Special Selectboard 11/20/25

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Selectboard Minutes 11-20-25 177 KB

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Town of Richmond
Special Selectboard Meeting
Minutes of November 20, 2025

Members Present: Bard Hill, Caitlin Filkins, Adam Wood
 

Absent: David Sander

Staff Present: Josh Arneson, Town Manager; Josh Arneson, Town Manager; Duncan Wardwell, Deputy Town Manager

Others Present: Recorded by MMCTV, Chelsye Brooks, Connie van Eeghen, Greg Rabideau, Marshall Paulsen, Rod West

MMCTV Video: https://youtu.be/mdCFGEI5i5w?si=ZywfgQSz7nlRbTQa

Call to Order: 12:02 p.m.
 

Welcome by:  Wood
 

Public Comment:  None

Additions, Deletions or Modifications to Agenda:   None

Items for Presentation or Discussion with those present

Consideration of approval of notice to fill a vacancy on the Selectboard

Timestamp: 0:03
https://www.richmondvt.gov/fileadmin/files/Selectboard/Meetings/2025/11/3a_Notice_of_Vacancy_DRAFT.pdf
 

Wood reviewed that Jay Furr resigned at the November 17^th Selectboard meeting.  Wood stated that the Selectboard needs to appoint someone until Town Meeting Day at which point the remainder of the term will be up for election.

Arneson reviewed the process the last time there was a Selectboard resignation:
-the Selectboard requested letters of interest for two meetings out

-Letters of interest were due about a week before the meeting and were posted online
-Public was able to provide comments and feedback to the Selectboard before the appointment meeting
-At the appointment meeting, each interested applicant talked to the Selectboard and answered questions

-The Selectboard went into Executive Session to deliberate and come back with an appointee.

-The appointee was sworn in at the meeting and started that night.

Hill, Wood and Filkins were fine with a similar process.

The Selectboard developed the following process for this time:
-Letters of interest from applicants due on December 10, 2025
-Arneson will post the letters of interest in the packet for the December 15, 2025 Selectboard meeting

-The Selectboard will make an appointment at the December 15, 2025 meeting.

Wood and Arneson reviewed the Incompatibility of Offices on page 8 of the Code of Ethics:
https://www.richmondvt.gov/fileadmin/files/General/boards-meetings/all-committee-board-members/CodeofEthics_03-17-2025.pdf
Section 4 INCOMPATIBILITY OF OFFICES

(a) Incompatible offices set forth in 17 V.S.A. § 2647, shall not be held simultaneously by any Town public official.

(b) The Town Manager shall not hold the office of Town Clerk or Town Treasurer.

(c) Selectboard members shall not serve as a member of the Town Planning Commission or Development Review Board.

(d) Town Planning Commissioners shall not serve as a regular member of the Town Development Review Board but can serve as an alternate to that board.

(e) Town Development Review Board members shall not serve as a member of the Town Planning Commission.

(f) Selectboard, Planning Commission, or Development Review Board members shall not be an employee of the Town of Richmond, except when performing duties as a member of the Board of Civil Authority.

Wood summarized that someone from the Planning Commission could apply to be appointed to the Selectboard, but they would have to resign from the Planning Commission if they were the chosen applicant for the Selectboard.

Arneson said that the Town Clerk could swear in the appointee after the Selectboard decision.  Paulsen confirmed that as Justice of the Peace he could also swear in the person if the Town Clerk is not available.

Rabideau expressed interest in applying and wanted to put a face to a name.

Wood stated that public input would be accepted in the form of letters of support and public input during Selectboard meetings.

Wood confirmed that a notification will be posted that describes the process and references the Code of Ethics.  Arneson confirmed it would be posted on Town website, Front Porch Forum, and in physical locations.

Hill moved to approve the public notice for an opening on the Selectboard as presented.  Filkins seconded.
Roll Call Vote: Hill, Filkins, Wood in favor. Motion approved.

 

Adjourn

Hill moved to adjourn. Filkins seconded.
Roll Call Vote: Hill, Filkins, Wood in favor. Motion approved.

Meeting adjourned at: 12:17 PM

Chat file from Zoom:
00:25:22          Chelsye Brooks:          Can the town please clarify positions incompatible with office, or point members of the public to where they can find those details?

00:25:58          Chelsye Brooks:          It doesn’t need to be right now, just in general.

00:26:23          Chelsye Brooks:          Thanks!

00:33:51          Chelsye Brooks:          I appreciate it.