Selectboard Minutes 4-7-2026

Publish date: April 8, 2026

Selectboard Minutes 4-7-2026

TOWN OF RUTLAND SELECTBOARD OPEN MEETING

RUTLAND TOWN MUNICIPAL TOWN HALL

181 BUSINESS ROUTE 4, CENTER RUTLAND, VT  05736

APRIL 7th, 2026

 The meeting opened at 6:00 P.M. with the pledge of allegiance.

  • Board members present Mary Ashcroft, Joe Denardo, Sharon Russell, Kurt Hathaway, and Matt Getty
  • Members of the public present Andres Torizzo, Robyn Sweet

Approval of Selectboard Minutes for March 24th:

Selectman Getty moved to approve the minutes.  Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.

Approval of Orders

Selectman Denardo moved to approve the orders. Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The motion carried 4 – 0. Selectman Hathaway abstained from the vote.

Announcements

Selectwoman Russell thanked the Rutland Town Fire Department for their recent response to her house.

Update from the Selectboard Chair

The Selectboard intermunicipal committee will meet tomorrow night at City Hall to discuss events for the 250th anniversary celebration. The Rec Director and Police Chief have also been invited.

Board to meet with Andres Torizzo from Watershed Consulting

  1. Reported on the visit conducted today at the Wynnmere stormwater project site. This is an important part of our MS4 projects. There is a block grant we have available but only will cover about half of the projected $300,000 cost. Other grants have been looked at but do not allow funding of regulatory projects. Sent a request to the State for assistance and we are waiting to hear back. The landowners and developer have signed off on the project. The current grant ends this year. A request to extend it will be made.
  2. If we cannot complete the Wynnmere project, other projects will need to be done in order to keep up with our MS4 requirements.
  3. Discussed some funding opportunities expected to help properties affected by the 3-acre stormwater rule. There are 8 properties which fall under this rule.
  4. Information can be given out at the Town Wide Celebration which can give us credit with the state which would be helpful.
  5. Discussed the projects which had components within the VELCO right of ways. They have denied us access to their areas.
  6. Andres will reach back out when he has an update for us.

David Sears Rutland Town Road Commissioner:

  1. Plow equipment will be taken off the trucks soon.
  2. Reviewed the latest budget status sheets. There are some lines which are well over budget. Commissioner Sears will come to the office tomorrow and look into them.

Mike Rowe Rutland Town Recreation Director:

  1. The skating rink has been picked up.
  2. Cleanup at Dewey Field will be happening this weekend.
  3. Reviewed some continuing issues with people not picking up after their dogs. There has also been a littering problem in the park. Littering can have a fine up to $500.
  4. The other issue of dogs off leashes has been better but there are still dogs being allowed off leash.
  5. Tennis and pickle ball nets will be up soon.
  6. Thanked Chief Washburn for his help in identifying an individual who drove his Ford Explorer down our shared use path. Found the vehicle on the cameras in the park. A 6-month no trespass order was given to the person who did this because of this being his second offense.
  7. The cover is off the pool, and a company is coming to repair some damaged tiles. The cover is 15 years old, they typically last around 10. The current cover is no longer safe to use. There is only one vendor in the area who can help. They are coming to survey the pool and give us a price on a new cover.
  8. Reviewed a proposed contract for a firm to help us design the new pool. The Rec committee will meet to look at this and come to the Board with a recommendation for the next meeting.
  9. Reviewed a proposal from an independent consulting firm who could help us with the pool development process and potentially be a project manager.

Ted Washburn Rutland Town Police Chief:

  1. Discussed what level to compensate Chief Washburn at. It had been discussed before moving Chief Washburn to the salary level Chief Dumas was getting and then keeping him at the Chief salary level approved in the new budget. Selectman Denardo moved to approve this plan. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
  2. Recent calls for service were provided and reviewed.
  3. There is a growing littering problem at the Diamond Run Mall site. After discussion, the owners will be notified of the issue so they can address it.
  4. Reviewed the status of the Police budget. Some lines have to be adjusted to reflect expenses for the new cruiser coming from The Cortina fund.
  5. There are 3 federal forfeitures which have been approved. We expect to get some of these funds. We are still waiting to find out when we will get them, how much we will get and what they can be used for specifically.
  6. The Board reviewed 3 liquor license requests. Two are for the 99 Restaurant, the third is for Hannaford. The Police have no issues with them. Selectman Hathaway moved to approve the requests. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.

Marcia Chioffi Rutland Town Head Lister

  1. Site visits have started. New construction is being reviewed.
  2. Gave the Board a letter announcing her intent to retire effective May 1st, 2026. The Board thanked her for her work over the years. Discussed the process which is needed to fill the upcoming vacancy.
  3. Selectman Denardo moved to post the notice advertising the vacancy, and to authorize the Chair to sign it on behalf of the Board. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.

Kari Clark Rutland Town Clerk and Treasurer:

  1. Reviewed expenses in the general budget status sheets. Discussed how school income and expenses could be entered to show a bottom line number which is easier to determine the budget status.

Joe Denardo Rutland Town public Safety Building Clerk

  1. The question of the seam along the edge of McKinley Avenue has been referred to the paving contractor.
  2. The repair of the siding is moving forward. Coordinating the delivery of the panels and the work to install them is moving forward.

Barbara Pulling Rutland Town Planning Commission Chair:

  1. The Planning Commission will be holding it’s public hearing on the repeal of the subdivision ordinance to be replaced with new subdivision bylaws at the meeting on April 23rd.
  2. At the last meeting, more people with local history knowledge of the new park area attended and gave the commission some information for the kiosk.

Bill Sweet Town Administrator:

  1. Reviewed the mowing bids received that were discussed at the recent building committee meeting. There were 2 qualified bids who are very close to each other in cost, they are Clarks Season Impact and Gallipo Landscaping. Clarks had a bid which is $104 per year lower than Gallipo. Gallipo has done the work for us for at least 6 years. After discussion, Selectman Denardo moved to award the contract to Gallipo Landscaping for a 2-year total of $9290. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
  2. Discussed the war memorial project at Town Hall, from the Building Committee meeting. After discussion, Dave Charnock, who led the specific committee for this project, will be invited to the next Board meeting.
  3. Provided follow-up from GE regarding the sewer discharge numbers and follow-up they provided. After discussion, Selectman Hathaway moved to grant them the extension request to provide information to the Board on or before May 29th. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
  4. Provided follow up on what local option tax categories we collect. All of the available ones are being collected.
  5. Provided follow-up from the Regional Planning Commission on the future land use map designations.
  6. All of the items approved from the VLCT grant have arrived and are pending installation.
  7. Discussed a request from Fire District #11 on Kathy Drive to take over their fire hydrant, which is now privately owned by them. They have recently had an inspection done, and it is in proper working order. The only recommendation was that it should be painted. After discussion, Selectman Denardo moved to take over the hydrant, after the owner has it painted red.  Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
  8. The Town Fire department relocated its repeater system to the City of Rutland fire station. They have asked us to sign an agreement. This will be forwarded to our Town attorney for review.

Selectman Hathaway moved to enter executive session to discuss possible litigation. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously and the Board entered executive session at 8:33 PM.

Upon leaving executive session, with no action being taken, Selectman Hathaway moved to adjourn. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:47 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Bill Sweet, Town Administrator.

 

_______________________________________________

Mary Ashcroft, Chair

 

_______________________________________________

Joseph Denardo, Clerk

 

_______________________________________________
Sharon Russell

 

_______________________________________________

Kurt Hathaway

 

_______________________________________________

Matt Getty

 

Center Rutland, VT.

 

Rutland Town News

Posted in