The Town of Northfield's Joint Meeting of the Northfield Electric and Water & Wastewater Commissions will meet on Monday, November 6, 2023, at the Municipal Building - 6:30 p.m.

This meeting can be attended either in person, or from a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

https://meet.goto.com/223483805

You can also dial in using a phone.
Access Code:
223-483-805
United States:
+1 (224) 501-3412

AGENDA
Approval of Minutes from Previous Meeting
Meeting of the Water & Wastewater Commission
Main Street Water Line and Tank Replacement Project
Budget Status Reports
Other Business
Meeting of the Electric Commission
King Street Battery Storage Project
Budget Status Reports
Other Business
Adjournment

Please note that the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VAOT) will be performing an engineering review and scoping of the three covered bridges on Cox Brook Road which includes a structural analysis of the bridges and a review of other bridge related issues.

This scoping process will require a detailed inspection of the three covered bridges and will require the closing of the bridges as follows:

Upper Cox Brook CB – Close to all traffic on Monday, 11/6 from 7 am to 5 pm.
Lower Cox Brook CB – Close to all traffic on Tuesday, 11/7 from 7 am to 5 pm.
Northfield Falls CB – Close to all traffic on Wednesday, 11/8 and Thursday, 11/9 from 7 am to 5 pm.

Traffic from Berlin and Moretown will be detoured onto Aseltine Road. Please note that in the event of an emergency, public safety vehicles will be allowed to travel across the bridges during the closure.

VAOT’s engineering and scoping process of these bridges includes the structural analysis of the bridges. Next, VAOT will develop alternatives/options to address any issues/deficiencies identified during the review. The options can range from doing nothing to full bridge replacement.

The scoping process for the three covered bridges is likely to recommend structural repairs to the bridge. VAOT also will hold public meetings at future Select Board meetings to receive additional public comment on the covered bridges.

VAOT has the funds to pay for the recommended improves to the bridges.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Jeff
Jeff Schulz, Northfield Town Manager
802-485-9822

Cox Brook Road Bridge Repairs

The Town of Northfield will be performing repairs to the third covered bridge on Cox Brook Road starting on 9/18/2023. The repairs will take two days and require the closing of the bridge to traffic from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Traffic will be detoured to Aseltine Road Chandler Road.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Jeff

Jeff Schulz, Northfield Town Manager
802-485-9822

Northfield, VT – A Local Concerns Meeting for the project listed below will be held on Tuesday, September 26th, 2023, beginning at 7:00 PM in the Community Room at the Northfield Municipal Offices located at 51 South Main Street in Northfield, VT. The meeting will be held by the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) and the Town of Northfield.

Town Highway Bridge Project

• NORTHFIELD BO CVBR(4) – Bridge 65 on TH 57 (Rabbit Hollow Road) over NECR and Dog River

The purpose of the meeting is to gather input from stakeholders, including Town Officials, residents and businesses, emergency services and other interested parties. During this meeting we will discuss the existing conditions of the bridge, site constraints, and options that should be considered in the scoping report. Please note that depending on the scope of work of the project, there may be an adverse effect to historic resources.

Representatives from both VTrans and the Town of Northfield will be available at the meeting to gather concerns about the project.

The Town of Northfield is pleased to announce the hiring of Pierre Gomez (pictured on the right side of the attached photo) as the Town's new Police Chief. Pierre is a native of Pittsburgh, PA and brings nearly 20 years of law enforcement experience to Northfield.

Pierre attended Norfolk State University, and prior to starting a career in law enforcement, worked for the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice system and as a security supervisor in Lower Marion, Pennsylvania School District.

Mr. Gomez's first position in law enforcement was as a patrol officer for the Philadelphia PD working in the South Street Task Force. In 2015, he moved to the Prosecutor's Office as a County Detective in the Dignitary Protection Unit, the Private Criminal Complaints Unit and deputized as a DEA Task Force Officers assigned to the Liberty-Philadelphia High Intensity Drug Tracking Unit.

Pierre is an avid baseball fan having played for Norfolk State and minor league baseball with the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Mircle organizations.

Pierre Gomez is scheduled to begin as Northfield's Police Chief on September 18.

The Town of Northfield Select Board has adopted a new Encampment Policy, the details of which can be found below.

TOWN OF NORTHFIELD, VERMONT
Encampment Policy

1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Policy is to ensure:
• The Town has a safe, respectful, and effective response to homeless encampments on municipal property,
• The Town balances the rights of individuals without an adequate place to sleep against its duty to maintain public safety and health.

2. SCOPE
This Policy establishes procedures for the Town of Northfield to address homeless encampments on municipal property. This policy provides the municipality effective and respectful procedures when interacting with persons camping on municipal property; whereby the Town will assess the person’s situation and determine whether outside human resource agencies and/or local public safety staff should be contacted to assist the persons. The Policy also establishes a respectful procedure for the removal of persons, and their property, from municipal property through either a voluntary or involuntary approach.

3. APPLICATION
This Policy applies to all municipal property, including sidewalks and roadways within the Town of Northfield.
This Policy does not apply to private property.
This Policy shall not restrict law enforcement from responding to an incident involving persons camping on municipal property committing a criminal act.

4. POLICY
The Town, when implementing this policy, shall respond to persons camping on municipal property in a respectful manner and shall adhere to the following procedures.
4.1 Initial Contact with Persons Camping on Municipal Property.
1. Municipal employees encountering persons camping on municipal property shall notify the Town Manager’s Office immediately and shall not interact with the persons.
2. Upon receiving a report of an encampment, the Town Manager or designee shall start a report on the situation using the attached form (see APPENDIX 1).
4.2 Contact with Persons Camping on Municipal Property.
The Town Manager or designee shall take the following steps when investigating a report of an encampment:
1. Visit the site and make an initial assessment of whether the persons need medical attention, and if so, contact Northfield Ambulance
2. Contact local law enforcement to obtain possible background information on the encampment prior to visiting the site,
3. Make an initial assessment of whether there is possible criminal activity, and if so, contact the Northfield Police Department.
4. Assess whether the individuals intend to remain on the property.
 
5. If the individuals intend to remain on the property, politely ask that they voluntarily leave the property.
6. Provide the individuals with information regarding available human resources and services.
7. If the individuals intend to remain on the property, contact human resources agencies to inquire as to available programs and housing options.
4.3 Compliance
The Town Manager or designee shall adhere to the following procedures regarding possible removal of individuals from an encampment.
1. Ask the individuals to leave the property voluntarily.
2. If the persons do not leave the property voluntarily, call a representative of an appropriate state or local agency to assist.
3. Offer shelter or shelter referral.
4. If individuals are unable or unwilling to voluntarily comply, the Town Manager may intervene and consider the following options.
a). Seek out restorative justice opportunities and sleeping options.
b). Post the area against Trespassing and have the individuals cited and/or removed in coordination with the State’s Attorney.
4.4 Unattended Encampment Clean-up Policy
The Town Manager or designee shall adhere to the following procedures regarding removal of materials from an unattended encampment in which no individuals are present.
1. Leave a packet of materials and instructions to include:
a). Sleeping on municipal property is not allowed,
b). The time and date of visit and the time and date when Town representatives will return to the site to remove materials, which will be seven days after the initial visit,
c). A statement that any materials taken from the site will be stored out of the elements and properly labeled.
d). Copies of supportive resources.
2. Take photos of the site and materials prior to removing any materials,
3. Take photos of the site after the removal of all materials,
4. Leave a note at the site providing contact information on how to retrieve materials.
5. Store removed material in the basement of the municipal building.

4.5 Disposal of Unclaimed Property
The Town Manager or designee shall make a reasonable effort to allow the owner of the unclaimed material to retrieve their property. If the unclaimed property is not retrieved within 30 days from the date of removal from the encampment site, the Town is authorized to dispose of all unclaimed property.

The full report from the visit from the Vermont Council on Rural Development has arrived.

Free, printed copies are available at the Brown Public Library or Town Offices.

It can also be viewed here in pdf form here -

https://www.northfield-vt.gov/_files/ugd/13fb68_46f1144b4ab447f0b08ab54dd3d6b080.pdf

There was nothing “soft” about the “soft opening” of the Common Cone on Saturday, June 15, the newest business to open downtown in the Mayo Block Building.

Owner Morgan Davis said on social media: “Wow! Just wow! Yesterday was an incredible whirlwind of scoops, smiles, and overwhelming support!”

A Line Out the Door, Heatwaves, and Resilience

Davis told the public: “You showed up in droves, and we couldn't be happier! Despite the scorching heat (both inside and out) and a line that stretched out the door for most of the day, your patience and enthusiasm were truly remarkable. We apologize for any inconveniences caused by the unexpected demand and equipment snafus, but thanks to our incredible staff, we were able to overcome every challenge that came our way!”

The reviews were equally as enthusiastic, with hundreds of “likes” and “loves” and one glowing comment after another raving about the ice cream flavors and the positive addition to the town’s common.

I went yesterday. Very busy but no wait. This is so what we need in town. I will be back!” said one local resident.

Reflecting on what the Common Cone hopes to mean to Northfield, Davis said, “We believe in building a warm and inviting community around our ice cream parlor, where friends and families can gather to create lasting memories.”

From the Northfield Town Manager:
Currently, Lovers Lane, the upper portion of Turkey Hill beyond Forest Ave. and Aseltine Road are closed to through traffic.

The Highway Foreman anticipates Lover’s Lane and Aseltline Road being repaired and open at the end of next week.

Turkey Hill should be fully open early next week.

Northfield’s water and sewer plants were not negatively impacted by the recent flooding.
The Water Department tested the municipal water supply earlier this week and the tests came back negative for any contamination.

As a result, the water supply is safe to drink and there is no need to boil water.

For residents and property owners that have experienced property damage due to the recent flooding and wish to seek assistance, please contact FEMA at 1-800-621-3362.

We are so appreciative of how our town bands together in difficult times to help and watch out for each other.

Northfield Town Manager
jschulz@northfield.vt.us

From the Northfield Town Manager:

As of Tuesday morning, July 11, 2023, the town’s water, sewer and electric systems were not seriously impacted by the storm. The water system was not breached or inundated with water, and is fully intact. No boiling of water is required.

Fortunately, the sewage treatment plant was not flooded. It is fully intact and operating normally. Little or no power outages were reported.

The town’s highway department and emergency crews were on full alert through late last night and back at it early this morning. We understand that there are isolated pockets of damage on gravel roads and we are attending to them as quickly as possible.

Much of the work done post-Irene was beneficial to our resistance to greater flooding. You can still report damage by emailing me at the address below.

We appreciate how Northfield, as always, banded together to watch out for one another and keep us all safe.

Jeff Schulz
Northfield Town Manager
jschulz@northfield.vt.us

Emergency shelters are now open in Northfield both at the Plumley Armory at Norwich University and the Northfield Middle High School.

Directions to both locations are linked in this post.

If you are traveling out of town, please consult New England 511 to find the status of all Vermont roads before departing.

Here are the links:
https://www.northfield-vt.gov/news
Link to New England 511: https://newengland511.org/
Directions to Plumley Armory: https://goo.gl/maps/5YReDSwGGBRtD7aa9
Direction to Northfield Middle High School - https://goo.gl/maps/Gq7FrAwM7EzuCBa29

To report flooding in your area please contact the Town Office at 802-485-9822

To report an emergency please contact the Northfield Ambulance Service by calling 911.


Jeff Schulz
Northfield Town Manager
jschulz@northfield.vt.us

The Northfield Road Crews and Emergency Management Team are out in the community monitoring the flood conditions around the village and surrounding areas.

The National Weather Service is reporting widespread, heavy rainfall capable of producing considerable to catastrophic flooding is beginning to unfold. Road washouts are ongoing, and are expected to increase in extent and severity over the course of the day.

Widespread rainfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches, with locally higher amounts of over 7 inches especially near and along the spine of the Green Mountains. While the heaviest rainfall rates should abate by Monday evening, widespread area and river flooding is expected to persist through Tuesday http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

To report flooding in your area please contact the Town Office at 802-485-9822

Jeff Schulz
Northfield Town Manager
jschulz@northfield.vt.us

The Town of Northfield Select Board has created a form for residents to complete to be considered for funding using its American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds.

Those interested are strongly encouraged to submit the requests as soon as possible so the Select Board can start considering all requests.

ARPA includes four broad criteria outlining eligible uses:

To respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including
assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality;
To respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers;
For the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID–19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year prior to the emergency*; and
To make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.

You can read more and see and see examples of programs at https://www.vlct.org/sites/default/files/uploads/VT%20ARPA%20SFRF%20Municipal%20Programs_Oct22_V2.pdf.

DOWNLOAD THE FORM HERE: https://www.northfield-vt.gov/_files/ugd/13fb68_96a3cce325654476853bbba35415704f.pdf

Interested residents are asked to complete the form and submit it to Town Manager Jeff Schulz either via email at jschulz@northfield.vt.us or by mail to:

Northfield Town Manager
51 South Main Street
Northfield, Vermont 05663.

The best swimming hole in Central Vermont is the Northfield Pool at the top of King Street in Northfield. There's always plenty of room to swim, clean water, and no slippery rocks to slip on.

The Memorial Park Pool opens this year on Saturday, June 24, 2023, and the hours are 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily.

Resident and non-resident season pool passes are available at the Northfield Memorial Pool or at the Town Clerk’s Office. Daily passes may be purchased at the pool.

Great swimming lessons, fund diving, and a fantastic kids section are all provided in the beautiful setting of our Memorial Park. Individual or family passes are available.

We hope you'll join us all summer to cool off, swim laps, enjoy Vermont outdoors, and create new, great memories. Rates can be found at https://www.northfield-vt.gov/_files/ugd/13fb68_1b7bf852186c4a3b983ea80dcb99aedd.pdf

Part of a $122,000 grant awarded to the Town of Northfield through the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) program has been invested in a variety of equipment that will be free for Northfield residents to borrow this coming winter.

Available equipment includes snowshoes, microspikes, hiking poles, binoculars and headlamps will be available at Northfield’s Brown Public Library, which is located at 93 South Main Street, which is also the access route to the Lybrand Trail that begins at the top of Slate Avenue.

The equipment will be free for residents to borrow.

The Northfield Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative committee (VOREC) has worked together on this grant funding to improve the Northfield Forest Trail system, and the equipment-loan program will provide those who may not otherwise explore our beautiful woods.

Look for more details coming this fall!

The Town of Northfield Economic Development Department is delighted to announce that Mureta’s Meat Processing has been awarded a Vermont Working Lands Enterprise grant that will enable the local butcher to become a certified USDA butcher, allowing them to expand their capacity in an area of great need across the State of Vermont.

Owner Chris Mureta has made substantial investments in his operation and the grant will provide the necessary gap funding to Mureta’s for the construction and installation of equipment required to become USDA certified and take the next essential steps to become a certified slaughterhouse.

Working lands entrepreneurs are at the heart of Vermont’s landscape. They are the backbone of the Vermont economy, a top source for job creation, and an integral part of what makes Vermont a quality place to live. The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) supports innovative entrepreneurs at the forefront of Vermont’s Working Lands economy through technical and financial assistance to help growing businesses thrive. The program is made possible through the support of the state legislature, multiple state organizations, and public/private donors.

Working with Chris and his family on this project and seeing his business grow in a time of great need for meat processing services across Vermont has been a pleasure.

The Town of Northfield is seeking volunteers to serve on a committee to assist in the search for a new Police Chief. The current Northfield Chief is retiring in May, 2023 and the Town anticipates having a replacement selected by June 1, 2023.

The Committee will consist of: the Town Manager, a Select Board member; a member of law enforcement, four Northfield residents and two members from other Northfield interested groups or institutions. The ideal committee person will have a background in human resource recruitment or management, or law enforcement.

The role of the Committee is to develop candidate review criteria, review resumes, interview candidates and recommend two to three candidates for consideration. The estimated time commitment to this process will be a total of 15 to 20 hours over a five week period.

Persons interested in serving on the Committee should submit a letter of interest that includes a brief discussion of background, and their interest in the hiring process to the Town Manager at 51 South Main Street, Northfield, VT 05633, or jschulz@northfield.vt.us by the close of business on Thursday, March 16, 2023.

The Town Manager of Northfield has accepted from the Northfield Police Chief, John Helfant, a letter announcing his retirement effective May 6, 2023.

The Manager will begin a search for a new police chief shortly.

We appreciate the chief and our entire police force for the work they do to protect our community.

Jeff Schulz
Northfield Town Manager

STATEMENT BY THE NORTHFIELD SELECT BOARD

“The Town of Northfield is committed to fostering a safe, welcoming, and inclusive community. We also believe that trust in the Town and its employees is of utmost importance.

News stories from local media outlets this week have recounted that members of the Northfield community feel this trust has been diminished. These news stories have referenced the Northfield Police Chief’s public comments on school locker room policy and, from earlier last year, a school’s decision to fly a Black Lives Matter flag.

The Town recognizes that absent other compelling circumstances, the First Amendment allows Town employees to speak as private citizens on matters of public concern. The Town respects its employees’ desire to stay informed on local, state, and national affairs. However, the views and opinions expressed by Town employees in this regard are their own and are not the views and opinions of the Town.

We want to take this opportunity to reiterate our focus on and dedication to ensuring that all members of our community can live and thrive here, free from discrimination. We are committed to having an unbiased and discrimination-free municipal government. The Town has taken recent steps in furtherance of that commitment, including making our Declaration of Inclusion and preparing to institute Diversity, Equity & Inclusion training for all Town employees.

We acknowledge that trust is earned, and we are committed to earning and keeping the trust of our entire community.”

An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a smaller, independent dwelling unit that is located on the same lot as an existing single-family home. Vermont’s law on equal treatment of housing and town bylaws requires municipalities to allow homeowners to add one ADU to their house as a permitted use as long as certain conditions are met.

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are apartments located within or on the same property as a single-family, owner-occupied home. ADUs are often located above a garage, in a basement, or as a backyard cottage, and have been utilized widely in cities across the US as a tool for older adults to remain in their homes as they age, to create housing for an elder or a dependent, and provide homeowners with a way to offset housing costs.

A new Vermont Home Improvement Program called VHIP-ADU program is a low-barrier way for Vermont homeowners to help solve the housing crisis one unit at a time. This program offers grants of up to $50,000 that can be used for expenses related to creating and or remodeling an accessory dwelling unit.
Vermont Housing Improvement Program (VHIP) is now accepting applications. This program offers grants of up to $50,000 per unit for repairs needed to bring vacant rental units up to Vermont Rental Housing Health Code guidelines, add new units to an existing building, or create an accessory dwelling unit on an owner-occupied property. Application review and project oversight is conducted through the regional Homeownership Centers.

Program participants are required to provide a 20% match for VHIP project grants and maintain HUD Fair Market Rent prices.

You can learn more through the Central Vermont Homeownership Center, Downstreet, LLC, by going to https://downstreet.org/vhip.

You can also reach out to the Northfield Economic Development Office at 802-485-9835 or tdavis@northfield.vt.us.