By STEVEN JUPITER
BRANDON—The Brandon Selectboard convened for its regular meeting on Monday evening.
Sewer Commissioners
As the Board of Sewer Commissioners, the Board unanimously approved the FY25-26 budget for the town’s wastewater department. The FY26 budget will be $1,416,240, a decrease of 4.82% from the current year’s budget.
Seminary Street sidewalk
As the Selectboard, the Board unanimously agreed to draw $10,445.50 from the town’s 1% Local Option Tax fund to complete funding for the sidewalk on West Seminary Street. In 2023, the Board authorized $175K in ARPA funds to sidewalk projects throughout Brandon. Those projects were completed at a cost of $123,342, leaving $51,658 as surplus. The Board voted at that time to use this surplus for other sidewalk projects.
The contractor agreed to complete a 650-foot stretch of sidewalk on W. Seminary for that price, but the actual cost upon completion was only $49,000, leaving a surplus of $2,658 for other sidewalk projects. The contractor suggested to the town that the remainder of the sidewalk on W. Seminary be repaired, since the contractor was already on hand. The cost of the remainder will be $25,000. Since, $2,658 was already available, the town needed to find $22,342.
Since the repaving of Town Farm Road will cost $11,896.50 less than the Board had authorized, the Board agreed to apply that amount to the remaining $22,342 cost of W. Seminary’s sidewalk, requiring that the town take only $10,445.50 from the 1% fund to complete the sidewalk.
Town Manager report
Town Manager Seth Hopkins delivered his report, the full text of which is reprinted in this issue. Mr. Hopkins highlighted a vacancy on the Energy Committee after the resignation of Eve Beglarian and an ongoing vacancy for an alternate on the Development Review Board.
Mr. Hopkins also noted that Monday was the first day of employment for Bob LaPorte in the Highway Department and for Officer Mikayla Fontana in the Brandon Police Department. Fontana is a Level-2 certified officer who will be working full time in the department.
Mr. Hopkins responded to questions about the status of the Union Street sidewalk and sewer project by noting that the complexity was “disappointing.” Deputy Town Manager Bill Moore added that the project is still in the early phases and that he is currently working with adjacent homeowners to establish legal right-of-way for the project. Mr. Moore said he hoped that all necessary agreements with homeowners would be in place by the end of the summer.
Board Vice-Chair Cecil Reniche-Smith asked that residents reach out to the Board directly for information about ongoing town projects rather than post questions to Front Porch Forum.
Community Development
Deputy Town Manager Bill Moore delivered his Community Development report, the full text of which is reprinted in this issue.
Mr. Moore highlighted that Nifty Thrifty Thrift Shop and Bob Foley have offered to split the cost of kids’ swim lessons through Brandon Rec. The lessons will take place in the pool behind the Brandon Inn. Spots are still available.
In response to posts on Front Porch Forum, Board Chair Doug Bailey reminded residents that the town does not own the former Boys & Girls Club building on Rossiter Street and that any proposals to convert the space into a community center will not be undertaken by the town.
An attendee noted that services for working families, such as a laundromat, are more important than a recreation center.
Another attendee replied that Rep. Todd Nielsen is currently working to bring a laundromat to that site [see article on Todd Nielsen on Page 1 for more details].
Public Comment
An attendee asked that the town consider making seats on committees available to other applicants when current appointments expire, rather than automatically reappointing the incumbents.
The Board and the town manager replied that it has been the town’s policy to offer reappointment to committee members who have done good work and who wish to remain in their positions. Though the Board did not seem likely to change the policy, the attendee urged them to revisit it in order to create more “diversity” on town committees.
Appointments
By consent, the Board unanimously reappointed the following:
- John Peterson and Jack Schneider each to a 3-year term on the Development Review Board (terms to end on June 30, 2028).
- Neil Silins to a 1-year term on the Planning Commission (term ending on June 30, 2026).
- Jack Schneider and Natalie Steen each to a 3-year term on the Planning Commission (terms ending on June 30, 2028).
- Stephanie Jerome and Karen Lynch each to a 3-year term on the Revolving Loan Fund Committee (terms ending June 30, 2028).
- Judy Bunde to a 1-year term as an alternate on the Revolving Loan Fund Committee (term ending on June 30, 2026).
Town Farm paving bid awarded
The Board unanimously awarded the Town Farm paving project to Wilk Paving, whose bid of $148,103.50 was marginally lower than Pike Industries’ bid of $148,204.
Ms. Reniche-Smith noted that the close proximity of the two bids inspired confidence in her that those amounts reflected the true cost of the project.
Fuel contracts
The Board unanimously approved contracts for diesel, #2 fuel oil, and propane.
The contract for diesel was awarded to Champlain Valley Fuels at 35 cents over Valero Rutland rack ($2.956 as of June 9).
The contract for #2 oil was also awarded to Champlain Valley at 35 cents over Valero Montreal rack with a cap at $2.55 per gallon ($2.4495 as of June 9)
The contract for propane was awarded to Suburban Propane at the State of Vermont contract price, which is Rack plus 45 cents ($1.489 as of Jun 17).
All of these rates are lower for the coming year than they were for the current year.
Warrant
The Board unanimously approved a warrant in the amount of $196,041.30 to cover the town’s obligations and expenses. This amount included a payment of $125,865 to Sbardella Slate for the roof work on the Town Hall.
