Meeting Summary – November 13, 2025

The Orleans County Natural Resources Conservation District Board convened on November 13, 2025, for a hybrid meeting held at the Poulin Grain offices and via Google Meet.

All board members were present, along with District Manager Sarah Damsell. The meeting focused on ongoing district operations, upcoming initiatives, and long-term planning needs as the District continues to strengthen programs and internal capacity.

The meeting opened with approval of the previous month’s minutes, followed by a brief review of the quarterly financials, which was postponed to a future meeting. Board members then revisited the ongoing list of meeting topics and noted several upcoming needs, including the election of officers at the January meeting. Because the initially proposed time for a strategic planning session presented conflicts for several members, Sarah will circulate a new poll to secure a date that ensures full participation. David Fox will also update the Board Meeting Topics document to map out anticipated agenda items for the remainder of the fiscal year.

During the District Manager’s update, Sarah shared that the District has applied for five new grants, several of which support shared capacity across the three Northeast Kingdom districts. These proposals include funding for a lime spreader to meet increasing landowner demand, upgrades for staff laptops and monitors impacted by the federal shutdown, and additional support for regional collaboration. She also noted that all three NEK districts will pursue a shared membership with the NEK Chamber of Commerce. With the annual Plant Sale approaching, Sarah hopes to introduce a holiday-timed gift card option to promote early engagement.

The Office Relocation Committee reported next, confirming that Poulin Grain accepted the District’s offer of a six-month lease at $1,440 per month. After comparing other available rental options with a realtor, Sarah recommended—and the board supported—remaining at Poulin rather than returning to the NRCD office post-shutdown. The lease may be extended if a long-term location is still in progress at the end of the term.

David provided an update on initial outreach related to a proposed pilot program offering District support for lakeshore permitting. Early conversations with lakeshore association members have been positive, and the Board expressed support for moving forward with the permitting assistance model on a trial basis.

The Board also discussed participation in the upcoming conservation district legislative briefing. Alyssa Conn and Bruce Urie will attend, with Alyssa agreeing to facilitate the meeting.

During the HR Committee report, Chris Steel reviewed the District Manager’s recent performance evaluation and recommended a title change for Sarah Damsell from District Manager to Executive Director. The Board unanimously approved the change. The Board then entered a short Executive Session to complete the annual performance review discussion.

The meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m., closing a productive session focused on strategic preparation, operational continuity, and thoughtful growth for the year ahead.