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Orwell Select Board approves sewer notes, terminates Old Town Garage lease and authorizes routine signatories
Summary
At its March 23 meeting the Orwell Select Board signed two sewer notes, voted to end the Old Town Garage lease with one year’s notice, authorized payroll/emergency signatories between meetings, approved the Local Emergency Management Plan with one name corrected, and approved bills and payroll.
The Orwell Select Board approved a series of routine financial and administrative items at its March 23 meeting, including two sewer financing notes, a one‑year termination of an Old Town Garage lease and authorization for payroll and emergency-bill signatories between meetings.
Treasurer Bryan Young said two new sewer notes required signatures: a second five‑year lagoon note for $262,500 and a note for $63,717.52 that will be paid down when extra sewer‑account funds are available. Les Wood moved to sign the sewer notes; Mike Christian seconded and the motion passed 5–0.
After discussing safety and building condition concerns about a Roberts Avenue property known as the Old Town Garage, the board voted to end the lease with one year’s notice effective April 1, 2027. Joe Pouliot moved to terminate the lease; Mike Christian seconded and the motion passed 5–0. Board members cited liability risk if the building collapses and noted the property is in disrepair.
The board also moved several governance items: it authorized the chair and vice chair to sign payroll and emergency bills between regularly scheduled meetings (motion passed 3 Yes, 0 No, 2 Abstain); voted to have Chair Treadway sign the Local Emergency Management Plan with a corrected name (motion passed 4 Yes, 0 No, 1 Abstain); appointed Andrea Treadway as TAC delegate and Mike Christian as alternate (motion passed 3 Yes, 0 No, 2 Abstain); and approved payment of multiple fund orders and payroll, including General Fund orders totaling $36,667.29 and sewer obligations.
Why it matters: the sewer notes affect the town’s debt schedule for wastewater infrastructure; ending the Old Town Garage lease removes a potential ongoing liability; the signing authorization clarifies who can act between meetings.
What was not decided or specified: minutes and meeting records did not include detailed amortization schedules for the sewer notes, the lease terms beyond the one‑year notice, or administrative details for how the chair and vice chair will document emergency signings. The meeting minutes also did not include the specific wording of the TAC or Maple Broadband appointment notices beyond who will fill those roles.
Next steps: the sewer notes were signed as authorized, the clerk will process the lease termination notice timeline, and the Select Board will forward the signed LEMP to ACRPC and state emergency management as described at the meeting.
