Bright light
Sacred hunter
Conservation leader E.O. Wilson dies
Connecting the spirit of man to nature
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February 3, 2022
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Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg
thecitizenvt.com
Hinesburg town meeting
Mid-air athleticism
Candidates run unopposed; spending tops $4.8 million SCOOTER MACMILLAN STAFF WRITER
Unopposed is the catchword for office seekers in Hinesburg on Town Meeting Day this year with every candidate running without another candidate standing between them and the position they seek. Incumbent selectboard members Michael Loner and Phil Pouech are running for reelec-
tion. Loner runs unopposed for the three-year term, while Pouech is unchallenged for a two-year term on the board. At first glance it might seem a three-year term as library trustee is being fought over — there are three candidates — but the ballot fine print instructs voters to vote for not more than three, so the three See HINESBURG on page 2
ARPA funds will expand broadband in Charlotte SCOOTER MACMILLAN STAFF WRITER
PHOTO BY AL FREY
A Champlain Valley High School gymnastics team member shows off her skill at a Jan. 26 meet against Milton and Randolph.
Charlotte has decided to use its first allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds to get fiber broadband service to about 220 homes in the northeastern corner of town. The selectboard voted unanimously at a special meeting Jan. 27 to spend just over $43,000 from more than $1.1 million in funds “to incentivize” Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom to bring service to that area. Town administrator Dean Bloch said Charlotte has already received more than $565,000 of the total it will get. The state will also kick in more than $317,000 for the $2.1 million broadband project. The rest will be funded by Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom, which will own the lines after they are installed. The meeting Thursday was primarily an opportunity for the selectboard to review a list of 50 suggestions submitted to the town’s website on how residents want American Rescue Plan Act,
commonly referred to as ARPA, funds to be used. “The ARPA funds are not for everything,” selectboard chair Jim Faulkner said. “People have come forth with a lot of great ideas, but a lot of them are nonstarters.” The federal government has strict limitations about how the money can be used. Faulkner led the board’s discussion through a process where each suggestion was put into one of three “buckets,” depending upon whether it qualified for ARPA funding or not, and ideas that need more evaluation. Almost half the suggestions were put into the “no bucket.” The board felt it was clear that extending broadband into an underserved area was a federally approved use for the money. Charlotte Rep. Mike Yantachka said the Legislature has passed a bill that allows towns “to partner with small public communication providers like Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom to build out broadband throughout the community.” See BROADBAND on page 2