Over the Moon
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After years of talking about it, couple opens new Hinesburg eatery
Papers earn awards at New England press competition
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April 3, 2025
Cop talks renewed after town contract falls apart
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BRIANA BRADY STAFF WRITER
Hinesburg and Richmond are once again pondering the future of their police departments, after a joint policing contract fell apart in recent months. The contract broke down when Hinesburg’s police chief left for Richmond and Richmond decided at the last minute to rescind its offer of employment, leaving both departments leaderless. While officer Frank Bryan agreed to step in as Hinesburg’s interim police chief, this series of events has left both towns with depleted forces and confusion over the state of their contract, which included shared police coverage and a shared chief. Last week, the two towns’ selectboards met for the first time since the breakdown of the inter-municipal agreement they’ve had since 2023. The meeting served as a reset, with both boards agreeing they are still interested in sharing services and hashing out what a new contract might look like. See POLICE on page 12
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Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services, Inc., last week presented 144 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to the Charlotte Food Shelf. See related, page 4.
Hinesburg housing projects receive funding boost BRIANA BRADY STAFF WRITER
Two Hinesburg housing developments have been awarded a total of nearly $2.3 million by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board for their affordable housing projects. The awards are the largest the board designated in this round of funding, and the only money earmarked for affordable housing rather than conservation out of the
seven projects receiving funding. $1.7 million will fund a portion of Champlain Housing Trust’s Windy Ridge project, between Riggs and CVU Roads. The project will create 36 housing units, three of which will be designated for households experiencing homelessness. The other $690,000 will go toward the six-unit townhouse development on Mechanicsville Road, in the works by Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity.
Funding from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board can be competitive. Executive director Gus Seelig said he has applications totaling about $40 million dollars, with only about $13 million left to award this fiscal year. “The two developers here, Habitat and the Champlain Housing Trust, have always put forth terrific projects, terrific project ideas, and however intense the competition is, they’re highly
valued partners,” Seelig said. The plan for Riggs Meadow, the portion of Windy Ridge that the funding supports, is for a neighborhood development on land donated by NRG Systems. The 36 units will be rentals and a mix of 12 one-bedrooms, 14 two-bedrooms, and two three-bedroom apartments. According to Champlain Housing Trust chief executive offiSee HOUSING PROJECTS on page 16