School population
Run to the top
CVU student numbers drop, as S. Burlington’s rise
Girls’ cross country takes third straight title
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October 31, 2024
Hinesburg’s assistant town manager, Joy Grossman, presented a capital improvement plan during a selectboard meeting on Oct. 16. Faced with limited revenue, Grossman compiled expected capital expenses and projects for each town department over the next five years to help the selectboard make spending decisions. Paving is the major capital expense Hinesburg will deal with over the next five years due to the damage from two major flooding events this summer. The town typically budgets
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Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg
Hinesburg eyes capital plan, paving projects PATRICK BILOW STAFF WRITER
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around $250,000 for annual paving projects. According to Grossman’s presentation, no paving will take place during fiscal year 2025. Those budgeted funds will largely be spent making repairs and building the town’s resiliency to future storms. Next summer, the town plans to finish paving Richmond Road — a project that began this year — with an anticipated $175,000 grant from the state. The overall cost of paving Richmond Road is estimated at $350,000. The project will end at See HINESBURG on page 12
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PHOTO BY MIKE YANTACHKA
Mike Yantachka of Charlotte captured this shot of two different species of bees collecting pollen from a few, remaining flowers in his garden.
New fire, rescue chief brings fresh perspective LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
After more than a year of searching, the Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service has hired a new chief. Jamie Valyou of Richmond
was hired as the service’s new director of emergency services. He will have operational responsibility for all aspects of Charlotte’s fire and emergency medical services. He starts on Nov. 4. Valyou has more than 25 years
of experience with the Burlington Fire Department, where he most recently served as a battalion chief and shift commander, overseeing 27 people for EMS and fire services. He replaces former chief Justin Bliss, whose resignation
was announced in July 2023, and who served in the position for just under a year. “I was at the end of my career in Burlington,” Valyou said. “But my passion for the fire and emergency management services remains high. I like to think that
I’m fairly young, and I wasn’t ready to be done with my career. I knew getting out of Burlington was on my horizon just because I had reached the normal timeline See VALYOU on page 12
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