Big gains
Cankered
Environmental efforts pay off in Vermont House
Engimatic Vermont forest tree hard hit by fungus
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March 24, 2022
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Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg
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Hinesburg proposes new police budget
Space for the arts
Selectboard mulls staffing level Hinesburg narrowly rejected the department’s $815,483 budget at town meeting, 431-484. The town still has some Hinesburg has proposed a new police budget — roughly $15,000 breathing room before a new less than its original budget, which budget needs to be implemented. residents voted down on Town The town has until July 1 to pass a budget, but Meeting Day — even then, the but officials have “I think it could be town has a bit of said they want breathing room, more community a mistake to make albeit with more input before the urgency. selectboard finala rash decision Odit said he izes a spending has prepared plan. and reduce the another rough The new budget that budget keeps six force of the police employs only full-time officers five full-time as well as a partdepartment without officers — “just time adminishaving that wider sort of an exertrative assistant, cise to see what but cuts back on community the impact would salary and benebe,” he said. But fits by roughly discussion. that would sacri$10,000 to reduce fice the COPS the overall budget to $800,491. — Todd Odit grant approved in the summer The administrative assistant would also see of 2020, a $125,000 Communitheir hours reduced from 25 hours ty Oriented Police Services grant a week to 20, while the per diem that funds the town’s sixth officer. The town would lose out on budget — money used exclusively to pay part time officers while some savings in the short term the town’s full-time officers are as a result, Odit said. The grant on vacation or must miss time program receives funds for the — would be cut, totaling roughly sixth officer for three years with the stipulation that the town will $4,000 in cuts. “The prudent thing to do at pay for the fourth year, which this time would be to hit pause. means the program ends in 2025. Town officials have made it Let’s not do any harm and gather community input and determine clear they want to have commuwhat the future of the depart- nity input and informational meetment is before making any cuts ings before they OK a new budget. “I think it could be a mistake to in a short amount of time,” town manager Todd Odit said at the make a rash decision and reduce the force of the police departMarch 16 selectboard meeting. The town’s police department ment without having that wider is facing pressure from residents community discussion,” Odit said. over how many officers should be in the town of 4,700. Voters in See POLICE on page 13 COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLEMMONS FAMILY FARM
From left, Vermont artist Myra Flynn, architect Zena Howard and artist John Hughes during a community planning session at the Big Barn at Clemmons farm in 2018. Sen. Patrick Leahy secured funding to turn the space into a performing arts center. See page 2.
Hinesburg shells out $10k to treat contaminated water COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
Hinesburg has paid $10,000 for two separate water treatment systems after finding contaminated drinking water in two locations in town. The point-of-entry treatment systems, installed on water main lines on a Forest Edge Road home
and at the town garage, will treat water on the main incoming line and will cost anywhere $1,000 to $3,000 per year to maintain. Town officials in September discovered contaminated water in two wells serving the private residence and the town garage. The Department of Environmental Conservation sent a letter to the town saying it had discovered
high levels of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances — known as PFAs or “forever chemicals” — at both properties. Officials with the state and the town initially said they were optimistic the contamination was limited only to those properties, but a study testing the wells is See WATER TREATMENT on page 13