Trustees Meeting 1/12/26

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SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, January 12, 2026

6:00 P.M.

PRESENT: David Winchester, Village President; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Suzie Kelleher, Trustee; William “Bill” Sheets, Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Emily Walke, Trista Favreau-Ward, Jenny & Mike Walke, Ellen Favreau and Ch. 16. Via Teams: Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager.

1. Call to Order:

David Winchester, Village President, called the Village Board of Trustees meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

2. Pledge of Allegiance:

Everyone in attendance stood for the pledge of allegiance.

3. Agenda Review:

None.

4. Public Comment:

None.

5. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, December 22, 2025 meeting as presented:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve the minutes from the Monday, December 22, 2025 meeting as presented. Suzie Kelleher seconded the motion. Motion carried.

6. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Thursday, January 8, 2026:

Suzie Kelleher made the motion to approve and accept the Village Warrants through
Thursday, January 8, 2026 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded the motion. Discussion: None. Motion carried.

7. MVU Student Request Placing a Community Shoe Closet on Village Property:

Emily Walke introduced herself and said she is partnering with her friend Trista Favreau-Ward to create a community shoe closet. She said herself and Trista were selected for the Doug Desorcie Award as MVU students with a vision to make our community more sustainable. She presented the following to the Board of Trustees:

The Idea:

We would like our community to strive, but most families/individuals cannot afford the cost of sneakers. Seeing this problem not just in MVU but around the Frankin county community inspired us to make a difference. With that said, we are looking to buy a 6x4ft metal shed and to keep the sneakers for the community in it. By placing donation bins around the area, in hopes that people will drop off their gently used shoes. These shoes will pass through our organization to be cleaned then redistributed through the shed. The shed would provide community members to browse and take sneakers as they need in a confidential space, and of course these sneakers will be free of charge. 

The Inspiration:

Emily Walke is the owner of Cleats 4 Feet. Cleats 4 Feet is an organization based in Swanton Vermont, helping to provide the youth in our community with sports equipment and shoes. With the same idea as the Community Closet, I take in gently used sports cleats, clean them up, then soon redistribute them back into the community. Cleats 4 Feet is also based out of a shed we can transport to different places around the area. I've seen much success with this in the past, receiving lots of good feedback from the community, I've even been on the news a few times!

Why We are Reaching Out:

We need somewhere to store this shed and are thinking you can help! We'd love if there is surveillance and a trusting partner to have this in their area. We are very flexible and will appreciate anything you guys can do for us in this journey!

Emily then presented the following information about her Community Shoe Closet to the Board:

Expected Traffic and Outreach: The shed is expected to receive steady and manageable use from the community. To ensure awareness, outreach will be conducted through multiple sources.

Advertising Methods:

• Facebook community groups
• Posters in visible but appropriate locations
• Word of mouth
• Promotion at Cleats 4 Feet
• Business cards

These methods will allow the project to reach those in need while encouraging community involvement and support.

Sustainability Plan: To maintain inventory, donation efforts will be implemented as needed. If sneaker supplies become low:

• Donation bins will be placed throughout the community
• Community members will be encouraged to donate gently used sneakers
• All donated shoes will be collected, cleaned, and inspected before redistribution
• Relying on primarily cash donations will keep costs low while still highly impacting the community

This system ensures the project remains sustainable while fostering a culture of generosity and shared responsibility within the community.

Timeline and Project Length:

• Installation Timeline: Spring 2026
• Project Duration: The project will continue through 2028 or be transferred to a new owner or organization if necessary

The long-term vision ensures continuity and allows the project to adapt to future community needs.

Shed Description and Materials: The proposed structure is a plastic outdoor storage shed that is compact and durable.

• Type: Plastic shed (not walk-in)
• Dimensions: 6 feet wide by 4 feet deep
• Color: Gray and white
• Interior Features: Shelving for organization and storage bins to separate sizes and styles

The selected shed model is designed to withstand outdoor conditions while requiring minimal maintenance. Its size allows for efficient use of space while still holding a meaningful inventory of sneakers.

Security and Access Plan: To ensure the safety of donated items and prevent misuse, access hours will be determined in coordination with project partners. Options include locking the shed at night or establishing specific daily hours of availability. This approach balances accessibility with safety while ensuring the shed remains a respectful and orderly resource.

Community Use and Purpose: The primary purpose of the Community Sneaker Shed is to support individuals who may not have the financial means to purchase sneakers. The shed will operate on a no-cost, no-questions asked basis, allowing users to access footwear discreetly and without fear of judgement. This project benefits the Franklin County community by:

• Reducing financial stress for families and individuals
• Ensuring community members have appropriate footwear for school, work and physical activity
• Offering an alternative option when traditional assistance programs are unavailable or inaccessible.

Adam Paxman asked if Emily contacted the Town of Swanton about this request. She said she had but said they don’t have the surveillance that the Village has here with the Police Department in the same building. Emily asked if this shed could be placed on Village property and also asked if it could be open during business hours then locked up each night. Bill Sheets, Village Manager, said that was a possibility but suggested weekend hours would be their responsibility for locking and unlocking the shed. Dianne Day, Village Clerk, said they could make sure the shed was locked Monday through Friday at 4 p.m. when they leave for the day. It was suggested that Emily provide them with a lock and a few keys so that it could be locked and unlocked each day. Adam Paxman made the motion to approve Emily Walke’s and Trista Favreau-Ward’s request to place a Community Shoe Closet on Village property as requested. Suzie Kelleher seconded the motion. Motion carried.

8. Authorize Village Manager to Sign a One-Year Contract for Police Dispatching with the City of St. Albans:

Bill Sheets, Village Manager, informed the Board that VSP used to dispatch for the police department for free but then began charging $65,000 per year to do that. He said he was presented with a contract for $105,000 which would cover from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. He said this includes dispatching for the police, fire and rescue departments. He said he’s heard people say the Village should start their own dispatch center but said that would cost too much money to do. He said they are getting reliable services now. Adam Paxman made the motion to approve Swanton Village Manager to sign a contract for Police Dispatching with the City of St. Albans in the amount of $105,000 for the period of July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. Suzie Kelleher seconded the motion. Motion carried.

9. Review and Discuss 2026 Proposed Budgets:

Lynn Paradis began her presentation by informing the Board that there were few changes made in the electric department. She said she revised her purchase power budget by reducing it some. She said she is still waiting on the VLCT insurance rates but said she added it with a 30% increase. Adam Paxman asked about solar credits and large solar commercial accounts. Lynn explained they are two large solar projects, and the Village is an off taker which helps with their water, sewer and general funds. She said they pay out almost $300,000 annually on solar credits. Adam said he just wanted the public to know how much is paid out on these accounts.

Water Fund: Lynn explained she needs a rate increase in the water department. Adam Paxman asked if this could wait until after March voting day. Lynn said if it’s done now rates wouldn’t go into effect until April on March’s usage. Suzie Kelleher asked how much of an increase was needed and Lynn said at least 27%. More discussion took place regarding the rates, and it was decided to put the water rates on their last meeting in March 2026.

Estimated Tax Rate: Lynn said she was able to take the two vehicles needed in the Highway department out of their budget and they are now level funded. She said the fire department is level funded as well. She showed last year’s tax rate at $1.2243 and this year’s is estimated to be $1.2857, which amounts to a 5.01% increase.

Police Department: Lynn said the Town adopted their budget request in the police department for their annual warning. She said she was able to reduce the salary line a bit and said it’s very expensive to have a police department. The board thanked Lynn for all her hard work on the budgets.

10. AMI Project Update:

Our AMI work continues with more than 1,320 water meters and over 3,650 electric meters installed. The front office crew continue to go above and beyond to get the water meter exchanges scheduled. We continue to see progress on the software side and are pleased with the recent project progress. Lynn Paradis said they have been discussing the possibility of mailing utility bills every two weeks instead of weekly. She said there may be benefits to this and will look more into it this spring.

11. Orman E. Croft Hydroelectric Generating Facility Dam Repair Update:

The RFQ for the Owners Representative was issued on 12/09/25. As a reminder this is to identify an industry expert who can represent our needs as we navigate this process. This is an hourly/as needed contract. We received two proposals and our committee met to score those proposals today. Velergy, the same company who was awarded the $60,000 planning grant, was selected. The Request for Qualification (RFQ) for the alternatives analysis assessment was issued on Friday, January 9th. It is anticipated to take two to three months to identify the preferred engineering services firm. Velergy (Planning grant) will be on site later this month to begin their assessment and prioritization of powerhouse needs. We held our kickoff/coordination meeting today and there will be an onsite assessment the week of January 19^th.

We have not yet heard back from the State of Vermont, Agency of Natural Resources, regarding our 401, or Water Quality permit.

HYDRO Operations: We are still regularly experiencing the new normal. With the increased ice at lower pond levels, we continue to be required to rake and remove ice and debris far more frequently than in the past. Even with raking regularly production has been significantly diminished.

12. Village Manager Update:

Police Department: Please join me in welcoming Patric Saad to the Police Department. Patric is a level three certified officer, who is now in our Field Training Officer phase. He was most recently employed at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

Electric: Electric is working to finalize a tree trimming maintenance plan that should result in a grant of over $135,000. This will allow us to maximize our tree trimming to help ensure that we keep tree damage related outages to a minimum.

Electric Building: Bids have closed for both site work and concrete and bidding for all other phases of the project will begin soon.

Public Works: The team continues to be busy with storm response; we have had a busy start to the winter season. They are doing routine maintenance when possible and they are starting to make progress on the installation of 14-meter pits, weather permitting. We are fine with salt supply right now but have growing concern that resupply might be delayed due to overall demand from all municipalities.

Water: The leadership transition is going smoothly, and Dillon is working closely with Avery to maintain plant equipment. We are in the process of updating our Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). They transferred filters from Unit 1 to Unit 2 and have not experienced the ghost alarm on Unit 2 since.

They have begun evaluating replacement options for our chlorine. During routine maintenance they identified a failed vacuum valve on the low-lift pumps, ordering a replacement, along with one of each additional size to keep as spares, and we will phase out the older valves.

Wastewater: Many project areas are seeing significant progress. The office area should be ready to move back within the next week or so. Work on the filter building is progressing, and we are moving toward punch list in several other areas of the project. The filter building has the most significant remaining work, followed by some additional springtime clean up and site work.

13. Any Other Necessary Business:

Adam Paxman asked if they could add the topic of the electric department purchasing 124 First Street to their next agenda. Lynn Paradis advised the electric department has no money at this time and they are going in for a rate increase. She didn’t know if this would affect that or not. Bill Sheets, Village Manager, advised her to check with their legal department to see what’s needed.

14. Executive Session to Discuss Legal Matters:

Suzie Kelleher made the motion, seconded by Adam Paxman, to go into Executive Session at 7:05 p.m. to discuss a personnel matter where premature general public knowledge of the subject matter would place the Village or person involved at a substantial disadvantage. Motion carried.

Suzie Kelleher made the motion to exit executive session at 7:19 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

Suzie Kelleher made the motion to re-enter Open Session at 7:19 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded the motion. Motion carried.

ACTION TAKEN: Suzie Kelleher made the motion to approve a four-year employment contract with Village Manager William Sheets from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2029. Adam Paxman seconded the motion. Motion carried.

15. Adjournment:

Adam Paxman made the motion to adjourn the Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees at 7:20 p.m. Suzie Kelleher seconded the motion. There being no further business at hand, David Winchester, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 7:20 p.m. Motion carried.

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David Winchester, Village President                  Date

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Dianne Day, Village Clerk                                 Date