Chester OKs ordinance to seek reimbursement for fighting some fires Update on GM sidewalk plan; traffic calming on the Green

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC

A 17 item agenda including a hearing for a new a ordinance and a presentation on alternative designs for a sidewalk to the high school looked daunting, but the Chester Select Board got through all of it – except an executive session – in less than two hours on Wednesday, July 16.

The Fire Service Reimbursement Ordinance has been discussed at several meetings this year and the board had asked for changes to clarify how it will work. The ordinance allows the town to bill for fire and ambulance response to calls for “malicious” and “nuisance” incidents as well as open burning that gets out of control.

It also allows the town to bill the insurance company of a homeowner who has had a house fire in which “consumables” such as fire-fighting foam that were used. The ordinance states that such billing would be “where insurance is available” and would not exceed the amount the insurance policy allows.

The board adopted the ordinance unanimously. It will go into effect after a 60-day waiting period during which the town residents may petition for a vote to disapprove of it.

Alternatives presented for sidewalks to GMHS

Alyssa Green of Dufresne Group presented the results of that firm’s scoping study for constructing a sidewalk along Route 103 south from Pleasant Street to Green Mountain High School. The scoping study identifies the possibilities, problems and costs of a project.

Alternatives looked at having the sidewalk on either the north or south side of 103 (or both with a crossing) and incorporating a currently used walking path behind the Mountain View development that runs along the town’s right of way for the sewer system. One alternative is to not build a sidewalk.

Issues with building a sidewalk include obtaining rights of way from individual property owners and clearances from state VTrans for the road.

Green also discussed the type of surface (asphalt or concrete) and the sidewalk layout, which could be with or without a curb or a grass separation. The graphics from presentation are here and the audio to go with them is here beginning at the 31-minute mark.

Before anyone walks on a new sidewalk to the high school, VTrans will have to buy into whichever alternative the town chooses since it owns Route 103 in that area. Other issues to overcome are  preliminary engineering and final engineering and, along the way, funding has to be found, which has its own costs including matching funds. A state Bike and Pedestrian Grant requires a 20 percent match, according to Town Manager Julie Hance.

In an interview on Monday, Hance told The Telegraph that in the current climate with school taxes rising she is leaning more toward “upgrading and maintaining the sidewalks we have before building more,” calling the condition of existing sidewalks “fairly miserable.” At the same time, if the efforts to put a housing development on town land behind the Chester Andover Family Center come to fruition Hance says that a sidewalk to there would be a plus. While the timeline for a sidewalk to the high school (and beyond) is probably a long one, the scoping study puts it on the table.

The Select Board will look at the alternatives and possibly chose one at its Aug. 20 meeting.

Trying out ‘traffic calming’ at the Green, derailment response drill

In old business, Hance told the board that the town was awarded a Downtown Transportation grant for  improvements to the town’s Green. In addition to money to electrify the area, there’s also a “traffic calming” component that residents will see tested later this year.

A group called Local Motion will make temporary changes as a demonstration and the town will be looking for feedback on these from the public. The changes will include “bump-out pedestrian landings” at the crosswalk in front of the Academy Building. These shorten the length of the crosswalk and connect to the sidewalk but also give drivers a visual clue that they need to be aware of pedestrians.

Also included in the demonstration project is narrowing the entrances to the Green and trying out ways to keep drivers from entering Common Street from the wrong direction.  The project will take place between Aug. 29 and Sept. 11 and the town plans to take public surveys before and after the project.

Hance also told the board that the town is working on holding a training on handling a derailment in the Depot area where there are structures – including a propane depot – near the railroad tracks. She said that public safety officials have been working on this and that the training this fall will include the state’s Emergency Operations Center, VTrans, Vermont Railway as well as Chester’s public safety departments and mutual aid partners. Hance said the town would keep the public informed about when this will happen.

Bandstand proposed, Whiting appointment, GMUSD candidates

Scott Blair of Chester Community Events – the organization that puts on the annual Festival on the Green – asked the board if his organization could look into erecting a bandstand behind the Academy Building across from the Green.

Blair said this would be his group’s contribution to the town and passed out some photos of the sort of bandstand under consideration. After the group does the legwork it would be up to the Select Board to decide whether to proceed. Board member Tim Roper noted that when the area was a proposed site for a large greenhouse, flood concerns arose.

In response to a request by the Whiting Library board, the Select Board appointed Chris Burks to fill the board seat vacated by Marilyn Mahusky when she moved out of the area. The appointment will be until Town Meeting Day in March, when a successor will be elected.

And the board again demurred from sending a recommendation for a candidate to the Green Mountain Unified School District Board. Three residents of Chester had expressed interest in serving on the district board – Penny Benelli, Jerry Ucci and Ryan Anderson – and while three members expressed their preferences for one or the other, no formal vote was taken.