The Northfield Town Select Board on a special call discussed how to cover policing after the town’s sole active-duty officer is expected to be out on medical leave for a week or longer, and the board moved into an executive session to consider appointment of an interim manager.

Bill Fraser, who said he was contracted by the town to help find an interim manager and interim police chief, told the board he had reached out to neighboring departments and the Vermont State Police to identify short-term coverage options but that no firm decisions had been made. "I work for the League of Cities and Townsmen contracted by the town of Northfield to, well, find an interim manager," Fraser said, explaining the narrow candidate pool for an interim chief and the need to coordinate among towns.

Sheriff Poulan told the board that while his office and neighboring agencies have provided mutual aid historically, increased frequency of assistance creates additional liability and staff time. "We'd like to be compensated at some level because an increased liability for us, increased officer time for us, increased, like, supervisor time in reviewing whatever call that officer went to," he said, urging Northfield to consider a contract or agreement when help becomes more than occasional mutual aid.

Board members and chiefs debated whether contracting authority should rest with the select board or the town manager and whether a memorandum of understanding or a simpler contract was required. Several members said they favor board-to-board agreements with neighboring towns and asked for a clear sunset or end point for any short-term arrangement so that normal mutual-aid relationships could resume once Northfield’s staffing is restored.

Several present urged a longer-term approach to rebuilding the department. A regional chief called the sheriff’s offer a "band aid" while also outlining that sustainable recovery would require leadership, mentoring and a plan to train and retain officers. The board discussed the need for a designated leader to provide daily direction, mentorship and a chain of command to make the position attractive to recruits.

Officials noted there had been an earlier proposal, dated Nov. 25, to bring two level-3 officers on a part-time basis, but the hires were awaiting a formal letter and manager sign-off. A town official said the part-time officers are "still waiting" for the paperwork; several speakers emphasized the difficulty of finalizing such arrangements without a manager in place.

At multiple points members of the Select Board expressed concerns about transparency and proper procedure. One member raised concerns about appointing a family member as an interim chief, noting that taking on a relative in that role "is not acceptable," and asked the board to adhere to town policies. That allegation was raised in public discussion and was not resolved during the meeting.

Before adjourning to executive session, the chair asked for a motion "to go into executive session for the purpose of personnel." A motion and a second were recorded and, "without objection," the board entered executive session and agreed to include the chiefs and contracted staff in the discussion. The board confirmed there would be public participation when it returned from executive session, and the chair estimated the session might last about 30 minutes.

What happens next: the Select Board will conduct the executive-session discussion on personnel and the possible interim manager appointment; public participation is scheduled after that session and any contracting or formal coverage agreement would be brought back to the board for action.