HARDWICK – David Upson’s town manager’s report at the August 15 Hardwick select board meeting began with news that work on replacement of the Riverside Farm bridge would begin Monday, Aug. 19, and there may be additional costs for bank armoring in this project.
He said work at the town’s gravel pit will also start August 19, and the town has hired a contractor to help with the logistics of drilling and ledging. Crushing of gravel will happen the last week of August.
With the last water and sewer bill that the town sent out, there was information about the Lead Service Inventory, asking that people respond, but very few have, Upson said. He asks that residents on the water system do so as soon as possible. The inventory project is mandatory and a door-to-door survey will begin in September to reach those not responding before then.
A bridge over troubled waters; an entire bridge deck in one piece, complete with its railing intact, sits in a field on the McAllister Farm just a short distance away from the Lamoille River bridge it came from, on August 23.
The Main Street wall along the Lamoille River in the downtown area has been compromised in the two recent floods so Upson has been working with FEMA to try and get it looked at and repaired as soon as possible. The project will be classified under permanent work, but the town can’t get FEMA funding at the moment due to issues in Washington. The town may need to borrow money to get the wall repaired.
Upson thinks there will be more funding options in October, but no one can get into the water after that. Replacement of the pedestrian bridge will need to be postponed until the wall can be repaired, but he wants to take down the old bridge this year.
Upson was given approval from the select board and Scott Johnston, current HED interim manager to get an assessment of how Jackson Dam and Hardwick Lake are affecting flooding in town.
He reported the temporary bridge on Fisher Folly is completed and Hardwick Farm Road is open again. He will look into Shari Cornish’s report that there isn’t a road sign on the Hardwick Health Center end of Creamery Road.
Hardwick Police Chief Mike Henry reported restraining orders are now maintained by local and state police departments, meaning Hardwick Police Department (HPD) will have to maintain all of the documentation for restraining orders within the area.
Henry told the board HPD has an officer in the full-time academy, with a plan to send another officer to the part-time academy in September.
A Second Class license was approved for Agri-Mark Inc.’s Cabot Creamery to sell beer, wine or tobacco products in their new Yellow Barn store. Root to Vitality Cannabis LLC received a cannabis license renewal.
The Hardwick Downtown Partnership was approved for a coin drop in August 2025
Gillian D’Acierno was appointed as an alternate on the Hardwick Planning Commission for the remainder of a three-year term expiring June 30, 2026.
A proposal from New England Consulting Engineers was accepted for $26,800, covering an East Hardwick project to fix the riverbank below the River House, which was damaged by the flooding.
The select board approved using proceeds from the pending sale of the town’s Carey Road property on blasting and operation of the town’s gravel pit. Predicted costs are between $40,000 and $50,000. Upson wants to use as much material as possible from the town’s pit so that FEMA can reimburse it. Danny Hale added that using the pit would save time and additional costs as the town is going to Danville for material now.
A public hearing was set for September 5, at 5:45 p.m., to take comment on a Vermont Community Development Program grant the Town of Hardwick would be the applicant and fiscal agent for, with Heartbeet Lifesharing doing all of the reporting and getting reimbursed. The amount they want to apply for is $112,102.
Cornish said the Chamber Players had their last concert at the Hardwick Town House and the construction crew will be there next week.
Tim Ricciardello and Remick volunteered to work with the business manager on water and sewer rates.
Upson will see that a project to paint a walking lane along South Main Street gets completed before school starts.
He will start designing a job description for a new administrative assistant position to help him with projects and day-to-day tasks.
Remick noted Cabot Creamery is hiring and the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail is open again from Hardwick to Swanton.
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
