Town of Woodbury Select Board Meeting
Minutes
February 9, 2026
Attendees
Select Board Members Chris Casey, Diana Peduzzi, Lizzy Higgins
Town Officials: Robin Durkee (Town Clerk), Lilly Baron (Town Treasurer) Skip Lindsay (Recovery Officer);
John Reid (Auditor)
Town Employees: Alfred Larrabee (Road Commissioner); Michael Gray (WSB Assistant/Scribe)
Members of the Public: Lisa Flood; Nicole Centerbar and Colen Johnson (Bowman staff, representing
Swenson Granite); Randy Cleveland (Director of Quarry Operations for Swenson Granite)
Media: Arthur Hynes -HCTV
Call to Order Chris called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.
Adjustments to Agenda Update on the spring in the gulf; Road Erosion Inventory Update
Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
The minutes from January 29, 2026 Select Board meeting were approved.
Public Comment
Lisa Flood has been looking into the possibility of historic preservation grant money that could help finance
needed repairs at the school. She asked how the need for proposed work on the fire escape and elevator
originated. The WSB answered that the repairs have been mandated to meet state fire and safety codes.
Michael suggested that she bring her inquiry to the Woodbury MVUESD representatives and that the town
paying for renovations may prove to be a liability for the OSSU while the school is a designated campus within
the MVUESD. Lilly will provide Lisa with a copy of the town lease with MVUESD.
Swenson Granite Company -Request for Municipal Impact Statement
with Colen Johnson, Nicloe Centerbar and Randy Cleveland
Colin and Nicole attended the meeting to answer any questions the WSB may have regarding the Municipal
Impact Statement requested for the Swenson Granite Act 250 application. Colin summarized the project for
which permits are required from the town and the District Environmental Commission. These include footprint
expansion; the production of aggregate from tailings at the quarry that would involve the use of a crusher at the
quarry for 45 working days per year. Sale of the aggregate products would involve increased truck traffic to
and from the quarry. They have asked for a total maximum of 50 loaded truck trips per day including the
blocks and the crushed. Based on the first ZBA hearing, Colin's impression is that the town's major concern is
the increase in truck traffic and the wear and tear on Cabot Road. Chris shares that his impression of town
concerns are the increase in noise, increase in truck traffic and Cabot Road traffic/public safety concerns.
Colen explained some changes that have been made since the earlier ZBA hearing. The dump trucks
carrying the crushed aggregate will use the old quarry entrance, a private road off Cabot Road, which will
mean no increase in aggregate trucks over the section of Cabot Road between the new and old exits. All truck
traffic including the blocks, will use the old entrance in the winter. In the summer, the block trucks will go back
to using the new entrance. Regarding the noise produced by the crusher, he explained that a new support
area is being prepared at the northern-most corner of the site. Alternative sites are available within the quarry
walls .. In the amendment request, the aggregate extraction limit is 20,000 cubic yards per year. The creating
and selling of aggregate is a new aspect of the quarry's business that is being explored so they don't have all
the answers of how operations will proceed. They will use CB radios to control trucks entering and exiting the
old road which is not wide enough for two trucks to pass. . Dust from the road with the truck traffic is expected
to be controlled by the town road crew. Alfie expresses his concern that some of the trucks are not properly
equipped, especially with the tires they run on, and suggests the use of chains in winter, to travel Cabot Road.
He suggests the quarry have a requirement that the trucks be properly equipped in this regard to avoid the
problems the trucks have had, especially this winter. Randy believes that the use of chains would tear up the
pavement. Randy and Alfie discussed a project to widen the road at the steep curve just downhill from the
new entrance. The company would provide the fill material.
The subject of the financial payments to the town came up. To assist with additional road maintenance,
Swenson has long paid 6.5 cents per usable square foot of granite hauled from the quarry. The aggregate will
add to the total tonnage and increase the reimbursement to the town. Both Colen and Randy state that they
are open to more money coming to the town but neither are authorized to make that arrangement. The town
needs make the request. Diana mentions she still needs to contact the WVFD and Hardwick Rescue, to get
their input for the Municipal Impact statement.
Town Clerk's Report with Robin Durkee
Land Records research at the town office has been quiet and Robin has been focused on preparations for
town meeting. Robin also mentioned that the WOOF contest, intended to inspire more residents to license their
dogs, is getting a good response.
Town Treasurer's Report with Lillian Baron
Lilly will be meeting with the PACIF insurance providers to get a better sense of why insurance costs have
recently increased and discuss possible ways to lower insurance costs. The January financial review is
postponed until the February 23
rd
WSB meeting to allow time for the midyear review and budget projections on
the agenda for this meeting. The CVRPC Mutual Aid agreement has been finalized and is ready for the WSB to
sign. Lizzy recalled that John Gordon and Tim Neill would be the designated contacts in the agreement and
that she still needs to confirm with Tim to know if he is willing to be a contact person. Lizzy will connect with
Tim and the WSB will sign the agreement at its February 23
rd
meeting.
Lilly presented a mid-year review of the town's FY26, looking at budgeted expenses and revenues; she then
provided projections for the budget items at the end of the fiscal year. The town's various reserve funds were
also reviewed. Lilly's summary of the town finances, based on mid-year revenue and expenditures, is that the
town's total expenses will slightly exceed total revenues by the end of the fiscal year, resulting in a modest
budget deficit across the combined General and Highway Funds.
Total cash on hand at mid-year stands at $1,093,577. The General Fund Budget is currently operating at a
deficit, meaning the town's expenditures are outpacing revenues. The Highway Fund Budget continues
strongly, with a surplus and healthy fund balance. Overall, expenditures are trending slightly above budget,
while revenues remain steady, supported by state aid, clerk fees, and delinquent tax collections. The primary
financial risk for the remainder of the year is unbudgeted or under-budgeted expenses, including unanticipated
truck repairs, post-budget wage increases, and higher-than-expected insurance and technology costs
impacting both of the town's major funds.
Projections for the end of FY 26 show cash on hand at $383,403. This reflects the anticipated return of the full
amount of excess FEMA funds, included as a conservative, worst-case assumption. The General Fund Budget
is projected to remain in deficit through year-end. Lilly will continue to watch the delinquent tax revenue, as she
feels it is the defining revenue that will have the largest impact on the health of the town's General Fund
Balance at year end. The Highway Fund is projected to end the year with a 46% increase in its fund balance.
Lilly feels it will be important to monitor payroll expenses as the transition of highway crew members evolves.
The bottom line is that the town is not at risk of needing to borrow, however, fund balances-particularly the
General Fund-are projected to fall below best-practice levels, limiting financial flexibility and increasing
exposure to unanticipated costs.
Looking ahead, Lilly suggests the town's best practice is to maintain approximately two months of operating
expenses in both the General Fund and the Highway Fund at year-end. Based on the current FY27 budget,
which reflects more realistic expenditure levels, this target equates to roughly $125,000 in our main
Funds (Highway and General). Maintaining this level of fund balance serves two primary purposes: it
helps bridge cash flow needs before tax revenues are received, and it provides capacity to absorb
unbudgeted or unexpected expenses during the fiscal year.
Lilly then quickly reviewed the various special funds the town holds, such as the HERF, library, cemetery,
lister's education, reappraisal and separate FEMA funds, giving their current financial status and projections for
fiscal year end balances.
Road Commissioner's Report with Alfred Larrabee
With snow coming daily, the crew has been busy. The new truck is back in action and the old 4900 has been
sold .. The road crew now has two part time road crew members. Dana Huoppi has agreed to fill in for a few
weeks and the other is awaiting results of the required drug test. This will finally allow Alfie to step aside from
daily plowing duties. Alfie continues to train Peter to take on more road commissioner duties. Alfie reported that
he will be starting a 10 day vacation.
Big news of the day is the two raccoons that literally dropped through the sheetrock ceiling into the garage,
revealing the lack of ceiling insulation and the need for roofing repairs. Ice has been building up on the roof
and snow melt has begun to run into the building. Alfie worries about the poor retention of heat in the building
and the fuel expense from the lack of insulation. From this, Alfie brings up the need for a new roof or, perhaps,
a new building. This topic will be discussed in further WSB meetings. The road crew will patch the hole with
plywood for a temporary fix.
The roadside spring beside Route 14 in the gulf has not been running. Alfie, Michael, Peter Dailey and Dana
Huoppi visited the spring last week. The spring box is badly deteriorated, and water is leaking from the ground
around the spring box not allowing the buildup of water in the box to flow through the pipe to the water tub;
also, the water in the pipe has frozen. There was a fix attempted at the spring and an attempt to thaw the pipe
at the water tub site that was not successful. The crew that was there plan to do a major fix with the coming of
warmer weather. Lizzy mentioned an email she received regarding the spring. The person sending the email
assumed that the town was responsible for the spring. It is not. The spring is under the purview of VT rans.
Dana Huoppi, who used to work for VT rans, has been the person to get the spring running when it has stopped
flowing in the past, as a VTrans employee and then as a volunteer after he retired. As this water source is
important for many homeowners, the four will continue to volunteer to make the repairs when weather permits.
Town Highway Grant Projects -with Michael Gray
Michael updated the board on the Valley Lake Road culvert replacement, the Emergency Watershed
Protection Program/USDA/NRCS grant for Cabot Road/Buck Lake Brook and the Better Roads Road Erosion
Inventory (REI) grant. The RFP for the Valley Lake Road culvert replacement has been sent out to 14
contractors. Bids should be coming in soon. Bids will be opened at the February 23
rd
WSB meeting. Nate
Sicard, engineer and project manager for the culvert replacement, will attend the meeting. The grant for this
project is a VT rans Structures grant. The limit of the grant is $200,000 and the town has budgeted $75,000 to
make up the difference.
Michael met with Brian Voigt, senior planner for CVRPC, for an initial consultation on the RFP for engineering
design for the EWPP/USDA/NRCS awarded grant for bank stabilization of Buck Lake Brook as it enters
Woodbury Village. The bank erosion seriously compromises Cabot Road as the road enters the village. Brian
and CVRPC will be serving as project manager for this grant. Vermont's division of the NRCS originally
planned to do the design work with its own engineers but many engineers have been laid off with federal
budget cuts. A final draft of the RFP for the design will be reviewed and then sent out to contractors. Michael
suggested that the technical assistance portion of the grant -$3,377 -be awarded to CVRPC for its role as
project manager for this project. No decision on that was made at this meeting.
The town was awarded a grant of $7,856 from Better Roads for the mandated updating of its REI, originally
done in 2017. Michael contacted John Reid about the purchase of an I Pad for the work of inventorying town
highways for the required update of the town's REI. Estimates for the cost of the !Pad are about $400. This
expense will be covered with the grant. Michael will be doing this inventory with the help of the road crew over
the next two summers in anticipation of the October 31
5
1, 2027 deadline for completion of the inventory. The
WSB approved the purchase.
Recovery Officer's Report with Skip Lindsay
Skip's report focused on the ongoing communications centered around the "deobligation" and return of leftover
funds from the TH23 and TH24 bridge replacements. Chris contacted Peter Welch's office about the heated
rhetoric coming from the VEM/Public safety rep Skip has been corresponding with. A staff member from Peter
Welch's congressional team contacted Skip and Skip sent all related email documentation relevant to the
unused funds to that staff member. Skip then received a positive response from the VEM/Public Safety rep that
this issue will be resolved in a more thoughtful manner. Skip and Chris will meet with FEMA and VEM reps to
discuss the two projects, the balance of the leftover funds and the funds used from the original leftover funds
for other town mitigation projects. Skip had reason to believe these projects met FEMA standards and that the
leftover funds were available for use for such projects.
Executive Session -citing 1 VSA 313 (a)(1 )(A) and (a)(3)
The WSB voted to enter Executive Session at 8:05 p.m. inviting Lilly Baron and John Reid
The Executive Session was closed at 8:55 PM.
No action was taken.
Updates and Other Business
Bills and Payroll
Bills and payroll orders were signed at the end of the meeting.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9: 10 P. M.
