Barre Select Board Orders DPW Meeting Video Released by Monday Noon

BARRE — August 22, 2024 — Barre Select Board votes to force release of a withheld DPW Commission video and tightens employee time card rules. At the August 22 meeting, the board voted unanimously twice: first to require all town employees to log start and end times on time cards effective August 26, and second to demand that a recording of the August 12 DPW Commission meeting be released to the Town Administrator and the public by noon that same Monday. Chair Dr. Maureen Marshall said the recording is required by law to be released within one week of the meeting and cited open meeting law in directing the town's administration to notify the DPW Commission in writing. The votes came after a representative of the Barre Taxpayers Association raised concerns at public comment about the apparent departure of the town's DPW superintendent and the condition of two state-flagged bridges — Valley Road over Prince River and Old Coldbrook Road over Prince River — warning that inaction could cost the town its Chapter 90 highway funding. Vice Chair Mark Regienus clarified that no raise had been paid to the superintendent, saying he had moved to rescind the offer at a prior DPW Commission meeting.