ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – At the Tuesday night, Nov. 5, Rockingham Selectboard meeting, town manager Scott Pickup reported on a “cybersecurity incident” at the town hall that involved an “outside bad actor,” according to Pickup. The term “bad actor” refers to an individual or group that intentionally harms and invades a computer system or network, typically using a type of malware or ransomware.
Pickup told the meeting the attack was against the town’s automated clearing house (ACH) system, affecting direct deposit vendors and creating an infected duplicate of the entire system. It appeared the hackers created bogus vendor invoices via town email accounts.
The town’s insurance policy includes coverage for cybersecurity protection, and Pickup said they had hired a cyber firm to assist with “a forensic analysis” of the hack. He told the board he would report back with the firm’s findings. Pickup also mentioned town employees had been participating in cybersecurity awareness training for the past two years or so.
After a state inspection revealed that the Williams Bridge, which goes over the railroad on Williams Road, was in a dangerous state of disrepair, a severe weight limit was imposed. The weight limit is impacting the daily operations of Vermont Vines winery, affecting the town’s ability to plow the road, and restricts emergency vehicle access and oil deliveries.
Pickup told the board the state claims ownership of the bridge, and after no resolution was found at the district or state administrative levels, the town had escalated the issue to the state’s chief engineer for funding. Pickup was told that to replace the bridge would cost $6 million, and “potentially up to $1 million” for upgrades that would increase the weight limit.
“More to come,” Pickup concluded.
Annemarie Fortune from Stone Environmental presented the board with the brownfield cleanup alternatives for 30 Henry Street in Bellows Falls, proposed site of the Bellows Falls Community Bike Project. Contamination was identified at the site, and federal EPA funding is being sought to ensure the site can be made safe for future use. To qualify for this type of funding, the brownfield analysis and an opportunity for public comment are each required.
Fortune’s presentation detailed the origins of the site contamination, which included previous incarnations as a paint shop, automotive garage and gas station, and as a laundromat and drycleaner for almost 50 years. Of the three alternatives considered (and a fourth option where no action would be taken to mitigate the contamination), the board chose option 2B, which proposes the installation of a vapor barrier and subslab depressurization system. Stone Environmental plans to work with the Bellows Falls Community Bike Project to apply to the EPA Revolving Loan Fund through the Windham Regional Commission. Implementation will likely be in the spring.
Liam Madden was at the meeting to discuss some recent changes in Vermont and federal law that will benefit the town and village with regards to solar energy. A Rockingham resident and the director of the solar energy project at HB Energy, Madden told the board he felt municipalities weren’t being made aware of what Act 179, which passed this year, lays out with regards to new renewable energy standards and goals for Vermont. He reported that the law is changing what solar projects can be permitted in the state, making it so you are “no longer able to permit solar projects that share energy from the site where it’s produced to distant buildings. That’s kind of a big change,” Madden noted.
Madden explained that means towns and villages will no longer be able to construct solar arrays where they are the most cost-effective, and will be left with limited options. He wanted to alert the board to the fact that the change goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, which leaves only a short amount of time to submit applications before the new requirements are put in place.
For the past 40 years, funding for solar energy projects has come in the form of a federal tax incentive, which therefore doesn’t apply to municipalities who do not pay federal taxes. But the good, “game changing” news that Madden shared is that with the new law, local municipalities can now instead apply for federal funding directly from the IRS to pay for 30% of the total cost, creating more opportunities to fund these types of projects.
“Meanwhile,” Madden continued, “the Inflation Reduction Act has made private investment almost double. Even if that 30% [from the IRS] didn’t get you all the way there, there is enough [of] the private sector willing to help because they can benefit too.” The board thanked Madden for the information; no action was taken.
The board voted to appropriate $15,989.50 in federal funding, as requested for fiscal year 2025-2026, to be distributed among local organizations involved in the field of opioid addiction recovery.
In 2021-2022, nationwide settlements were reached to resolve all opioid litigation brought by states and local political subdivisions against the largest pharmaceutical distributors, manufacturers, and pharmacy chains. In total, more than $1.5 billion was awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) via the State Opioid Response (SOR), signed under the Biden-Harris Administration.
Pickup reported that in Rockingham last year, many organizations benefited from the funding. This year’s request included money for Parks Place Community Resource Center to hire a program navigator; local nonprofits Turning Point Recovery and Greater Falls Connections; and Front Line Foundations, who offers support for EMS and veterans that work with opioid victims.
The Rockingham Selectboard will meet again this month on Nov. 19, and will hear a presentation from VTrans on the Depot Street Bridge project.