Norwich Selectboard Meeting Notes for December 6th and 7th, 2022

What You Need to Know

  • Improved SB Meetings: Marcia introduced a new format for the Selectboard meetings, which has been a very welcome change as expressed broadly by participants. The agenda focuses on immediate actions up front and invites public comment on those items. Action items are followed by non-action discussion and public comment on the discussion topics. At the end of the meeting, the board and the public are invited to offer any other comments for future meetings.

  • Norwich Police Budget Request to be Approved without Full Staffing? Following an impassioned comment from Leslie Wells, Aaron Lamperti (SB member) asked why the SB “is getting pushback” since it seemed to him the SB “had accepted the Chief’s budget as he offered it, except for … the question of a 5th officer.” SUFN will continue to monitor the situation closely and support the new Chief’s efforts to rebuild the NPD.

Link to Video: https://www.standupfornorwich.org/selectboard-meetings/npd-budget-discussion-video

  • Norwich May Not Receive Education Funding: There is a risk that the State will withhold education funding as the town misses the deadline (Friday December 9th) to enter a contract for the town wide reappraisal. Roger Arnold and Aaron Lamperti believe the process was rushed, despite this being an issue for several years, and that the State will give the town some leeway on their firm deadline. The Board discussed what kind of motion will demonstrate that they are committed to the reappraisal, per the State mandate. Mary Layton moved to authorize review and negotiation of the contract between the town of Norwich and KRT appraisal. Roger seconded the motion. Everyone voted yes except Marcia Calloway. The Listers will be filling the necessary forms with the current status of having selected a firm and negotiating a contract.

  • Interim Town Manager: The Selectboard met in executive session to discuss a contract for an interim Town Manager. The Selectboard unanimously approved a motion to offer a contract to an interim Town Manager. The details of the contract and the candidate were not made public. Marcia is drafting a job description to send to potential search firms for a permanent Town Manager and invited members of the public to send her their thoughts on what we’re looking for. Mary Gorman provided annotated web search results on recruitment firms and a list of 5 firms with suggested questions to be posed. Charlotte Metcalf and Linda Cook suggested the Board should get input from town staff and community members.

  • Contracts and Grants on Hold: There are a number of grants and contracts that the town cannot sign because they require the signature of a Town Manager by Vermont Statute. This includes the town wide reappraisal contract, the contract with Dan and Whit’s for the charging stations, hiring a COBRA administrator and possibly actions related to receiving ARAP funds. Marcia is signing the grants that specifically allow for elected officials to sign them.

  • Fire District Wants Town to Pay: The Fire District (formally the Prudential Committee) discussed gradually raising the expense to the town for maintaining infrastructure that provides water and fire suppression for the town buildings, school, businesses, and residences in the village. The town buildings, school, and nonprofits such as the Montshire currently do not pay any taxes to the fire district. This information was sent to the Selectboard in July of 2022. Aaron suggested that this is a problem for the residents of the village and he was not interested in paying for water that he doesn’t use. Roger believes this is a bigger issue given the shared infrastructure between the town and the fire district and asked to delay the increased cost and enter a negotiation process. Marcia emphasized the importance of taking care of our neighbors and underscored the benefits to the town as a whole. The board discussed the logistics of payments and introducing a formal agreement around shared resources.

  • Message from SUFN: As the Selectboard digests the budget presentations and prepares to review the final proposed budget, we encourage them all to do the hard work required to solve for what the people in town want and what they need. The Selectboard all volunteered for this job, were elected or appointed, and we thank them for that commitment. Keep in mind that their commitment is to the people of this town who want to see a budget on the ballot that they can support. We hope the Selectboard thinks about the right budget, not the smallest, simplest or most expedient. It may be harder without a town manager but they have a dedicated staff of department heads and an entire town eager and willing to support them and who demand effective and responsible oversight. Details for DPW, Rec, Planning and Zoning, and Town Manager and Finance follow.

  • Rec Department Needs Volunteers: Rec needs volunteers for the ice rink to make it possible. If you or your kids or anyone you know has enjoyed the rink, please send a note to Brie (bswenson@norwich.vt.us).


Budget Presentations


DPW (Director: Chris Kaufman)

We’ve seen increases in materials due to fuel increases and other inflationary impacts. While salary expenditures have been lower due to lack of staff, those savings will be offset by outsourced contracts for winter plowing. Chris has concerns with the DPW facility’s structural integrity and transfer station pavement is a safety concern.

Equipment Expenses:

  • Roadside mower needs extensive repairs. Not worth repairing, need a new mower, $165,000 cost.

  • Request to invest $75,000 minimum into the equipment designated fund.

  • Paving fund: $1.5M of paving needs for Class I roads, and $1.3M for Class III roads.

    • Would need to put $175,000 / year to fund these needs.

  • Bridge Fund: $2.8M of bridge work that needs to be completed in the next 10 years.

    • Need to put in $100K / year

Questions from SB members:

  • Marcia: What funding is planned for the Moore Ln bridge?

    • Chris wants to wait to see how the encapsulation is working after the winter. If there are problems with encapsulation, he proposes grinding off the surface area to prevent water from entering the bridge structure. Availability of grants depends on the proposed usage of the bridge.


Rec Department (Director: Brie Swenson)

This has been a great year of growth, reopening almost all adult programs at MCS, starting child care for SAU staff during in-service days in collaboration with HHS student volunteers, and increased working with the SAU and the Library. We’re at 38% of expenditures and 33% of revenues YTD.


Spending is increasing primarily due to safety concerns

  • Line marking costs for field setups are up. This used to be done by a former DPW employee and had a few volunteers. Now we don’t have enough people. It takes three people two days to set up. This year we hired the firm Hartford uses ($5k) and they set up the entire field all at once. Field lines need to be redone weekly and then lined before each game. We borrowed a hand liner from Hanover and plan to purchase one next year. We use eco white paint due to nearby streams. Brie continues lining the town green, which saw an increase by 60 kids in K and 1st grade soccer.

  • MCS rental fee is higher - this was negotiated by the SB

  • Tennis court has been resurfaced but we can’t do it anymore. The cracks are too big. Proposed reconstruction of the courts. Scraping off, cleaning cracks, filling cracks, 2-3 inches on top, then resurfacing. This gives the courts another 10-15 years at half the cost of reconstructing them ($120-130k vs $250k). There is grant funding available. The alternative is to close the courts (revenue is $4800/ year).


Previously approved Rec assistant - potential collaboration with DPW

  • Start the seasons by Rec handing DPW tasks very quickly as soon as grass starts growing to make the rec program possible. Don’t have a lot of people to get that done. Also need to get those closed at the end of the year. Rec assistant helps with things that don’t overlap. Barrett maintenance, ADA trail, athletic scheduling, town green, ice rink.

  • Calendar, scheduling, safety equipment is in compliance

  • $41,506 consulted with Hanover, Hartland, Woodstock rec directors

  • Concern about not having this position given new issues in town - nature area, ice rink, Huntley line marking.

  • Keep levels in staff costs, programs that restarted are not contractors

  • Ref and umpire fees went up, controlled by Upper Valley Rec Association who manages the fees due to competition from other towns so the ref and officials payment is level.

  • New jerseys for use in multiple sports.

  • Uniforms are a wash (parents pay back for them)

  • Field care increases due to materials costs, expect to have the staff to do aeration, overseeding, fertilizing, grub control.

  • Cost of portable toilets has increased.

  • Need to replace fountain at Huntley, panels falling off. It was donated as a memorial. Interior is corroded, leaking everywhere. Need to replace the pipe. New cement pad (ADA compliant fountain), preserve the sides (who donated the fountain). Women’s club grant.


Selectboard Questions:

  • Roger: when were courts slated for replacement in the capital plan (2025). First appearance of the assistant line item, though there were conversations about creating an assistant shared between Rec and DPW. Roger supports the assistant but not this year. Supports reserve fund allocation increase but not operating changes.

  • Rob: where are the damages? All over, court one was shot down, the rest were taped, and the edges patched.

  • Marcia: if we’re making substantial revenue, does it cover this budget or the new position? There is an increase in the revenue projection. Surprised at the performance. Could at least increase revenue to cover the assistant. Should have those for reviewing the final budget. What does the town lose if we don’t have the assistant? Would have to cut some programs and some of Brie’s tasks to address the safety of the residents.

  • Aaron: keeping with the strategy of baseline budget with specials, this budget looks great. There are two specials - the assistant and the courts, put those on the list of things to consider once looking at the whole budget. If there are increases in revenue that would be very helpful. Fire department will flood the rink but won’t hose it.

  • Mary: fair if volunteers don’t show up to not do things. Became dangerous for elderly volunteers for the rummage sale. If you don’t get the volunteers e.g. for the ice rink, to suspend the activity.


Planning and Zoning

Have no representative. Notes from interim finance director: it looked good.

  • Roger: Last year’s budget made different assumptions about staffing. Part time planning administrator, a director, and assistant. Spent a lot of time on the part time administrator, which is being proposed again.

  • Marcia: being asked to budget for three positions. We have an assistant. The Planning Commission is looking for one person. It’s going to be a miracle to find them. Why budget for three when there will only be two at best.

  • Aaron: We should stick with last year's budget and moderate increase.


Town Manager and Finance

Some work that needs to be completed by the SB and Committees.

  • TM Recruitment and Relocation

  • SB Expenses

  • Energy Committee Grant

  • VVCS Grant

  • Committees TBD

  • Insurance

  • More on Bond service documents later

  • RFP for Gile Mountain

  • SB Comments:

    • Aaron: how would we project TM recruitment and relocation? Mary Gorman had an estimate of the fee - ¼ - ⅓ of salary as a likely fee. Use that as a placeholder. $50k is prudent.

    • Marcia: Do we want to budget and how? $50k for recruitment and $20l for relocation.

    • Roger: relocation was a commitment in Herb’s contract that he never exercised

    • Mary: haven’t worked out details, but if it’s a national search, relocation might be part but need to guess at those line items. Don’t know what we do if we have to incur the expense. Stick it in as a line item, run as a deficit and reconcile next year.

    • Rob: most of recruitment would be this year, hopefully we won’t spend them next year. Relocation might be next year.


Human Resources Support


  • Stuart R: Why did we stop HR Happens? Can we continue working with them? Why can’t we have them still working, with an explanation for why they are not engaged

  • Marcia: SB will be looking at this topic fresh. What about an assistant TM and could they do HR? Understanding of each job’s role and personnel policy. Want to build a solid structure as we move forward with ITM and then TM.

  • Mary: Not sure we are ready for ITM. Talked about having them do Gen Admin, HR, communications / IT. Could be worthwhile to have a focus for onboarding new employees, perhaps with a consultant.

  • Aaron: Timing - wait until we have a permanent TM and then have it help them be successful, rather than during ITM time period.

  • Roger: Yes, we should budget for it. Needs to be defined. There are legitimate workplace disagreements that exist. We should document while honoring privacy and move toward resolving. This should be done to prep for new TM.

  • Marcia: One of the problems that leads to disagreement is that there is not a common understanding of what job does what. Create job descriptions and a description of the flow. Who’s responsible for what work? Create the solid structure. She will share a starting point on this soon and use that along with personnel policy.

  • Rob: Uncomfortable with anything that usurps the responsibility of the incoming TM.

  • Roger: Have problems with interactions and relationships. We need to understand these problems. Long standing problems with interaction and relationships.

  • Aaron: Agree with Roger. Not job description problems, deeper and more personal. SB needs to fix it in executive sessions.

  • Marcia: Disagree. We should start with technical. Not SB’s job to tell co-equal branches how to act. We can get neutral body like HR consultant. Need facts - each person and board putting down their job and look whether there is disagreement first.

  • Mary - Get a neutral third party to deal with HR topics. Need family therapy equivalent. Human element is strong and thorny.

  • Charlotte: We did not have a TM when she came. Exec session will not help.

  • Linda C. - Get a facilitator to help. Job descriptions a good idea.

  • Stuart: Elements that have been talked about are correct where some employees have felt abused by elected officials or other employees. Also, we have personal problems between individuals and a facilitator could help with that.

  • Susan Barrett: Like the idea of an assistant TM.



Other Comments


Leslie Wells - Police chief was hired to rebuild the department. He was confident he could hire officers. That was good news. We should listen to the chief. The town wants to fully support him. SB should take it very seriously that decisions impact the safety of our neighbors.


Manu Tesone – has had many conversations with neighbors about their fears, people not willing to speak publicly but very concerned about lack of police. The SB should consider the safety and wellbeing of our neighbors. Please support the police department budget request.