Half off
Animal farm
CCV offers half-priced tuition to Vermonters
Merrymac Farm offers sanctuary
Page 2
Page 12
August 17, 2023
During final interviews for a town administrator in Charlotte, four members of the selectboard have officially voted against the idea of moving to a town manager form of government — a looming conversation since a resident-led petition drive in March. Although their vote does nothing to change the viability of the petition, the decision of the selectboard not to endorse the petition comes at no shock to those pushing for the change. “There were no surprises at the meeting last night,” Lane Morrison, a resident advocating for the transition, said. Although petitioners say they aren’t looking to dismantle the selectboard’s power, some board
ECRWSSEDDM
Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg
Charlotte selectboard votes no on moving to a town manager LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
POSTAL CUSTOMER
members have said the petition felt “uncooperative” from the start, especially since it came at a time when the selectboard was attempting to pass a budget. “Why take the route of the petition while we were in the midst of dealing with that significant challenge rather than coming to the selectboard before going forward with the petition?” board member Kelly Devine asked in May. Other selectboard members were unhappy about the way residents have gone about promoting the petition. Instead of relying on guidance from the selectboard, residents have rallied their cause on social media and by word of mouth. “I think this is a good discusSee TOWN MANAGER on page 13
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #217 CONCORD, NH
thecitizenvt.com
‘It’s a bird, it’s a ...’
COURTESY PHOTO
Join Hank Kaestner and learn how to identify bird species and their habitats in Chittenden County on a birding expedition on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 9 a.m.-noon. The free Charlotte Senior Center program is limited to 20 participants. Register in person, by calling 802-425-6345 or online at charlotteseniorcentervt.org.
Hinesburg hires cop to assist ailing Richmond department COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
Hinesburg is set to extend its existing contract with the Richmond Police Department to provide administrative services and other “chief services,” and is bringing on a sixth full-time officer on a temporary basis to assist
the neighboring department as it works to rebuild. An addendum to the contract with the neighboring town that was up for discussion at Hinesburg’s Aug. 16 selectboard meeting — held after press deadline — would have Hinesburg chief Anthony Cambridge and the department perform administrative services
and other functions previously performed by Richmond’s chief of police at a rate of $100 an hour. Since April, Hinesburg has been providing on-call police services to Richmond as part of an inter-municipal agreement. The rate remains $50 an hour for general coverage — responding to calls and leaving Hinesburg to
respond to them — and $70 an hour for time when officers are actively patrolling in Richmond. But since the departure of Richmond’s interim police chief, Benjamin Herrick, the department now has zero police officers to patrol, take calls or even file paperwork. The only cop currently employed by the department is on
military leave. “I see it as the neighborly thing to do — as long as we can do it and it makes sense for us and them, we’re happy to do it,” Hinesburg town manager Todd Odit said. “If we weren’t able to provide them See POLICE on page 13