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Select Board approves warrant payment, completes Seminary Hill Park purchase and funds road paving; sewer sampler purchase approved
Summary
The board approved payment of the $1.59 million town warrant, reported the 74-acre Seminary Hill Park purchase with 50% reimbursement pending, authorized Town Farm Road paving funding from the local 1% fund, and approved a sewer auto-sampler purchase that will be partially reimbursed by trustees of public funds.
At its May 26 meeting the Brandon Select Board approved several routine but significant municipal actions: payment of the town warrant, acknowledgment of a land purchase that completes Seminary Hill Park, authorization to bid a Town Farm Road paving project funded from the local 1% fund, and approval of a sewer auto-sampler purchase order that will be substantially reimbursed.
The board voted to approve the town warrant in the amount of $1,590,770.24; the chair explained the total largely reflects appropriations and the school tax. Community Development lead Bill Moore reported the town closed on the 74-acre purchase for Seminary Hill Park and submitted for 50% reimbursement under previously approved grant match arrangements; the purchase price (excluding attorney fees) was stated in discussion as approximately $25,xxx (transcript excerpt shows $25,?97). Moore also announced a grant award to purchase a VW ID. Buzz van to serve as a public-transit connector.
For sewer operations, the board approved a purchase order for two hands-free vacuum auto-samplers from Russell Resources. Mr. Hopkins noted the purchase exceeds his spending limit but that trustees of public funds voted May 15 to approve $20,000 toward the equipment; the town wastewater budget will be reimbursed after July 1, and installation costs were described only as likely "in the low thousands." The board voted to go out to bid on Town Farm Road repaving to be funded by the local-option 1% fund, with a roughly $160,000 scope approved for bidding rather than the larger $230,000 option discussed.
Board members also reviewed staffing updates (conditional offer to a certified officer, highway hire potential), delinquent tax collections of $181,961 with $51,676 collected since the attorney's letter, and health-insurance rate requests for 2026 (Blue Cross 13.7%, MVP 7.5%).
Next steps: staff will post procurement notices, pursue the Seminary Hill Park reimbursement, finalize the sewer purchase order and installation budget details, and return with bid results and contract terms for paving and vehicle/cruiser procurement.
