Concerns by the town leaders of Weathersfield about the current finances of the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department and the possible inability to complete its five-year agreement for road patrols were among the reasons the town pulled out of its contract last week, according to Municipal Manager Brandon Gulnick.
Gulnick, during the Weathersfield Selectboard meeting this week, offered both details and context leading up to the 5-0 vote by the selectboard last week. He said the town and board were somewhat limited about what could be said before the meeting last week.
He said there are still some limitations about what can be said due to ongoing criminal investigation by Vermont State Police.
Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer has pleaded not guilty in Vermont Superior Court to seven misconduct charges. He denied two counts of aggravated stalking with a deadly weapon, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of prohibited acts and one count of lewd and lascivious conduct.
A judge ordered him to stay away from four women: two 19-year-olds, a 25-year-old and a 39-year-old former classmate from when he attended Windsor High School, records show.
None of the criminal charges deal with any financial issues, but that was the initial purpose of the Vermont State Police being asked to study the operation, officials have said.
“After the Selectboard voted in executive session to terminate the contract, we immediately began working with Town Counsel to determine what information can legally and responsibly be shared. We have a duty to protect the Town and mitigate liability, especially given the number of ongoing matters,” Gulnick wrote.
“There is currently a State financial audit underway, and a forensic audit may follow. That review pertains to the department’s finances as a whole,” he said.
Gulnick said Palmer has not resigned “and the current chain of command lacks clear, consistent decision-making authority, raising legitimate concerns about stability, oversight, and leadership.”
Former Chief Deputy Claude Weyant, who has been left in charge of the department, took exception to that claim. He repeated again this week to the Vermont Standard that road patrols continue, prisoners are transported, court papers are being served and court security is being maintained.
Weyant said he has spoken to almost all the towns and entities with contracts with the sheriff’s department and all have said they hope to continue with the sheriff’s department.
After his arraignment, Palmer said he would take a step back while his case is resolved. Weyant has 20 years with the department and was chief deputy under former Sheriff D. Michael Chamberlain.
Weathersfield, which used to have its own municipal police department, voted to do away with it when the last police chief left to go to Windsor. The town voted to contract with the sheriffs.
Now Weathersfield is looking to have a regional police force by joining with Reading and Cavendish. There is a meeting at the Town Hall on U.S. 5 in Ascutney at 6:30 p.m. Thursday to begin the public discussion of creating the Mount Ascutney Regional Police Department. It is available by Zoom also.
Weyant said he understands that Reading and Cavendish plan to review both options: staying with the sheriffs or moving to the regional department.
When Weathersfield disbanded its police force in June 2025, the town sold its three cruisers, guns, equipment and other property to the sheriff’s office. The agreement with the sheriffs called for policing coverage, emergency response, and increased patrol visibility within our approved municipal budget, Gulnick said.
“In the months that followed, the level of coverage in Weathersfield frequently exceeded the 100 hours per week outlined in the contract. Residents noticed that presence, and it was appreciated,” he said.
“However, as we reviewed the arrangement, it became clear that the volume of service being delivered exceeded what the Town was funding. The Sheriff personally responded to many calls in our community, including critical incidents and late-night responses. While those additional services were not billed, that model was not sustainable long term,” he wrote.
During budget discussions in December and January, the Sheriff’s Department informed Weathersfield that substantially increased funding would be necessary to maintain the level of service being provided. The requested figure approached nearly $500,000.
“At the same time, broader concerns emerged regarding the department’s financial management and long-term sustainability. A financial investigation is currently underway. Even prior to the Sheriff’s arrest, we were engaged in discussions about the operational stability of the department,” Gulnick indicated.
For more on this, please see our Feb. 26 edition of the Vermont Standard.
