HARDWICK – The board set tax rates and discussed the effects of both this year’s July 10 and 11 flooding and last year’s, appointed a new Hardwick Police Department (HPD) officer, heard a Hardwick Electric Department (HED) update and agreed to sell two town owned properties.
The total FY25 residential tax rate set by the select board at their July 18 meeting is 3.5212% and 3.6065% for non-residential. Residential tax bills will reflect $3.52 per $1,000 of assessed value and non-residential bills $3.65 per $1,000 of assessed value.
The property tax portion of the increase is 10.53% over last year, which includes the appropriations approved at town meeting.
Education tax increases are 12.99% for homesteads and 16.50% for non-homesteads, yielding a combined homestead tax rate of 11.90% and non-homestead rate 13.90%.
The meeting began with chair Eric Remick thanking town employees for their hard work, after the town was hit with the second consecutive year of heavy flooding. As Remick said, “We suffered an ordeal again.”
Town residents went on to share how two years of flooding have impacted their homes and neighborhood. Jon Lussier said, “We, as a town, need to start being proactive, not reactive about floodwater.”
Lussier described the damage done to his residence, a result of water rushing down Granite Street with no outlet. One of Lussier’s suggestions to mitigate flood waters was potentially draining or dredging Hardwick Lake, to create a floodplain as the river empties out.
Lussier also voiced his concerns for businesses on Wolcott Street, saying “House of Pizza and Poulin are going to be priced out of reopening, how many times can they come back?”
Town manager David Upson said that flood mitigation and prevention are a high priority. The town has applied for a study for Cooper Brook as the necessary first step. Upson said “We can advocate for speeding up the process, but there’s a shortage of engineers. We’ve put out requests but haven’t received word back.”
Upson added that Wolcott St. has less storage in that river channel, resulting in the overflow onto the roads and into homes and businesses.
Upson also clarified that the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources controls the rivers, meaning solutions like dredging fall under their purview.
Also present at the meeting was Dave Snedeker, announcing the town’s partnership with the River Initiative. Accompanying Snedeker was Justin Rabioux from Stantac, an engineering consulting firm.
Rabioux said their goal is to help communities prepare FEMA applications for both 2024 and 2025. He said many communities are struggling with the choice between aid from FEMA or cutting time off the clock to get projects underway. “FEMA timelines are really frustrating; this streamlines these applications.”
Capacity building is their main goal, according to Ravenue. “We want to get these projects implemented with as little bureaucratic red tape as possible. This allows communities to get more done, like smaller projects.”
The House of Pizza, owned by Michelle and Tyler Demers, received 10 to 15 inches of water in their building on Wolcott Street in Hardwick from the July 10-11 flooding. With the help of family, friends and employees, the business reopened the following Monday, July 15.
In other business, the town manager’s report provided an update on Hay’s Service Station. Upson said VTrans will take over the repairs, beginning by temporarily armoring the bank to prevent further erosion.
Upson reported five bridges were affected by the most recent flood. Two were temporary state bridges. The Riverside Farms bridge is gone. The Hardwick Farms temporary bridge will be moved to Fisher Folly. A temporary crossing is planned for Porter Brook and more culverts will arrive in two weeks.
The wastewater plant was impacted by the flood again. Upson said that the standby generator was flooded but may be repaired. New drives will be needed for the wastewater plant as well. He said he’d met with Governor Scott after the recent flooding to discuss the facility’s future. Additional work is needed now to identify all the damage there.
Road foreman Tom Fadden reported the crew replaced a four-foot culvert on Dutton Road with a five-foot culvert. Fadden said Kate Brook Road has been widened and is in need of stonework.
Danville’s Caledonia Wrecker Service is assisted by TBC Towing from West Burke recovering an F250 plow truck washed off the eroded Lamoille riverbank from Hays Service Station in Hardwick on July 11.
Fadden said the underpass in Greensboro is a mess. The road crew plans on going up to Greensboro Bend next week to begin repairs on the retaining wall. Fadden said they would direct their focus to Tucker Brook, Kate Brook and Carey Roads after that.
When asked for a time-frame, Fadden responded “This is going to be years, we can pay to have studies done [instead of waiting for FEMA] but the cost will be extreme.”
HPD introduced their new officer, Robin French at a recent select board meeting. French is working towards level-three of the officer training program and
HPD introduced their new officer, Robin French. French is working towards level-three of the officer training program and will be a full-time officer with the HPD when she completes her training.
HED has hired two apprentices and are still searching for journeyman lineman. The hiring process for a general manager has begun and interviews have started. A Facebook page has been created for the HED, to better connect with customers.
A three-year collective bargaining police contract with New England Police Benevolent Association was approved by the select board.
The select board approved the sale of 40 Carey Road to Jeffery B. Perry for $75,000. His company, BP & Sons want to move operations off Hopkins Hill and will do the cleanup in exchange for a reduced price on the property.
The select board also approved the bid for the vacant Mill Street property to Vermont Huts for $45,000. That property, located next to Tracy’s Clip Joint, is now used for parking, but Vermont Huts plans to create short-term rental options with perhaps space for businesses on the ground floor.
Raymobda is a VTSU - Castleton English Major interning with The Hardwick Gazette.
