CHESTER, Vt. – The Chester Selectboard discussed the possibility of replacing the town’s sewer treatment plant at its Aug. 5 meeting, hearing a presentation from Naomi Jonhson, of Dufresne Group, which is responsible for planning and engineering of the proposal.
Johnson told the board that it has been 20 years since the last upgrades made to the current facility, and that the final bond payment on these upgrades will be made this year. The treatment facility was completed in 1972, Johnson said, and the state requires evaluation every 20 years.
The proposed new plant would increase the permitted flow to allow for more housing construction, or for the construction of larger businesses, such as a full-sized grocery store, in Chester. The current sewer system is at capacity, making the construction of additional housing or businesses difficult or impossible.
According to Johnson, the cost of the project was estimated at $6,932,000, and would require a bond vote for approval.
Board member Peter Hudkins objected to the level of increase to sewer rates, estimated at 64%, which would be necessary to fund the project without alternative sources of funding. Hudkins said that the town should rather work backward from an acceptable level of increase, suggesting 20%, when planning what upgrades and improvements to make to the treatment plant.
The board took no action on the issue at the meeting.
The board also continued its review of public services at both its Aug. 5 and Aug. 19 meetings. On Aug. 5, it heard from Police Chief Tom Williams, of the department of public safety. Williams told the board that the department was recently commended at a mock hazmat train derailment drill run by the State of Vermont, which the department attended due to the state’s choice to set the mock scenario in Chester, specifically the Wymans Falls area. Without notice, the Chester department was asked to take control of the training scenario, Williams said, and afterward state observers told Williams that the department had performed well.
However, Williams did note that recruitment of police officers has become difficult, and that this is in part due to Chester being one of the few towns to allow one-man shifts. In particular, officers at the beginnings of their careers, Williams said, are hesitant to work alone without formal guidance from more experienced officers, or to place themselves in dangerous situations without backup, though it was noted that that Springfield Police Department often provides backup for Chester.
Deputy Fire Chief Mike Randzio also spoke to the board, outlining some of the duties for which Chester emergency personnel are qualified. These include death investigation, firefighting, crash reconstruction, evidence technician duties, advanced roadside impairment detection, field training, stop the bleed, LiDAR, radar, and technical rescue.
However, Randzio echoed some of Williams sentiments about recruitment, saying that, while call volumes have increased, there has been a 28% drop in volunteers since 2008. Some personnel, Randzio said, are working more than 40 hours per week, and staffing levels are currently not sustainable.
On Aug. 19, the board hard from Kirby Putnam, the town’s highway director, who explained that Chester’s highway department maintains a team of 10 employees, himself included. The highway department is responsible for repair and maintenance of roads and culverts, painting of lines and crosswalks, cleaning of sidewalks, and plowing of all town roads during the winter. The department fixes and maintains its own vehicles and equipment, though Putnam noted that this is becoming more difficult due to the computerized nature of many newer vehicle models, and that the cost to do so has doubled since 2020. Putnam also explained that, currently, nobody in the department holds a certification for the application of herbicide, a situation Putnam said he hopes to rectify so that the department is better able to handle encroaching vegetation along roadsides and bridges.
Putnam also expressed difficulty in finding employees to fill department roles, noting that several current employees would be eligible for retirement in the coming years.
Prior to Putnam’s update, Recreation Director Matthew McCarthy presented lifeguard Jacob Studin with an award for his actions on Sunday, Aug. 9. According to McCarthy, “Jacob jumped into the pool and saved a little girl.” The board applauded Studin for his quick thinking and calm response to the emergency, and McCarthy presented him with a certificate on behalf of the town.
The board also discussed a proposed traffic ordinance, a draft of which is available on the town website, www.chestervt.gov. A hearing on the ordinance will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 6:30 p.m., at the Chester Town Hall.
Finally, the board discussed closure of Common Street on Oct. 3 and 4, from 2-5 p.m., and on Oct. 31, from 2-8 p.m., for the “Scarecrow Weekend Festival,” a new event this year which invites businesses and individuals to create scarecrows for placement on the Chester Green. The board expressed support for the event, but urged Town Manager Julie Hance to ensure that the group responsible for organizing the event has guidelines for the scarecrows which will ensure that they are not overly graphic or “macabre,” as Board Chair Lee Gustafson put it.
The next meeting of the Chester Selectboard will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 6:30 p.m., at the Chester Town Hall.