Gilford Selectboard to review draft Town Meeting Warrant Wednesday

GILFORD — The selectboard will hold a public hearing Wednesday evening about the use of unexpected money from the regional solid waste cooperative, along with reviewing the draft 2026 Town Meeting Warrant.

The town Selectboard meets at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12, with a lengthy agenda that includes the awarding of bids for the ice rink project and the purchase of a portable generator for the public works building.

The former public works building was demolished in July, and since then, crews with Lyman Construction have been building a new facility, a project of $11.2 million approved by voters at Town Meeting.

The new building will be 22,000 square feet, a major upgrade from the 13,000-square-foot building, which was about 50 years old. Not only were aspects of the former building unsafe due to poor air quality and a failing roof, but there was also inadequate storage. The new building will alleviate all these concerns.

Town Administrator Scott Dunn said recently the project was on schedule, and on budget, with completion expected next summer.

During the Oct. 22 selectboard meeting, Dunn said the public works department was researching a temporary generator, as the generator being used was at the end of its useful life. The selectboard is expected to vote on the portable generator purchase.

The selectboard will also hear an update about the ice rink located on Varney Point Road. New boards are being installed this winter, and eventually pickleball courts which can be used year-round.

At the Oct. 22 meeting, the selectboard voted to accept the proposal for $137,786.76 from Sport Court Northeast to replace the dilapidated sideboards, with a goal to complete work by December.

At the meeting, the board will discuss that project, as well as awarding a bid for sealing and line painting. Dunn recently said there were five bidders for the pickleball court project, with the lowest being $25,411 from Vermont Recreational Surfacing and Fencing, Inc.

The surfacing and line painting will not be done until spring. Funds for this project come through a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant of $150,000.

The selectboard is slated to continue discussions regarding parking amendments for Varney Point Road and Lincoln Park, started at the Oct. 22 meeting. The selectboard discussed whether overnight parking would be allowed, and if it would be for town residents only. The board will review draft parking regulation amendments. A public hearing is also expected to be scheduled on the matter.

A public hearing will also take place during the meeting about the appropriation of about $75,000 in unanticipated funds from the Concord Regional Solid Waste Resource Recovery Cooperative. This cooperative disposes of solid waste from member communities around the state, using a waste-to-energy incinerator.

There are 10 items of new business the selectboard will tend to, notably a review of a draft of the 2026 Town Meeting warrant. Other items pertain to the closure of Belknap Mountain Road on Dec. 13 for a candlelight stroll, and a consideration of a winter parking ban regulation amendment.

The board will also take action on approving pole licenses, a pawnbroker and secondhand dealer license application for GameStop Inc., a contract extension for MSW Hauling, and for AI software for the BS&A Cloud Resource Center.

The board will also vote whether to accept a backup server proposal through Mainstay Technology.

The board is also expected to make appointments for 2026 boat agents, as well as choose an alternate for the Conservation Commission.

The selectboard will meet at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12, in the first floor conference room at Town Hall.