This is an update to my February 20 post. Selectboard goals are on the agenda for the March 25 meeting. Here are four Town priorities I suggested in an email that is at page 202 of the meeting packet.
Project Plan for DPW Garage. The DPW garage may be in greater need of repair and improvement than Tracy Hall. There has also been longstanding discussion about the need for additional covered storage so that DPW equipment is no longer left outside and exposed to the weather. While the Highway Garage Fund (Fund 08) is projected to exceed $400,000 by FY27 (beginning July 1, 2026), no project plan has been discussed publicly with the Selectboard.
Storm and Flood Resilience Strategy for Roads, Bridges, and Culverts. The DPW has replaced and upsized culverts in connection with repairs to road damage from storms and flooding, much of it covered by FEMA grants. However, that source of funding is no longer assured, and 100-year storms are becoming more common. The Selectboard’s recent adoption of updated Town Road and Bridge Standards, including a new minimum culvert diameter, is a welcome step. However, the Town has over $1.7 million in designated funds for bridges, culverts, and paving as of FY27, yet no publicly available resilience strategy appears to exist. A resilience plan could identify the most vulnerable infrastructure and prioritize needed improvements, providing a basis for informed decisions by the Selectboard and the public.
Capital Spending Plan Transparency. The Town is several years into its capital funding plan. The attached 10-year Capital Fund Allocation Projections (FY25–FY35) show future annual allocations across more than twenty funds, ranging from roughly $850,000 to $1,000,000 per year. Notably, the Tracy Hall Fund shows zero dollars allocated across all ten years, yet renovations to Tracy Hall are under active discussion. What is missing, however, is a capital spending plan. What are we saving this money for and why? How do we know if we are on or off target? Do requests to use designated funds line up with the planned uses? Are revisions appropriate? Without a plain-language capital plan, no one can meaningfully answer those questions. Budget season is not the optimal time to introduce or evaluate a capital plan.
Update Town Website. The Town’s website is outdated and lacks a search function. Some committees and departments maintain independent sites. The need for a refresh has been talked about for years. Rather than ask a busy Town Manager to present options, perhaps a doable first step is to create a task force of residents and at least one Town staff member that would survey the websites of other Vermont and Upper Valley municipalities and report back with recommendations.
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