by going with an MG body, from Tenco body. Wilson will send the Selectboard the whole bidding package when he receives it.

  • Cleverly made a motion to purchase the Mack truck. Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion. The motion passed.
  • Dowling made a motion to accept the Road Foreman’s and Road Commissioners report. Cleverly seconded the motion. The motion passed.

Johnson-Aplin asked for an update on the Williamsville Covered Bridge. Wilson said he called Geico but was unable to speak with anyone. The Town still doesn’t have the insurance money to cover the bridge repair yet.

Lawley mentioned that there is now damage to the other side of the bridge as well. Wilson said that we budgeted for the overweight warning device. He will implement getting that installed.

Johnson-Aplin asked what would happen if we had to go through the winter without the repairs being done to the Williamsville Covered Bridge. Wilson said that it will be repaired before winter even if we have pay for it before we receive the insurance money.

SCHEDULED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: None.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S REPORT:

Michael Mayer submitted the subdivision permit for processing. Katie and I consulted with Attorney Bob Fisher regarding the proper handling of the permit. Attorney Fisher advised us that the permit was good and does not require review of the Development Review Board (DRB) again. Katie will approve the permit.

We also received several requests for the Williamsville Hall Rental, which have been addressed. We created a binder for the Hall that includes procedures and documents that are needed for each rental. The binder contains a quick-reference cheat sheet for the rental rates, the rental policy, lease agreements, and the rental checklist.

We have been updating the website with the current policies that were adopted as well as the binder that has hard copies of the policies.

We have updated the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund Policy. This will need to be adopted again and signed.

The State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources is having a workshop in Montpelier for Municipal Officials and Volunteers on October 17, 2025, from 8:00am-3:34pm. If anyone is interested in attending, please let me know as there is limited seating and there is a registration fee of $35.00.

DISCUSSION:

  • Cleverly made a motion to approve the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund Policy. Dowling seconded. Motion passed. Lawley signed the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund Policy.
  • Cleverly made a motion to approve the Administrative Assistant Report. Dowling seconded. Motion passed.
  • Johnson-Aplin made a motion to have the Chair, Todd Lawley sign Michael Mayer’s subdivision permit due to a conflict of interest. Cleverly seconded. The motion passed.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Jane Douglas (Planning Commission) sent over the latest draft version of the short-term rental ordinance proposal. Jane asked the Selectboard if they were happy with this version and on the right track.

Douglas explained that the State discussed creating a registry, it has not been implemented yet. The proposed registry would provide information such as the number of bedrooms, the owner or managers contact details, and confirmation that the property is being used as a short-term rental. Douglas emphasized that the registry would not cost anything to register or impose restrictions or fees but serve primarily as an information tool.

DISCUSSION:

  • Lawley asked if part of this was for fire safety. Douglas confirmed it was.
  • Cleverly said this was a logical first step to find out about how many short-term rentals there are in Town and then they can make decisions from there.
  • Lawley asked who was going to manage the registry. (Zoning or another department)
  • Bristol asked if there was going to be a mass mailer and if so, how much that would cost. Bristol asked what the perk is in telling the Town this information. She has mixed feelings on this subject and if it’s going to cost the Town money to collect this data, she doesn’t think it’s beneficial.
  • Douglas said the registry form can go onto the website or in tax bills when they are mailed. The State of Vermont talked about options that the Town can do like a room tax or a local tax, which means the Town gets 1% and the State gets 9%. It’s a way to offset taxes but the Planning Commission hasn’t gotten that far seeing as they don’t know the number of short-term rentals in the Town of Newfane.
  • Lawley said he would get in touch with the Fire Marshall regarding the fire safety component.
  • Douglas explained that the purpose of doing this is health and safety issues and not tax issues and not restriction issues.

 

  • Cleverly made a motion to accept the Planning Commission Discussion. Dowling seconded the motion. The motion passed.

UNSCHEDULED MEMBBERS OF THE PUBLIC:

Earl Cantos and Joan Elliot have a serious noise problem with a neighbor’s continuous generator at all hours of the day and night. They attempted to resolve the issue directly with the neighbor about a solution but there was no resolution, and they were asked to leave the property. Cantos and Elliot wrote a letter to the neighbors’ parents who live nearby. There was no reply, so Cantos and Elliot decided to visit them. They spoke with the mother. There was no solution regarding this issue. Cantos and Elliot are also concerned about the sanitary conditions.

  • Bristol explained that there is no noise ordinance. She recommended calling the police according to the state statute. She will email them the information. Bristol can reach out to the health officer to discuss the sanitary concerns.
  • Lawley suggested checking with the State to see if there is a decibel machine to measure the noise level.
  • Cleverly mentioned that this is a civil matter and they should contact the police.

A letter from Cantos and Elliot regarding the generator-noise complaint has been submitted to the Selectboard and is on file at the Town Office.

NEW BUSINESS: None.

OLD BUSINESS: None.

CORRESPONDENCE: None.

Pay orders:

  1. Payroll #11745 $ 6,563.23
  2. Payroll #11746 $ 4,947.74
  3. A/P # 26004 $50,559.52
  • Cleverly made a motion to accept the pay orders. Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion. The motion passed.

ADJOURN:

  • Cleverly made a motion to adjourn. Dowling seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:08 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Melissa Brown

Administrative Assistant