By STEVEN JUPITER
BRANDON—The Brandon Selectboard convened for its regular meeting on Monday evening.
Town Manager report
Town Manager Seth Hopkins delivered his report to the Board, the full text of which is reprinted in this issue.
Mr. Hopkins added that there are 3 vacancies on town committees: a seat on the Energy Committee and alternates on the Planning Commission and the Development Review Board. Anyone interested in these positions should contact Mr. Hopkins.
Mr. Hopkins also asked the Board to consider consolidating the Board of Cannabis Control Commissioners, the Board of Liquor Control Commissioners, and the Board of Sewer Commissioners with the Selectboard, as all four Boards comprise the same five members. Currently, each Board maintains a separate agenda and records separate minutes. The Board is currently obligated to convene and adjourn in each of its capacities as well. Mr. Hopkins stated that consolidation would streamline meetings and recordkeeping. The Board expressed interest but did not act on the suggestion.
Board Chair Doug Bailey drew attention to the recent progress that Mr. Hopkins and the Brandon Police Department has made in attracting candidates to replace the officers who left earlier this year.
An attendee praised the work on the slate roof of the Town Hall, noting that Sbardella Slate had done an enormous amount of work, even given the cost of the project. Another attendee suggested that any expenses relating to the roof that are not covered by allotted funds should be paid for out of the general reserve fund, a proposal that Mr. Hopkins called wise.
Community Development report
Deputy Town Manager Bill Moore delivered his Community Development report to the Board, the full text of which is reprinted in this issue.
Mr. Moore highlighted that the town has taken delivery of the 2025 VW ID Buzz van, which will be used by the Brandon Rec Department in addition to providing public ride-share transit connections. The van was paid for entirely through grants.
Mr. Moore also noted that Youthworks volunteers would be arriving in Brandon to help complete various projects around town at no cost to taxpayers.
FEMA demolition on North Street
The Board unanimously voted to award the contract for the demolition of the FEMA-buyout house at 317 North Street in Forest Dale to Richard Reed & Son of Proctor.
Reed’s bid for the demolition was $15,000, significantly less than the other 9 bids the town received. The next lowest bid was $24,130. The highest bid was $58,000.
Bill Moore stated that Reed has completed similar projects for the town and that “their work was excellent.” Board Vice-Chair Cecil Reniche-Smith stated that her reservations about the uniquely low bid were settled by Mr. Hopkins’ and Mr. Bailey’s assurances that the company could perform the work for the quoted price.
The $15,000 quote included a $2,000 reduction for the value of materials that Reed planned to salvage from the property.
Revolving loan for new gym
The Board unanimously approved a loan of $59,989 from the Revolving Loan Fund to Andrew Doaner, who will use the money for Fit Factory Fitness, a gym that he plans to open in the former Upscale Resale space on Route 7. The gym will be the first in Brandon in many years.
The terms of the loan are 5.5% interest amortized over 120 months with a balloon payment at 60 months. Collateral will be the assets of Fit Factory Fitness and a personal loan guarantee by the principals of Brandon Bakery & Pizza, LLC.
Erynn Doaner, Mr. Doaner’s wife, praised the Revolving Loan program, stating that the program “is the reason we’re able to do the things we’ve done.” This is the third loan that the Doaners have received from the fund. The Doaners also own Mae’s Place in Brandon and the Hilltop Tavern in Pittsford.
Mr. Doaner said that he anticipates that the gym will be open in late fall, if all goes according to schedule. Look for a profile of Mr. Doaner and this new project in next week’s issue of The Reporter.
Terms set for BRAVO Board members
Brandon’s Restorative Action for Victims and Offenders (BRAVO) requested that the Board set fixed one-year terms for members of its board. The Board approved the proposal unanimously. Previously, board members served at will. The new arrangement will give board members one-year terms, all coinciding with the beginning and end of each fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). Appointments will now be made annually.
BRAVO works with local law enforcement to find alternative forms of justice for victims outside the penal system. The members of BRAVO’s board do not work with victims and offenders. Instead, they oversee the program in an advisory capacity.
The current members of BRAVO’s board are:
- Mitch Pearl, Chair
- Paula Ashley, outgoing Coordinator
- Sue Gage, incoming Coordinator
- Debbie Boyce, a co-founder
- Erin Kilpeck
Review of Town Ordinances
The Board agreed to begin review of the Town’s full set of ordinances, to determine which should remain in force, which should be revised, and which should be repealed entirely. Board Vice-Chair Cecil Reniche-Smith, a retired municipal attorney, has volunteered to lead the review.
Mr. Hopkins had also suggested that the Board could hire an outside firm to undertake the review at a cost of roughly $15,000.
“I’m free and that’s better than $15,000,” said Ms. Reniche-Smith.
Mr. Hopkins also suggested that the ordinances, which are currently kept in a three-ring binder, need to be organized thematically rather than alphabetically, as they are now. Board member Jeff Haylon suggested that the ordinances be digitized as part of the review process as well.
The Board performed its first review at the meeting, voting unanimously to repeal a 1952 ordinance that regulated the operation of pool halls and bowling alleys, of which there are currently none in Brandon. The obsolete ordinance concerned itself with what it appeared to view as the unwholesome influence of such establishments on Brandon’s youth.
Brandon residents now have 44 days to petition for a town-wide vote on the repeal. If no valid petition is submitted by August 28, the repeal will go into effect on September 15.
Town Appointment Policy
The discussion of town ordinances prompted one attendee to ask the Board whether it was itself bound to comply with the town’s written policies. Specifically, the attendee argued that it was a violation of town policy for the Board to offer incumbent members of town committees automatic reappointments rather than allow other residents to apply for those seats.
Several weeks ago, the Board had reappointed several people to committee seats rather than accept applications for those seats from other residents.
“Equal opportunity begins with opportunity,” said the attendee, holding that the town should be seeking to increase opportunities for residents to participate in town governance.
Ms. Reniche-Smith replied that the seats in question had not been vacated and that the policy that the attendee had quoted applied only when a seat was given up by its holder.
The attendee then asked why the seats even had terms if they could be held as long as the appointees wanted.
Another attendee noted that members of the Budget Committee had to reapply for reappointment last year. The attendee argued that the Board needed a consistent policy.
Board Chair Doug Bailey said that the Board would review its appointment policy as well.
FY2027 Budget Committee to form
Following the discussion on appointments, Mr. Bailey announced that the Budget Committee would soon convene to begin work on the FY2026-2027 budget. Mr. Bailey stated that last year’s Committee members would receive emails asking if they wanted to return to the Committee this year. The town will also post the positions for anyone else who may be interested in applying, with interviews to begin in early August.
Mr. Bailey noted that the budget workshops will begin early again this year, likely by the end of August, on Mondays when the Selectboard does not meet.
The Budget Committee is an advisory panel that assists the Selectboard in crafting a town budget. Members of the Committee offer advice and opinions on behalf of the community but do not vote on the final budget proposal that is put before voters at Town Meeting.
Warrants
The Board unanimously approved two warrants in the amounts of $168,911.88 and $198,389.82. There were two warrants in this period because one warrant covered expenses left over from FY25, which ended on June 30.
