Chester Selectboard talks community heath

CHESTER, Vt. – The Chester Selectboard met on Wednesday, June 7, to discuss follow-ups to a number of previous discussions, as well as the need to hire new EMT staff, and the evolving role of EMTs in the Chester community.

Chester, Vt.

Among the topics addressed during the old business portion of the agenda was the need to increase water and sewer rates, which have not increased since 2018 and 2014, respectively.

The board also discussed an upcoming development review board (DRB) visit to several sites related to the Julian quarry, in advance of a hearing at on July 10, at 6 p.m., in response to a hearing application filed by Julian Materials. Several members of the selectboard indicated that they would be present at these visits.

Moving on to discuss the newly formed housing commission’s mission statement, Selectboard Member Lee Gustafson took issue with some of the included wording. In particular, Gustafson felt that phrases such as “help ensure that any resident or aspiring resident has access to a home” needed revision. “What does it mean to ‘ensure’ something? Does that actually bind us legally to make that happen?” Gustafson asked the board. “Are we…committing to providing homes to anybody that comes into town?” Gustafson’s concerns stemmed from the possibility of opening the town up to legal liability in the future.

Selectboard Member Peter Hudkins agreed, adding, “When you [say] you’re going to ‘ensure’ [housing], you’re actually saying that you’re going to manage it. I don’t think [the town] should get into the housing management business.” “You’re committing to a result,” Board Member Arianna Knapp chimed in, “as opposed to a process.” As a result of this discussion, the mission statement will be revised to include more general phrasing, such as “facilitate,” rather than “ensure,” among other changes.

The majority of the remaining meeting was taken up discussing the need to hire a second full-time EMT to Chester’s ambulance service. This discussion dovetailed into one about the role of EMTs in Chester and beyond moving into the future. Town Manager Julie Hance told the board that, after extensive research, “There’s a movement across the country…about EMS services moving more towards a community health service because of what is happening in the healthcare system.” Hance suggested that this is the direction in which the ambulance service should be moving, giving the example of EMTs providing services such as routine blood pressure checks and helping the elderly access health services such as Life Alert. “This is a shift in how we provide EMS services,” Hance said, “it’s taking more of a proactive role with our citizens.”

Speaking as a healthcare provider, Chester resident Lori Quinn was glad that the board was looking to address the lack of healthcare in the area, but raised the issue of whether it makes sense for emergency services to be expanding their scope in this manner. “This is a very complicated conversation to have, because is the EMT the best person to be providing community health” Quinn asked, “or should we be looking at more an APRN, or a PA, or someone that has a broader medical background?” Hudkins summed the issue up, saying, “There’s an A and B to this question. Right now we need a warm body to respond to the calls. We should hire the warm body,” adding that Hance should come back to the board with the issue of community health services later, when the idea and logistics have been further developed. Ultimately, a motion was passed to add a second full-time ambulance employee beginning in August or September, with Hance telling the board she would return with a plan to shift towards a community health approach down the line.

The Chester Selectboard will not hold a second meeting in June, and will announce upcoming dates for meetings in July and August.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that the Chester Selectboard would meet on June 21. In fact, the board decided not to meet on June 21, and to hold only one meeting in July and August, with dates to be announced.

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