Ryegate says no to retail cannabis
The town hall didn’t have enough seats for the roughly 100 residents who showed up to vote.
By Natalie Bankmann and Owen Carpenter-Zehe
Mar 8, 2024
Poll workers Patricia Crocker and Marsha Nelson prepare for Town Meeting Day. Photo by Catherine Morrissey
Natalie Bankmann and Owen Carpenter-Zehe reported this story on assignment from the Bradford Journal-Opinion. The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.
The wood stove roared in the center of the one-room Ryegate Town Hall as town voters assembled for town meeting day to address their most burning questions this year: Is the budget transparent enough? And, does the town want a weed store?
Roughly 100 residents attended the meeting — people who have lived in town for 30 years or more and others who came for their first meeting. The hall didn’t have enough seats.
State Rep. Bobby Farlice-Rubio, D-Barnet, gave a five-minute speech about legislative activity this session and answered general questions. But in Ryegate, the focus stayed on local business. Even the national presidential primaries on the ballot Tuesday in Vermont took a back seat, many Ryegate voters said, to the town matters that drew them to participate.
And they had plenty to discuss.
A proposed $1.3 million dollar budget passed during the floor vote after sharp debate. Those who spoke took less issue with the budget itself than with financial transparency from the selectboard.
Jeffrey Haslett, a retired New York banker, questioned the lack of discussion over budget surpluses and how the town would use them. Haslett, who brought printouts of his calculations, suggested that Ryegate give a presentation on its spending intentions the way towns such as Cabot or Williston do.
Haslett’s comments resonated enough with fellow residents that they chose to elect him as a town auditor from the floor. David Punt, a current auditor who chose to run for selectboard this year, lost the seat to incumbent Andrew Smith. Punt also raised concerns about the town budget proposal. “The town has barely put any effort into balancing the budget,” he said. “There is an unnecessary strain on taxpayers.”
Smith, who has sat on the Ryegate Selectboard for 30 years, gave a more in-depth explanation of the budget-making process, saying it is planned more than a year ahead of time. Selectboard members “try to budget steadily over time,” he said. It’s a challenge to apply unused funds, so the board tries to avoid leaving surpluses, he said.
Ryegate, as part of Blue Mountain Union, opted to push off its school budget vote until April, in the wake of a major controversy stemming from state legislators’ efforts to address inequities in school funding, and then their last-minute changes to the funding formula. Lawmakers have allowed districts to delay votes in order to rework their annual spending plans.
Another extensive floor debate ensued in Ryegate over the use of a previously allocated $30,000 in funds for a dam project in Ticklenaked Pond. The dam isn’t happening because of permitting problems with surrounding property.
The town proposed moving that money into an existing $50,000 fund approved in 2020 for a proposed geothermal heating system for the town garage and fire station. That project will cost an estimated $425,000, and some residents thought that price tag for the renewable energy plan wasn’t cost effective, potentially wasting the unused funds. In the end, voters agreed to shift the money as proposed.
That brought voters to a decision on allowing a cannabis store in town. The proposal had some supporters.
“Everybody’s growing it, so it’s really irrelevant whether we have retail or not,” Daniel Leonard, 78, reasoned.
Many community members, though, expressed concerns about strong odors from the store and argued that a small town of 1,100 residents needs other retailers in its few available commercial spaces. Elizabeth Achilles, 50, suggested that children would be negatively affected by seeing adults patronize the store.
“The town needs to open a grocery store before a cannabis store,” she said.
The voice vote from the floor had to be repeated multiple times. Voters on each side of the issue yelled their “ayes” and “nays” so loudly that the moderator could not tell the results. By the third vote, the outcome was clear: Ryegate would have no retail cannabis — for now.
Greensboro residents defend local school on Town Meeting Day
Residents showed out to advocate for Lakeview Elementary, which may no longer be a school for much longer.
By Noah Diedrich and Kathryn Stephan
Mar 8, 2024
Brett Ann Stanciu, Greensboro Treasurer, chats with a resident before town meeting starts at Lakeview Elementary School. Photo by Catherine Morrissey
Noah Diedrich and Kathryn Stephan reported this story on assignment from The Hardwick Gazette. The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.
GREENSBORO–Residents believe more voters than ever gathered in the Lakeview Elementary School gymnasium in Greensboro this Town Meeting Day. The room filled with muddy Carhartt overalls and children in snowsuits, while an underlying anxiety permeated the air — that the very school the meeting was held in may not be a school for much longer.
Mary Young, a Greensboro resident of 54 years, said that she attends Town Meeting every year. This year, she came to advocate for keeping Lakeview Elementary open, as selectboard meetings in recent months have considered closing it.
“I think there’s some really good possibilities for creative education here, and I think (the school) needs a little time to get going,” she said. “If you shut it down right now you could shut the doors on that possibility.”
Town residents also elected select board members and decided on a pollinator protection resolution designed to limit the usage of insecticides in the town.
Young, a local artist, has been a staple at the Town Meeting in Greensboro since she moved to the town in 1970. Then, she was a stranger.
“I was just contemplating my first town meeting when I hardly knew anybody,” she said. “I knew one person, I came with my baby.”
Nowadays, Young knows lots of the people at town meeting. Even so, she was surprised by how many people she did not know this year.
“This is extra crowded, and I think the school business might be responsible for that,” she said.
Residents at the town meeting displayed a strong will to protect their school, and 73-year-old Greensboro resident and retired teacher Penny Bretschneider made sure to point that out at her lunch table.
“She’s a teacher. She’s an artist. She’s a Minister. She’s president of the Historical Society,” Bretschneider said, casting a finger at members of her lunch table. “We all do our little bit to enrich this school.”
She added later, “If the school’s too big, (students) become just a number. I’ve taught in some large schools and a lot of little schools, and it’s very valuable to have a small school, regardless of the economic problems. From my point of view, I see the eight-person class as beneficial.”
Rosann Hickey, a Greensboro resident, teacher and Bretshneider’s friend, said that Lakeview Elementary is no “second-class school.”
“We’ve made truckers, we’ve made nurses, we’ve made lawyers,” she said. “This school is not dysfunctional. We just need to keep on keeping on.”
Incumbent Gary Circosta, who was not present at the meeting, and MacNeil, who serves on both the Development Review Board and the Hazen Union School Board, were both nominated for the first of two open select board seats. MacNeil won in a tight contest, capturing 58 votes of the 108 total.
After losing his seat to MacNeil, Circosta was again nominated against another incumbent, Ellen Celnik. Celnik emerged as the winner, securing another term.
Celnik, a now re-elected member of the Selectboard, said that the flood damages from the summer had greatly burdened the town.
“I think the challenge that’s going to be facing the town is how we’re going to pay the million dollar debt for (the Federal Emergency Management Agency),” she said. “Small towns like this, we can’t afford to shell out that kind of money.”
Rep. Katherine Sims of Greensboro updated the crowd on the goings-on at the state house in Montpelier. She discussed the issues faced by the town: housing, flood recovery and the school budget.
“The last couple of years have been tough, a real test of our grit. We’re fighting for a future in which all Greensboro residents can thrive,” Sims said.
Patrick Shattuck, the Executive Director of Rural Edge, a housing and community development company, also stood to discuss the renovations to the town hall, which is set to become a residential building by the summer of 2026. The project is going to cost an estimated $10 million and create 20 apartment units.
Brent McCoy, a Greensboro resident of 16 years, said he supported the pollinator protection measure, though he didn’t know much about it.
“If there’s any action I can take, it’s always ecology before economy,” he said.
Also at the meeting, Selectboard Chair Peter Romans was presented with the Greensboro Person of the Year award.
High costs of living and rising school budgets on Hardwick voter’s minds this Town Meeting Day
The town meeting moderator said this year’s meeting was cordial and those who held opposing views agreed to disagree.
By Noah Diedrich and Kathryn Stephan
Mar 8, 2024
Town municipal offices in Hardwick. Photo courtesy town of Hardwick
Noah Diedrich and Kathryn Stephan reported this story on assignment from The Hardwick Gazette. The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.
Hardwick residents, voting by Australian ballot at the Hardwick Elementary School on Town Meeting Day, said they had a compulsion to vote for a variety of reasons: fulfilling their civic duty, fighting tax increases, and, for some, avoiding ghosts.
“I’m voting because if I didn’t, my father would roll right out of his grave and beat me,” said Barbara Jenne, the housing manager for Good Samaritan Haven. “More seriously, your vote is your voice. You can’t complain if you’re not a part of the conversation.”
Orise Ainsworth, who has served as the Hardwick Town Meeting moderator for almost 20 years, said that this year’s town meeting was cordial, and that those who held opposing viewpoints simply agreed to disagree.
The school budget turned a lot of heads, as it did throughout Vermont. Arthur Williams, a retired 81-year-old, was disgruntled.
“Oh yeah, I don’t think they’re looking out for us at all. Period,” he said “I don’t think they’re trying to save us any money to do anything. I think we’re not getting our money’s worth. I think the school can do much better with their spending; there’s a lot of wasted funds.”
Melinda Moore, 38, said that she came out to vote for the continued operation of Lakeview Elementary School, even though her children do not attend the school.
The upcoming 2024 Presidential Election was also a heavy motivator for voters. “I feel it’s important to vote Democratic,” said Hardwick resident Debby Howard, 58. “That’s really what brought me out. This is an especially good year to vote.”
Retired couple Lester and Sheila Fuller said that they came to the polls because they feel that it’s getting more expensive to live in Vermont and that the school budget was part of that burden.
Referring to their friends in other states, Sheila said, “We have people we know that when they retire, they don’t pay for a school,” Sheila said. “We do. We always have.”
The Fullers said that without their retirement fund, living in Vermont would not be fiscally viable on social security alone.
“Vermont likes to tax everything, and they raise it every year on everything,” Sheila said. “It’s an expensive state to live in.”
Lester, a veteran, said that he feels it’s getting harder on seniors in Vermont. Despite being out of military service for almost fifty years, he is only just receiving benefits.
“For us, we’re on a fixed income, and every year things keep going up and up and up and up,” he said.
Ainsworth said she fears that Hardwick will someday completely revert to the Australian ballot method. The town temporarily did so during the Covid-19 pandemic, and she felt the sense of community was lost. This year, she said there was a smaller crowd than normal.
“Town Meeting has to continue in Vermont,” she said. “We want local control.”
Shelburne voters burdened by budgets on Town Meeting Day
With property taxes increasing across Vermont, town and school budgets are becoming an even more contentious source of debate.
By Camryn Brauns and Jacob Miller-Arsenault
Mar 8, 2024
Residents voting in Shelburne on Town Meeting Day. Photo by Catherine Morrissey
Camryn Brauns and Jacob Miller-Arsenault reported this story on assignment from Shelburne News. The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.
Voters packed the gymnasium at the Shelburne town center on a crisp, sunny Town Meeting Day morning that felt more like mid-April than early March. The basketball court was strewn with booths and tables as people of all ages rushed back and forth to decide on a myriad of issues — chief among them, budgets.
With property taxes increasing across Vermont, town and school budgets are becoming an even more contentious source of debate.
“In general, Vermont has become less and less affordable. Property taxes have been rising so significantly compared to salaries,” said Erin Fischer, a paralegal who’s lived in Shelburne for over 10 years. “There need to be more sustainable sources of income.”
Fischer and her husband recently purchased their second home in the area, and the couple had cause for concern for the tax hikes.
Allyson Myers, a 52-year-old marketing director at Lake Champlain Chocolates and Shelburne homeowner since 1995, added that rising taxes are part of what contributes to affordable housing challenges.
“In part, (housing is) not affordable because of the taxes we have to pay because of the services we have,” she said.
Elissa Schuett, a 44-year-old researcher who has two elementary school children, argued for the school budget increase, citing the importance of providing schools with resources.
“I’m not going to say no to kids and the demands of the school and what teachers need to teach,” she said.
Katie Kennedy, a 59-year-old clinical psychologist who has lived in Vermont for 29 years, said she always votes to support the school budget.
“If we don’t have a good school budget, we aren’t going to be able to do the most important thing, which is to educate children,” she said.
Tim Keefe, a 60-year-old certified public accountant who has lived in Shelburne for 14 years, blamed legislators for the school tax rate problem.
“They kicked the can down the road, and now we are dealing with it,” he said. Keefe said Shelburne residents don’t currently make enough money to fund such an extensive school budget.
He added that a 21% property tax increase in Shelburne is unrealistic for the average resident. “Anyone getting raises is in single digits, not double digits,” he said.
Alicia Simmons, a 47-year-old mother of three kids in the Shelburne school system, said that residents “can’t continue to see such huge increases,” referring to the school budget.
One 84-year-old resident named Lewis, who refused to provide his last name, left the gymnasium with a few curt comments. “Property taxes are killing us,” Lewis said, adding that he and his wife have had to pay more in total property taxes than their home mortgage.
“At (our) age, it is hard to start over,” he said later.
Although Shelburne residents were divided on budget issues this Town Meeting Day, they still value their civic duty.
For 62-year-old Wallace Robinson, a social worker for the Howard Center, voting isn’t merely a choice — it’s an obligation. “I love the opportunity to vote,” he said.
Resident Holly Merrill, who works for a mortgage company, was more explicit.
“You can’t bitch if you don’t vote,” she said.
Carol Burke is Voted Newest Member of Stockbridge Selectboard in a Contested Election
A high voter turnout resulted after a respectful but passionate debate from townspeople over the two select board candidates.
Mar 8, 2024
Sarah Andrews reported this story on assignment for the White River Valley Herald. The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.
STOCKBRIDGE — The Historic Union Meeting House filled beyond capacity for Town Meeting Day, with residents overflowing into the halls and even onto the porch. About 140 residents turned out Tuesday morning for the town’s annual meeting, a notably high turnout compared to last year’s 60 or so attendees.
Much of the meeting centered on a contentious election for an open selectboard seat, with political newcomer Carol Burke winning out over White River Valley Supervisory Union board member Bill Edgerton in the first contested selectboard election in years.
Despite the poor weather, seats started filling about 30 minutes before the 9 a.m. meeting, and friends and neighbors donned in muddy hiking boots and jeans enjoyed homemade baked goods and friendly conversation as they prepared to participate in the democratic process.
“I’m just glad to see so many people here voting,” said attendee Sylvan Groth, 44. “I don’t really have a very strong feeling about any particular candidate, or issue that I’m going to be heartbroken if it doesn’t go the way I’m voting. I’m just happy to see the process working.”
In the lead-up to the 139–94 vote for selectboard, Burke, nominated by Donna Bryan, reflected on her experience working in the utility industry, particularly during 2011’s Tropical Storm Irene. Burke made a point to thank all utility workers and road crews for their efforts during mud season.
In making his case for the seat, Edgerton referenced the pillars of Stockbridge’s community, which he argued are “committed volunteers, effective infrastructure and equipment and a staff that is dedicated to serve this community.” Edgerton, nominated by Lee Ann Isaacson, encouraged the community to prepare for the future of Stockbridge, reflecting concerns about a decreasing population and rising number of short-term rentals, like Airbnbs.
Townspeople shared their support for both candidates during discussions. The major points brought up were concerns regarding landslide precautions — the town has seen several such disasters — as well as fears about Edgerton’s ability to sit on both the school board and the selectboard. Voters liked Burke’s background with disaster relief.
Following a respectful but passionate debate, residents lined up in the aisles to cast their votes, with several citizens remarking on their excitement over voter turnout. “I’ve never seen the room so full,” said Bryan.
Burke chatted with community members as voting was going on, discussing people’s concerns and catching up with friends.
“My kids are gone, I’m semi-retired and I’m dedicating my time back to the town,” said Burke in an interview as the votes came in.
Stockbridge’s meeting also featured appearances from state Rep. Kirk White, D-Bethel, and Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer. Kirk opened the meeting with a debrief on the planned school budget and acknowledged concerns about the growing retired population in the town. He spoke also on legislators’ efforts to protect consumer privacy, improve the workforce and provide flood relief.
When White opened the floor to questions, several citizens asked about efforts on the northern border to reduce illegal crossings, which Palmer responded to by saying Vermont law enforcement is doing what it can on a state level.
The meeting also saw residents elect Kent Butterfield as the town moderator for a 33rd consecutive term. He received overwhelming support and gratitude — mirroring much of the day’s spirit.
“We are one, right here in this historic and beautiful hall,” Edgerton at one point told the audience.
Hinesburg voters scrutinize town, school spending on Town Meeting Day
A proposed town budget increase caused concern among some residents.
By Camryn Brauns and Jacob Miller-Arsenault
Mar 8, 2024
Polling worker and member on the Board of Civil Authority Melissa Ross helps a voter. Photo by Catherine Morrissey
Camryn Brauns and Jacob Miller-Arsenault reported this story on assignment from The Citizen. The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.
Hinesburg voters waved to their friends and neighbors as they headed in and out of town hall on Town Meeting Day, some grabbing a handful of donut holes after casting their ballots on significant increases in town and school budgets.
A proposed $5.4 million town budget, up more than 13% from a year ago, caused concern among some residents. Sarah Schmidt, 57, and Joe Bobee, a 65-year-old retiree, came together to vote down the budget. “They don’t spend responsibly,” Schmidt said. “It’s hard to get everybody on the same page as far as spending goes. Everyone has different priorities.”
Kristie Brown, 49, a convenience store supervisor, said she also came to vote to curb climbing property taxes. “I have a lot of land,” said Brown, who has lived in Hinesburg for 39 years. “I pay enough for taxes.”
John Clifford, who has lived in Hinesburg for 10 years, said his biggest concern going into the polls was the proposed Champlain Valley School District budget of $105.8 million, which would contribute to a boost in property tax rates by 20%. He said he would like to know more about students’ state testing performance and what taxpayers are getting for their money in terms of children’s education.
“If we get a 20% tax increase, that’s money coming out of our pockets,” Clifford said.
Carol Smith, 55, a Colchester Middle School teacher, has lived in Hinesburg for 30 years and voted to approve the school budget. “We need to maintain programming and staff,” she said of local schools.
Nonetheless, Smith would like to see changes in the way Vermont handles education funding to reduce the cost of living in the state. “We need to come up with new ways to reduce what feels like a continued increase in property taxes.”
Town Meeting Day allows local residents to address such issues directly, Smith continued. “Townspeople’s voices need to be heard, and all voices need to be heard in a democratic way.”
Brennan Neill moved to Hinesburg three years ago and said he would like to see more funding for police and fire departments and a decrease in school funding, even though his daughter attends Champlain Valley Union High School.
Christian Plaud, 29, said he voted in favor of both the town and school budget. “It is important to get what everyone needs for the school budget,” he said. He found it “interesting,” he said, that some people have complained about the police budget but not proposed fire department funding, which was about 10% less than the police budget on the ballot.
His wife, Haley Plaud, a 30-year-old atmospheric scientist, voted to approve the town budget, as well, and agreed with the need to more adequately support local police. “They are doing a lot of square miles,” said Plaud, who has lived in Vermont for 10 years and Hinesburg for five.
Plaud also supported a proposal to expand the highway department. In December, when floods poured into local basements, highway workers took care of it, even coming in on Christmas Day, Plaud noted. “They deserve another staffer,” she said.
Citizens gather in Hancock to vote on the annual budget
Residents cited patrol issues in town and approved a bumping up of the budget for public safety in support of a new contract with the sheriff’s department.
Mar 8, 2024
Rebecca Olshan reported this story on assignment from the White River Valley Herald. The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.
Despite the rain, about 35 people turned up at Hancock’s town hall on Tuesday for the annual town meeting. At the top of the agenda: Successful amendments to budget items for public safety and flood mitigation — which knocked down the total budget ask by about $11,000.
Selectboard member Dan Perera proposed amendments to both the sheriff patrol budget and the budget for repairs to the Shampeny Hill culvert.
Following an apparent lack of police presence in town, selectboard members had pulled the town out of its contract with the Addison County Sheriff’s Department and proposed a $1 budget line for patrols. Residents on Tuesday cited issues including unchecked speeding by out-of-towners and limited patrol hours.
After debate, townspeople voted to bump the budget line up to $15,000 for public safety in support of a new contract with the sheriff’s department.
Another noteworthy topic was road upkeep. Residents voted to let the town take out a $1.2 million loan to replace the Texas Falls Road Bridge but decided to lower a proposed $35,224 to repair the Shampeny Hill Road culvert. New factors including lower interest rates meant the estimated loan amount was lower, so voters approved a repair cost of $8,300.
“The roads are of particular interest to me because it’s a chance to mitigate flooding, and we’ve done a lot of work in Hancock to do that,” said Monica Collins, member of the Board of Civil Authority and a former selectboard chair. “Sometimes people don’t realize until you start understanding what culverts do and appreciate how important they are. You drive over them every day and you never even think about it, but it affects water quality, and it affects flood hazards.”
The amendments brought the overall annual budget down from $483,915 to $472,401.
State Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-Addison, spoke at the meeting, her eighth of the Town Meeting Day season so far. She said she was aiming to attend as many meetings of the 26 towns in her district as she can.
“It trains people to disagree in a way that they can still be friends afterward,” said Hardy, remarking on the importance of what she calls “small-state democracy.”
Hancock residents seemed content with the results of the meeting. “It’s a beautiful expression of local democracy, and it’s great when we can come together to make decisions,” said Samantha Sheehan, 36, a member of the Granville-Hancock Unified District school board.
Also included in the meeting was a “Declaration of Inclusion.” Town residents unanimously passed the motion to condemn racism and discrimination related to religion, sexual identity, gender expression, age or socioeconomic status.