Select Board fills town planner, ZBA seats

Select Board · Meeting of August 5, 2026

Deerfield Select Board fills town planner and ZBA seats in one sitting. Chair Trevor McDaniel and members Tim Hilchey and Blake Gilmore voted 3-0 to appoint Clara Ingersoll as town planner and John Cunningham to the Zoning Board of Appeals, filling the unexpired term of Tia Christiansen. The board approved two Franklin County Sheriff's Office agreements for animal control and dog sheltering, a $12,300 memorandum of understanding funding senior-center programming, and abated sewer bills of $582.13 and $255.71.

Members also named Carolyn Shores Ness, Julie Chalfant and Denise Mason to a five-member committee studying the board's structure, and accepted, "with appreciation for nearly three decades of service," Administrative Assistant Patricia Martin's retirement effective August 7. Officials reported a state Article 97 land-transfer bill clearing the way for the Stillwater Bridge has passed the Legislature and awaits the governor's signature.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,109 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of August 5, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.