Coach Barn facelift
Choral concert
Historic Shelburne Farms sees $ 10 million renovation
All Souls hosts Freedom and Unity chorus
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September 19, 2024
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Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg
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Hinesburg to put local option tax before voters
A great rivalry
PATRICK BILOW STAFF WRITER
COURTESY PHOTO
Shelburne came out on top 2-1 in a very close game between Shelburne Community School and Charlotte Central School on Sept. 12. Shelburne sixth grader Theo Galloway scored the tie goal to make it 1-1 in the fourth quarter. “Both teams are off to a great season,” said Hillary Boardman, who captured the action.
Hinesburg voters will determine whether to establish a local option tax during this year’s general election. The local option tax is a proposed 1 percent increase in sales taxes that could also apply to meals, alcoholic beverages and lodging in Hinesburg. Selectboard chair Merrily Lovell said the tax would generate “much-needed” revenue for the town without raising property taxes. Both residents and visitors to Hinesburg would pay the tax increase when they shop, purchase a meal or rent a place to stay. If the option tax passes on Nov. 5, sales taxes in Hinesburg would increase to 7 percent, food and lodging taxes would increase to 10 percent and alcoholic beverage
taxes would increase to 11 percent. Voters in favor of the tax will then approve or deny each of the three categories on the ballot, meaning they can choose where the tax is applied. Thirty percent of the revenue generated from the option tax would go to the state, which administers the tax, and the remaining 70 percent would return to Hinesburg’s general fund. Town Manager Todd Odit said the tax could generate more than $175,000 a year. Odit is unsure when the tax will officially be applied if voters approve it, but he hopes to utilize those funds “as soon as possible.” “We need this,” Lovell said, referencing costly projects in Hinesburg over the past few years and a lack of revenue for the town See TAX on page 11
DRB chair in Charlotte issued warning after complaints LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
The Charlotte Selectboard has issued a written warning to the chair of the town’s development
review board over complaints of “professional misconduct” and creating a hostile environment at meetings. The board, in a Sept. 9 letter to Charles Russell, said his behav-
ior had the potential to create an atmosphere of intimidation and limit public input. With the help of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns in its investigation, the board inter-
viewed town staff and the two people who had made written complaints about Russell in June. The first complaint came from Bill Stuono, a newly appointed member of the town’s planning
commission, who claimed Russell heckled people at meetings, created hostile relationships with See RUSSELL on page 12
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