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Road foreman says staff were discouraged from discussing Boynton and Old Tavern Road grant project after resident's allegations
Summary
Road Foreman Jeff Yrsha told the Selectboard a property owner made serious allegations about the FY25 Boynton and Old Tavern Road grant project and that a Selectboard member told him not to attend or speak at the meeting; the board agreed to document the work thoroughly and hold follow-up discussions.
Jeff Yrsha, Road Foreman, reported to the Selectboard on Sept. 23 that a property owner had made "serious allegations" regarding the FY25 Grant-in-Aid highway project on Boynton and Old Tavern Road. Yrsha told the board that, following those allegations, "a Selectboard member asked him not to attend the meeting and not to speak about the matter," which he said left him "upset and troubled." He asked that the record reflect his concerns and "stressed that all members of the Selectboard should feel free to contact him directly for further information and discussion."
Selectboard members expressed concern about both the substance of the allegations and the propriety of discouraging town staff from attending public meetings. The board agreed that the highway work must be thoroughly documented; members arranged individual follow-up discussions with Mr. Yrsha the following day to review documentation and next steps. No formal disciplinary action or vote was recorded during the meeting.
