CHESTER, Vt. – The Chester Selectboard met for the second time in May on Wednesday, May 20, for a brief one-hour meeting.
Town Manager Julie Hance informed the board that the replacement of sewer lines on Depot Street and First Avenue would begin in June, with replacement of a gravity line on Depot Street to begin on June 1. Replacement of the pump station on Flamstead Road is set to begin on June 8. During the discussion, it was noted that a segment of sewer pipe along First Avenue is made of asbestos concrete, which is far more costly to remove than other kinds of pipe due to the mitigation efforts required to ensure the asbestos does not become airborne. While the state has mandated removal of all asbestos pipes used for drinking water, the pipes on First Avenue contain only wastewater. For these reasons, the decision was made to leave these pipes in place and instead line the interior of the pipes with a material intended to keep the water out of direct contact with the concrete, thereby extending the pipes’ lifespan, preventing decay, and lowering the overall cost of the project.
Hance also addressed some recent invective directed towards town office and highway department personnel regarding the paving of Depot Street and North Street, asking community members to “extend a little grace, to not yell at my highway guys when they are walking by on the sidewalk, and to not criticize and attack the front office staff.” Hance explained that paving can only be done under certain weather conditions – essentially on hot, dry days – and asked that all further conversations about paving be directed to her.
During a review of the town’s quarter 1 finances, Hance also told the board that, after completing the 2025 audit and the restates 2024 audit, RHR Smith, the town’s auditing firm, has confirmed that Chester is not in a deficit, with a positive fund balance of $19,000. While Hance emphasized that the fact the town is not in a deficit is good news, she added, “We don’t have much of a fund balance, so we need to be careful and we need to start thinking and planning for that.”
The board also adopted a new cemetery fee schedule, which can be found at www.chestervt.gov/ordinances-and-regulations.html, under “Fee Schedule.”
The Chester Selectboard meets on the first and third Wednesdays of every month, at 6:30 p.m., at the Chester Town Hall.