Chittenden Solid Waste commissioners re‑elect officers, set spending and financial controls for year

The Board of Commissioners of the Chittenden Solid Waste District re‑elected Paul Roos as chair and approved a package of financial authorizations and administrative procedures at its June 25 organizational meeting.

The actions set the executive director's spending limit at $50,000, authorized the executive board to approve expenditures between $50,000 and $100,000 and reserved expenditures above $100,000 for the full board. The board also set a 1% per month (12% per year) interest rate for late municipal assessment payments, renewed a $500,000 fidelity bond for commissioners and key staff, and required two signatures for any check or electronic transfer greater than $25,000.

Those votes followed the board’s annual officer elections. Paul Roos of Underhill was elected chair. Alan Nye of Essex Town was elected vice chair with one abstention noted; Amy Jewell will serve as secretary; and Paul Stabler of South Burlington was elected treasurer. The board also elected an executive board slate of Lee Perry (Burlington), Alan Nye (Essex Town), Paul Stabler (South Burlington) and Ken Spencer (Charlotte).

Board members described the spending thresholds as routine governance. Sarah Reeves, executive director, explained the approval path for purchases: “My current authority is $50,000 I can, spend up to that amount between 50 and a 100 I must bring that request to the executive board. Anything over a $100,000, it needs to come to the full board.” That language was adopted in the motion that passed.

Commissioners approved a motion to set the late payment interest “at the rate of 1% per month or 12% per annum for member municipalities if assessments are established.” The board noted the rate applies only if the district establishes municipal assessments in the future; no assessments are currently in place.

On internal controls, the board renewed a fidelity bond providing $500,000 per incident coverage for commissioners, the director of finance and the executive director, and authorized check‑signing privileges for the chair, executive director, director of administration and treasurer. The board specified that any check or electronic transfer over $25,000 requires two signatures.

The board also adjusted its meeting calendar: the full board will meet on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, and there will be no regularly scheduled meeting in August; exec board meetings will be scheduled as needed. Commissioners asked that the updated calendar be emailed and added to the CSWD shared calendar.

No controversial policy decisions were made during the organizational session; the votes were procedural and administrative, and the board flagged several open appointment items (vacancies for Williston and Bolton alternates) for outreach.

The board closed the organizational meeting and convened its regular June meeting following these actions.