Minutes - 11-24-25
Town of Leicester
Selectboard Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 24, 2025
*Unapproved*
** See subsequent minutes for any changes
Members Present: Diane Benware, Diane Randall, Brad Lawes, John Rouse, Tom Barker
Others Present: Julie Delphia, Sandra Trombley
Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Chair. No quorum November 17th.
Pledge of Allegiance:
Review of Agenda:
Approval of November 3, 2025, minutes:
Motion by Tom and second by Diane Randall to approve minutes of November 3, 2025, as written. All in favor. So, approved.
Review/Authorization to Pay Bills:
Bills approved by Chair on November 17, 2025.
Reports from Town Officials, Committees:
Animal Control Officer:
Road Foreman:
Town Clerk/Treasurer:
Julie reported she received a letter from Lynne Peck that Lynn has immediately resigned as Leicester’s representative to the Otter Creek Watershed Insect Control District. She is staying on as bookkeeper until the end of the year.
Julie reported that Jeff and Doug are coming to the next meeting.
Julie shared concerns about the Otter Creek Watershed assessment for next year and the need to discuss this with Jeff and Doug at our next meeting. She has asked Lynne to send her a copy of the budget versus actual. All towns went up but Proctor.
Julie stated they are looking for an Energy Coordinator and a committee.
John asked about the difference in gravel prices for two different companies.
Julie explained that one company was farther away and therefore there is extra time for trucking.
Julie reported she has had some complaints about Salisbury’s speed ditch.
Julie reported she has two abatement requests. Meeting scheduled for December 8th at 6:50 p.m.
Access Permit:
Arlan was fine with it and approved the access permit for Curtis Smith. Brad signed.
Cargill Salt Contract:
$99 ton. Contract signed by Chair on behalf of the Board.
Errors & Omissions:
Changes per current use that affected the grand list.
Board signed.
Weight Permits: None
CORRESPONDENCE:
· Age Well Newsletter
· 2025 Maple Broadband Annual Report & Newsletter
· Vermont Trails & Greenways Council Newsletter
· ACSW Annual Report
· ACRP November Newsletter
· Energy Plans
· Protocols for Enforcement of the ACSW Mgmt District
· Illegal Burning & Disposal Ordinance
· Errors & Omissions
· Cargill Salt Contract
· Access Permit
OLD BUSINESS:
Traffic Calming Grant Update:
Mike Winslow from Regional Planning called in to answer questions the Board had.
Mike explained that the years’ work standard extends to September 30th.
Regional Planning will make sure the traffic counting is done without any additional cost.
To count cars and speeds, it depends on how everything is set up.
Diane B. stated that Dubois & King stated there was not going to be a signal warrant as part of this grant. Diane asked if traffic and speed changed in the future if a signal warrant was possible?
Mike explained that signal warrants are not used to control speed, but to control congestion. The speed would not affect a signal warrant at all. The volume could from the side streets but not US 7.
Mike explained a geometric modification would be either vertical or horizontal deflection. You are not going to get a vertical deflection. Roadway narrowing might be a possibility.
Mike explained that roadway narrowing would be taking the actual pavement and narrowing it to make drivers have greater sense of entering a narrow more congested area and drivers naturally slowdown in those situations.
Mike explained that a demonstration project is when you put in that pavement narrowing with hay bales or something less permanent to see if you get a desired outcome.
Diane B. stated that they seem to be putting more emphasis on the feeder roads rather than the emphasis on Rte.7. In a face-to-face meeting with them, we could explain that the focus of this is Rt.7.
Mike stated they may push back that it’s easier to affect the change on the local roads than it is on a state road. They may look at Rte.7 and say they can’t do anything. We don’t know that until they look at it.
Mike stated the contract would be between Dubois & King and Regional Planning. He could include provisions so Leicester would get what it wants.
Diane B. mentioned the timeline and pushing it out to spring.
Mike stated if you are talking about putting tubes down, we would not do that in the winter. With Rte.7 they have continuous monitoring so they could get volume at any time of the year.
Julie asked when they get the final report, is there not going to be any information of what the construction cost will be.
Mike stated the best you are going to get is a 30% ballpark design estimate number. Rte.7 would be a VTrans project. The time frame would be far off. That would require a lot of discussion with VTrans about how Leicester would do a project on Rte.7.
Diane R. asked could just reducing the speed on the intersection of Rte.7 be an outcome of this study.
Mike stated that Leicester Selectboard could petition VTrans to reduce the speed at any time. They are going to make their decision based on the context of the surrounding land and the current speeds. You could do that irrespective of this project, but we are trying to make a request that is more likely to be supported. VTrans isn’t going to agree to reduce the speed if the cars are flying through there already. Signs aren’t a tool to controlling speeds if they are already not paying attention to them.
Diane B. asked what the advantage was to the town of having the traffic calming study done, in terms of effecting any change on Rte.7.
Mike stated that if the study produces recommendations that can be implemented, Leicester has a head start in getting them done. If the study concludes nothing can happen, you are dead in the water. Absent the study, he thinks VTrans will politely ignore you.
Mike stated there would be no cost or work from the town, other than attending meetings.
Board thanked Mike.
Discussion about this calming study and all this being a shot in the dark with no idea of the outcome.
Motion by Brad and second by John to not accept the Traffic Calming Grant through ACRPC to be done by Dubois & King. All in favor. So, approved.
VT Sun Update:
Discussion about Steve reviewing the photos and he didn’t feel there was anything wrong. Diane contacted Bambi Moore of the VSP and asked if Leicester could reject or accept his permit for this purpose. She directed Diane to Chris Taft and last Thursday she got a call from Jason Brooker who informed Diane that the permit that Steve has is only valid for Rte.7. This morning Diane got a call from another AOT person, James Caulin, who again said the permit is only good for activity on Rte.7. He said we need to develop our own permit with our own conditions and Steve would have to meet the conditions if he wanted to have the use of our roads. It should include the stuff about insurance liability.
Bambi told Diane that the town dictates what happens on our roads. Bambi didn’t think there was a big problem. This is one of the last sanctioned triathlons in the United States.
Discussion about whether there was an economic income in town from the race.
Diane R. sees no problem with saying this is the last year for the race in Leicester due to all the broken promises.
John will work on a draft permit for the VT Sun Race.
Town Plan/ Energy Plan Update:
Julie stated the Town Plan is going ok. The Board has been meeting.
Julie stated they are waiting for the Energy Plan. She explained the energy maps and the frustration of reaching unattainable goals.
Otter Valley Unified Union School Board Meeting:
Diane R. gave a brief comment that she heard that they aren’t closing any schools this year. They are putting all their eggs in the bond vote for fall 2026 to try to get an addition onto Otter Valley.
Julie went to the last meeting and explained to them how to communicate with the residents in Leicester. They need to mail things to them. There needs to be transparency.
NEW BUSINESS:
Preliminary 2026 Budget Discussion:
They brought Brad up to date about the Sheriff’s contract for next year’s budget.
Diane B. put an article in the paper for anyone with concerns to bring them to Julie.
Diane B. put an article in the paper that there is no Town Meeting voting from the floor and just the informational meeting.
Discussion about OCW assessment.
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Motion by Tom and second by John to go into Executive Session at 8:02 p.m. for 1 V.S.A. § 313 (1)E
pending or probable civil litigation or a prosecution, to which the public body is or may be a party. All in favor. So, approved.
Motion by John and second by Tom to come out of Executive Session at 8:19 p.m. with no action taken. All. In favor. So, approved.
Motion by Tom to adjourn at 8:19 p.m.
Next Meeting Monday, December 1, 2025
Respectfully submitted,
Sandra Trombley
