Town of Warwick
Minutes of Hybrid Meeting of the Warwick Selectboard
Warwick Community School
Monday, December 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Selectboard Members Present: Brian Snell, Chair; Alan Genovese, Vice-Chair; Keith Ross, Clerk
Others Present: David Young, Town Coordinator; Diana Noble, Assistant to the Town Coordinator; Janice Kurkoski, Buildings and Energy Committee; Bruce Kilhart
- Call To Order – Snell called the meeting to order at 6:03pm
- Chapter 268 Section 20C and 20D Ethics disclosures or exemptions – no updates
- Minutes of previous meeting
- Genovese MOVED to accept the minutes from December 1st, 2025. Ross SECONDED. Motion CARRIED. 3-0-0.
- Discussions and reports
- Coordinator Report
- Discussed forming a Forestry Committee in order to harvest timber as a source of town revenue. The Board discussed the STRAP grant paving dispute, referenced in the 11/17 and 12/1 minutes. Our legal counsel’s advice is not to pay. The Board mentioned the need to recruit new members for the Personnel Committee.
- Tax Rate and Building Inspector – The tax recap was accepted, confirming the tax rate of $16.54, with tax bills to be sent out imminently. The Board discussed the relatively small new growth in property values, and also, addressed the need for a new building inspector and plans to increase penalties for not filing building permits, with public hearings planned to discuss this change.
- Recognition of Arlene Lincoln and George Day’s Contributions – Young noted in Coordinator report that the “$100,000 turnover from the First Parish Meeting Society has been completed and deposited.” The Board discussed recognizing Lincoln and Day at Old Home Days.
- Board reached Consensus that Young will write a letter of appreciation to Arlene Lincoln, which will be signed by Snell.
- Assistant Coordinator Report
- Noble has stepped down from the Finance Committee, and shared that a community member named Sydney expressed interest in joining; and the school committee granted Superintendent Carol Learned-Miller a leave of absence to travel to Paris, with plans to find an interim superintendent.
- Selectboard Reports
- Six Town Regionalization Planning Board Update – Genovese discussed various topics, including asking legislators about filing a bill for special legislation to establish a regional district, and signing his letter regarding a ballot initiative. Genovese shared the idea for both a five-town regional warrant article and six-town regional warrant article. Snell reported about school facilities issues discussed at the recent PVRS School Committee Meeting, particularly concerning deferred maintenance at both Northfield and Bernardston Elementary schools, as well as Franklin Tech’s plans for a building project. Snell opines that these issues may complicated the Six-Town Regional SD vote.
- Ross MOVED to give permission for the Chair to sign the final draft of Genovese’s letter endorsement of a ballot question for the Six Town Regionalization Planning Board proposal. Genovese SECONDED. Motion CARRIED. 3-0-0.
- Six Town Regionalization Planning Board Update – Genovese discussed various topics, including asking legislators about filing a bill for special legislation to establish a regional district, and signing his letter regarding a ballot initiative. Genovese shared the idea for both a five-town regional warrant article and six-town regional warrant article. Snell reported about school facilities issues discussed at the recent PVRS School Committee Meeting, particularly concerning deferred maintenance at both Northfield and Bernardston Elementary schools, as well as Franklin Tech’s plans for a building project. Snell opines that these issues may complicated the Six-Town Regional SD vote.
- Coordinator Report
- Actions
- Climate Leader and Decarbonization Roadmap – Kurkoski of the Buildings and Energy Committee presented the final document for becoming a Climate Leader Community. The final PDF document was provided, and Kurkoski shared minor changes she plans to make before submission, including changing one of the cover photos to include the fire station with solar panels. The board approved the application unanimously, and all members of the Board signed the document. Kurkoski raised the need for a project administrative position, which the tentatively named the “Energy Conservation Manager.” The board agreed to discuss this further at the next meeting, aiming to define the job description and potential account structure for managing grant funds.
- Ross MOVED to approve the Climate Leader and Decarbonization Application. Snell SECONDED. Motion CARRIED. 3-0-0.
- Town Coordinator Search Committee – The Board discussed reaching out to volunteers to join a Town Coordinator Search Committee. Snell recused himself because his wife is being considered for Coordinator duties.
- Ross MOVED to authorize Noble to reach out to individuals about joining the Town Coordinator Search Committee. Genovese SECONDED. Motion CARRIED. Genovese – aye, Ross – aye, Snell – abstained.
- Declare old school proprietary clocks surplus to the needs of the town
- Genovese MOVED to declare the school clocks as surplus. Snell SECONDED. Motion CARRIED. 3-0-0.
- Appoint Elodie Eid to town custodial staff at $20/hr.
- Genovese MOVED to appoint Elodie Eid to town custodial staff at $20/hr. Snell SECONDED. Motion CARRIED. 3-0-0.
- Finance Committee vote recommended pay increase to $25 hourly for Olivier F. school custodian.
- Genovese MOVED to increase pay for Olivier Flagollet, school custodial staff, to $25/hr. Ross SECONDED. Motion CARRIED. 3-0-0.
- Climate Leader and Decarbonization Roadmap – Kurkoski of the Buildings and Energy Committee presented the final document for becoming a Climate Leader Community. The final PDF document was provided, and Kurkoski shared minor changes she plans to make before submission, including changing one of the cover photos to include the fire station with solar panels. The board approved the application unanimously, and all members of the Board signed the document. Kurkoski raised the need for a project administrative position, which the tentatively named the “Energy Conservation Manager.” The board agreed to discuss this further at the next meeting, aiming to define the job description and potential account structure for managing grant funds.
Ross MOVED to adjourn the meeting at 7:04. Genovese SECONDED. Motion CARRIED. 3-0-0.
The next meeting will be Monday, December 29th at 6:00pm.
Respectfully submitted by Heather Berlin, Town Secretary
Documents consulted at this meeting:
*Meeting agenda dated Dec. 15, 2025
*Coordinator Report Dec. 10, 2025
*Selectboard Minutes DRAFT 12-1-2025
*Warwick Municipal Decarbonization Roadmap DRAFT ver 2.0