Selectboard advances 2026 budget and warrant articles, accepts HMGP award with $3,946 town match

At the Jan. 12 Selectboard meeting at Fuller Town Hall, staff reviewed the draft 2026 operating budget and a slate of warrant articles. The board approved forwarding all warrant articles to town meeting pending final updates to the budget spreadsheet.

The warrant articles reviewed included funding for fire expendable and capital reserve funds; highway bridges; recycling; a zero-turn mower; government buildings; recreation; cemetery capital reserves; and capital projects on Bog Road and Stevens Terrace. For Stevens Terrace the board selected the full-paving option, contingent on sewer line replacement.

The Selectboard accepted Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding of $11,838.32 to update the local hazard mitigation plan; the board recorded that the total project cost is $15,784.43 and that the town is responsible for a 25% match of $3,946.11. The acceptance was recorded as a majority vote; the transcript does not list individual roll-call votes.

Other approvals recorded in the meeting included a motion to approve minutes (SM 12/26), a Special Events Permit for North Country Riders, the Groveton Ambulance contract for 2026, and completion of MS-60A and MS-60W forms. The manifest for 12/29/2025 and 01/06/2026 was approved (recorded as C. Goulet / R. Scott, Jr. 2/0 to sign). The board noted reminders: a budget hearing on Feb. 4 at 6 p.m., a potential additional meeting on Feb. 9 at 3:30 p.m., and town voting on March 10 (Article 1) and March 14 (other articles).

Next steps: staff will finalize budget spreadsheet updates, complete HMGP paperwork and return follow-up items to the Selectboard agenda as needed.