Waitsfield is moving forward with a new roof on the town-owned General Wait House after the board approved a $64,900 bid from East Coast Metal to replace the current roof.
The Waitsfield Select Board on Monday, May 5, voted to move forward with a new roof for the General Wait House and discussed lingering repair work and potential future involvement with the Great Eddy Covered Bridge.
The board unanimously approved a $64,900 bid from East Coast Metal to replace the Wait House’s aging roof. The decision came after a recommendation from the General Wait House (GWH) Commission, which favored the aluminum roofing material for its lighter weight, resemblance to original cedar shakes, and a 100-year material warranty.
“If plywood replacement is necessary, the total cost could rise to $75,000,” said AnnMarie Harmon of the GWH Commission, adding that the barn and connector area would not be addressed in the current phase of the project.
The board turned to a discussion of the town’s Great Eddy Covered Bridge, town administrator York Haverkamp noted that while accident-related repairs on the bridge have been completed, additional work by contractor Miles Jeness of Vermont Timber remains unfinished. Haverkamp will follow up with Jeness on the remaining items.
The board also considered a proposal to display a banner on the bridge during Covered Bridge Week in August, as part of a potential membership in the Vermont Covered Bridge Society. While board members supported joining the society, they expressed concerns about the distraction, cost, and logistics of installing a banner on the historic structure. No formal action was taken on the banner proposal.
In other business, the board approved a liquor license and festival permit for Twisted Halo to host weekly "Round Up" events starting May 21. These community gatherings will take place Wednesday evenings throughout the summer with separated alcohol service areas and no food trucks planned.
The board also addressed a request from the Cemetery Commission regarding unauthorized metal detecting on cemetery grounds. Members favored installing signage rather than pursuing a town ordinance, citing enforcement challenges.
The board later reviewed plans for managing approximately 2,000 ash trees along town rights-of-way, which are threatened by the invasive emerald ash borer. Haverkamp said he would explore funding options and coordinate with the Conservation Commission on a long-term response plan.
