January 29, 2026 (re-scheduled from Jan. 26 due to weather)
Attendees
Select Board Members: Chris Casey, Lizzy Higgins, Diana Peduzzi
Town Officials: Robin Durkee (Town Clerk), Lilly Baron (Town Treasurer) Skip Lindsay (Recovery Officer); Stephen
Murphy (Town Meeting Moderator)
Town Employees: Michael Gray (WSB Assistant/Scribe)
Members of the Public: None
Media: Arthur Hynes – HCTV
Call to Order Chris called the meeting to order at 6:02 P. M .
Adjustments to Agenda
None
Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
The minutes from January 12 and 16, 2026 Select Board meetings were approved.
Public Comment
Stephen Murphy reported that he has met with the library trustees who are jointly working with him to plan a series of
events to promote continued awareness of town government. Some projects shared by Stephen include the 4
th
annual
mock town meeting at the school, books about civics at the library and Myrna hosting a related story hour with the school.
Stephen has scheduled a “town government talk” to precede the pre- town meeting forum scheduled on Thursday, February
26
th.
The initial town governing discussion begins at 5:00 p.m. and the pre-town meeting forum begins at 6:00 p.m. Noting
the update agenda item of Town Meeting issues, Stephen asks if there are any questions/issues regarding town meeting.
The WSB had no questions for him. Diana explained that the item was placed on the agenda just in case something came
up.
Town Clerk’s Report with Robin Durkee
Pam and Robin plan to send out letters to companies that have had Fleet permits in the past to remind them to
renew their permits each year; they plan to make this an ongoing yearly project. Pam has proposed a “WOOF
Contest” to hopefully get more town residents to register their dogs. All residents that register their dogs in 2026
will be entered into a drawing. At some point, two names will be drawn and the lucky residents will be given a free
dog license in 2027. Robin then reported that the water froze at the town office over the prior weekend. Her son-in-
law Derek volunteered to repair the problem – a bad valve – and purchased a couple extra in case it happens again.
There is a lot of cold air leaking into the basement and some patches were made. More are needed, especially
around the bulkhead door.
Town Treasurer’s Report with Lillian Baron
Lilly reported that she has been working on a six month review and y ear end projection for FY26 and plans to have
it ready at the next WSB meeting. This report will show us where we currently are for FY26 spending and
fund
balances and where we can expect to be by the end of FY26. The preliminary work shows we
should not expect to
have to use our TAN for FY26 but will need to be strategic moving into
FY27.
Lilly shares that she is headed into a town treasurer’s “slower season” , with town tax payments and the FY27
proposed budget work completed. She plans to focus on structural improvements, such as financial policy
proposals for the board; updating standard finance and organizational spreadsheets; getting back to the town’s
personnel policy, beginning to explore the early steps of a Capital Improvement Plan and looking into potential CD
options for the town to increase revenue.
After speaking with Skip Lindsay this past week, Lilly confirmed that the town’s FEMA accounts align with his
records. In response to FEMA’s notice regarding potential de-obligation of funds, she has begun developing
options for the possible use of ERAF funds, including scenarios for repaying FEMA if required. These options will
outline the potential impacts on our tax rate and fund balance to support future board decisions. At present, the
ERAF funds will remain within their associated FEMA disaster funds until a decision is made. Based on current
understanding, that decision would not occur until closer to the end of the fiscal year. Because of the uncertainty
around the de-obligated funds, there are no plans to use these funds in the current fiscal year, FY26.
Lilly noted that she plans to take another accounting course focused on Governmental Accounting Standards
Board (GASB) standards. Lilly requests the WSB approve payment for the time spent completing courses directly
related to this position. The GASB course is estimated to require approximately 30 hours. The WSB approved the
request.
Road Commissioner’s Report Alfie or Peter were not present to give this report. The Valley Lake
Culvert Replacement Bid Request was placed towards the end of the meeting.
Recovery Officer’s 2025 Year End Report with Skip Lindsay
Skip reported that he continues to work toward obtaining the state share reimbursement from FEMA and the state
for town expenditures to repair the flood damages of 2023 and 2024. All work is completed for the 2024 flooding
reimbursements – $86.199 (75%) from FEMA and $8,081 (12.5%) The town’s portion of payment for the damages
was 12.5%. All of the repair work was done by Woodbury’s road crew.
For the 2023 repairs of flood damage, the projected reimbursements are $608,141 from FEMA and $50,287form
the state. FEMA and the state ’s percentage of reimbursement for the 2023 flood repair was 90% and 7.8%
respectively; these higher rates were due to the severity of the damage. Bridge and culvert replacement for TH 24
and TH 23 were contracted out; all other repair work was done by the town’s road crew. The town’s expense for the
2023 flood repairs was 2.2% of the total costs.
Excess awarded FEMA funds from the 2023 flood (after the two bridge projects were complete) were used on other
mitigation projects. The expenditure of the excess funds was undertaken based on correspondence with FEMA
reps and reliance on their printed manuals. These included clearing debris from Buck Lake Brook as it flows
through the village, the replacement of two flood prone undersized culverts and the replacement of the town office
and town hall roofs to FEMA disaster standards. The town’s total cost for these projects came to $105,047. The
return and use of some or all of the de-obligated funds from the 2023 flood are now under dispute. Skip shares the
letter he has written at the WSB’s request in the ongoing dialogue he has had with a staff member at the State
Department of Public Safety, who is demanding return of all of the excess funds. . The WSB approved the letter
as written and Chris signed it. Skip will send immediately to all FEMA officials in the email chain of this ongoing
communication. Skip anticipates a prompt response. Skip also shares he has been researching appeal process
details should the WSB choose to pursue an appeal to the ruling from FEMA regarding the re -payment of de –
obligated funds already used by the town for other disaster mitigation work.
In closing the 2025 report, Skip and Danielle wish to thank Brandy Smith, Robin Durkee, Pam Ankuda, Lilly Baron,
Alfred Larrabee and the rest of the road crew for the work they have done and the time given to addressing the
aftermath of the floods and the hard work that goes into working with FEMA to help fund the recovery work.
Swenson Granite R econvened ZBA Hearing
Diana reported that Woodbury’s Zoning Board of Adjustment will reconvene the hearings on Swenson Granite
Company’s request to expand operations at the quarry. The hearing will be held on February 12
th
at the T own
Hall.at 6:00 PM. The ZBA will present their proposed findings regarding the request at this hearing. A letter and
municipal impact form has been sent to the WSB from Colen Johnson, senior project manager fro m BOWMAN,
working on behalf of Swenson Granite. Johnson will attend the next WSB regular meeting on February 9
th
. Robin
asks if Swenson Granite can be asked to provide verification of the amount of granite removed fr om the quarry to
confirm the amount of reimbursement funds they give to the town for the upkeep of Cabot Road. Lilly asks if the
expansion would affect the appraisal of the quarry property. The WSB is not sure if the expansion could trigger a re –
appraisal of the property.
Valley Lake Road Culvert Replacement – Bid Request with Michael Gray
Nate Sicard, the civil engineer who has done the design work for the culvert replacement and will be the project
manager for the replacement work, sent Michael the bid request notice for the project and a list of 13 vetted
contractors that the notice will be sent to. The WSB reviewed the bid request and suggested that the bidding
closure day be February 23
rd
at 2:00 p.m. This will allow the WSB to open the bids to award the contract at their
February 23
rd
meeting. Alfie had suggested another contractor be added to the list and the WSB approves that
request to Nate.
Michael will inform Nate of the date change and request to add another contractor . With these changes, Nate will
then send out the bid request notice to the 14 vetted contractor’s. Chris asks whether the town should also put out
the request in a public notice and if Nate could attend the bid opening. Michael will check into these questions.
Michael will follow up on the need to renew the stream alteration permit for this project. The WSB signs the permit
request; Michael will meet with Lilly next week to finish and send the permit request .
Updates and Other Business
LEOP Form
Chris has received a notice regarding the update of the town’s LEOP. Michael explained t hat this is a form that is
updated yearly. This form would be under the purview of John Gordon, in his role as the town’s EMD.
Bills and Payroll
Bills and payroll orders were signed at the end of the meeting.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 7:1 7 P. M.
Signatures and Approval
Chris Casey ______________________ Diana Peduzzi _________________________
Lizzy Higgins ______________________ Date Approved __________
Guide to Acronyms
ACO – Animal Control Officer; ANR – Agency of Natural Resources; AOT – Agency of Transportation; AP – Accounts
Payable; BR- Better Roads; BRIC – Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities; CDT – Collector of
Delinquent Taxes; CIP – Capital Improvement Plan; CR – Cash Receipts; CRC –Consolidated Resource Center;
CVRPC – Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission; DHC – Department of Health; EC – Ethics Commission;
EMD – Emergency Management Director; EMS – Emergency Medical Service; ERAF – Emergency Relief Assistance
Funds; ET – Electronic Transfer; EWPP – Emergency Watershed Protection Program; FIRM – Federal Insurance
Rate Map; FPF – Front Porch Forum; FY – Fiscal Year; GIA – Grants in Aid; HED – Hardwick Electric Department;
HERF – Highway Equipment Replacement Fund; HMP – Hazard Mitigation Plan; HPD – Hardwick Police
Department; H&H – Hydrological & Hydraulic; LE OP – Local Emergency Operations Plan; LHMP – Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan; MMA – Money Market Account; MRGP – Municipal Roads General Permit; MOU – Memorandum of
Understanding; MTSC – Mountain Tamers Snowmobile Club; MVUESD – Mountain View Union Elementary School
District; NEMRC – New England Municipal Resource Center; NEWT – Northeast Wilderness Trust; NRCS – Natural
Resources Conservation Service; OSSU – Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union; PDM – Program Delivery
Manager; POC –Point of Contact; PR – Payroll; RBT – RB Technologies; RFP – Request for Proposal; SS – Seacoast
Securities; TAC – Transportation Advisory Committee; TAN – Tax Anticipation Note; TC – Town Clerk; TH – Town
Highway; THO – Town Health Officer; TM – Town Moderator; TTr – Town Treasurer; USDA – United States
Department of Agriculture; VEM – Vermont Emergency Management; VTRANS – Vermont Agency of
Transportation; WCC – Woodbury Conservation Commission; WCL – Woodbury Community Library; W/CFS –
Woodbury/Calais Food Shelf; WCSD – Washington County Sheriff’s Department; WHRT – Woodbury-Hardwick
Rail Trail; WSB – Woodbury Select Board; WPC – Woodbury Planning Commission; WNRCD – Winooski Natural
Resources Conservation District; WVFD – Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department; ZBA – Zoning Board of
Adjustment