Washington Volunteer Fire Department

The board discussed public comments regarding road maps and an ATV ordinance, and received updates from town officials on mud season road conditions, FEMA engineering requirements for the Wishing Well Bridge, and repairs to the Johnson Lane Bridge. Action was taken to approve criteria for the Katie Beede/Chris Chaloux Memorial Award, initiate official board email addresses, and manage the bidding process for the Wishing Well Bridge and Sky Acres projects. The board also addressed the hiring process for an appointed treasurer, appointed a new Tree Warden, approved various business licenses, and made appointments to the ECFiber governing board. Additionally, they reviewed loader repair costs, discussed personnel policy and holiday/vacation time adjustments, and planned to draft a letter opposing Act 181. A confidential legal matter was discussed in executive session.

The meeting focused on the review of documentation regarding the ATV ordinance and the formal adoption of the ordinance as originally presented.

The meeting included organizational business, such as changing the regular monthly meeting day to Mondays and reappointing the Animal Control Officer. Key updates covered the upcoming school budget re-vote, a request to revisit the Katie Beede/Chris Chaloux scholarship, progress on the F550 truck acquisition, and the impending closure of 2025 property transfers. Business discussions involved investigating overbilling on the 2023 VLCT workers' compensation policy, coordinating the computer networking and cybersecurity project quote update, and planning for the Sky Acres Culvert Headwall project, including finalizing the RFP and scheduling a site visit. The board also addressed compliance issues regarding the Local Hazard Mitigation plan due to new flood maps and received an update on the Washington Agricultural Association's proposed arena for Carpenter Park. An Excess Weight Permit was approved, and the inclusion of Green Mountain Transit in service agency appropriations was noted for a future voter decision.

The meeting addressed several agenda items following the approval of previous minutes. Key business included discussions and revisions to the ATV Ordinance, resulting in the removal of Cheney Road from permissible routes and updates to language for Turnpike Road and Notch Road. The board also addressed the denial of the fire house roof insurance claim, approving a motion to coordinate a short-term loan for a roof replacement estimated at $45,000. Financial reconciliation procedures involving Sullivan Powers & Co. and tracking by former treasurer Anna Strong were discussed. The board decided against holding a public informational meeting before Town Meeting Day, and Tammy volunteered to chair the upcoming selectboard. Additionally, the board approved the recipient of the Debra Sue Blanchard Community Service scholarship and agreed to support the library's application for the Public Facilities Preservation Initiative Grant, naming the selectboard chair as the town contact.

The special meeting, which also served as a public meeting for the Washington Flood Study Scoping, focused primarily on the flood mitigation study for the town of Washington, Vermont. Representatives from Stone Environmental, Vermont Emergency Management (VEM), and the Winooski Regional Conservation District (WRCD) presented the project's background, objectives, and timeline. Key components discussed included hydraulic modeling, community engagement, and the evaluation of potential flood mitigation projects using LiDAR data and computer modeling. Separately, the board approved the Town Meeting Warning.