HARDWICK – Town meeting began promptly at 10 a.m. as Orise Ainsworth was reelected moderator for the final time, later announcing her retirement to enthusiastic applause for her service over many years.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
In Australian balloting tabulated in the evening, Tim Riccardiello was reelected to the select board for a three-year term. Eric Remick and Danny Hale were reelected to one-year terms with 289 and 199 votes respectively to Justin Landers’ 186.
Town Clerk Tonia Chase retains her uncontested position for a three-year term.
Hazen Union School Director Patrick Kane retained his position for a three-year term. Directors Margaret Bledsoe and Terri Vest, appointed in the last year to fill open three-year terms with less than two years remaining, were elected to finish those terms in 2026.
Rep. Mike Southworth of Walden, who represents Hardwick, Stannard and Walden, was given time at the beginning of the meeting for an update on his service in Montpelier where 450 bills have been submitted, with most still being discussed in committee, he said. A bill exempting veterans from tax on social security income seems to have wide support and another exempting social security income for others, perhaps less so, he said.
Education funding has many moving parts, with the Governor’s proposal for five school districts seeming aggressive, said Southworth; tying the districts to tech centers would make more sense. Southworth suggested there’s common ground to be found in it being “good to meet the best needs of students.”
A public safety bill treating 19 year olds as adults seemed sensible to him as he noted crime rates are going up. On housing, he supports rehabbing abandoned properties.
The Global Warming Solutions Act is receiving attention to repeal its expensive mandates, Southworth said, again suggesting there’s common ground to be found, from which to address the issues.
Reimbursement to Hardwick for PCB remediation may be possible with $10M of budgeted funds if they are not fully used elsewhere, according to his conversation with the deputy commissioner of education.
After introductions of town officials, a short break allowed for more chairs to be brought in which some found empty seats in front, Ainsworth mentioned organizations in the lobby that included AWARE, Hardwick’s Historical Society, the Downtown Partnership, Homeshare Vermont, a group against moving Hardwick’s Pre-K students to Greensboro’s Lakeview School and the Civic Standard who had placed Town Meeting Bingo cards on each seat, for which prizes would be awarded. They were providing snacks and lunch by donation.
The 2024 Hardwick Town Report, dedicated to retired Fire Chief Tom Fadden, and featuring the Yellow Barn project on the cover, was approved before the meeting moved into the election of those positions not being voted on by Australian ballot. First Constable Larry Hamel and Second Constable Lindsey O’Steen were reelected. Dave Shepard was elected to fill the vacant town agent slot left empty after the passing of Rob Lewis in 2024. Levi Chase will fill the surveyor of wood, bark and lumber position. Tree Warden Geoffrey Fehrs was reelected, as was the select board to serve as cemetery trustees. Fire Department officers, selected at their annual meeting, were elected.
New library trustees elected to fill three year terms previously filled by Kathleen Sampsoin, Andrea Brightenbach and Brendan Buckley, were Vince Razionale, Solomon Lew and Mary Meyer.
Grand Juror Ray Bellvance was reelected and the town treasurer was reappointed to collect current taxes.
Discussion of the article asking for approval of the select board’s $4,417,752 budget began with a rousing speech by Town Manager David “Opie” Upson, in which he pointed to the spirit of Hardwick’s citizenry, saying, “Democracy is alive in this room. It’s in the people who show up,” which those assembled answered with applause.
Select Board Chair Eric Remick explained the effect of the town’s estimated grand list and tax rate on property taxes, then indicated $200,000, roughly half the 9.5% budget increase, the largest in his roughly 10 year tenure on the board, is due to increased costs to continue as-is, while the remainder is attributable to two new town positions.
Adding a public works director will allow the town to get ahead in capital planning to create shovel-ready projects for roads, bridges and other infrastructure, said Upson to a later question from Rachel Kane. Bringing back an additional full-time police officer will reduce part-time and overtime coverage, helping with retention, said Remick.
A wide-ranging, but civil budget discussion ensued, beginning with Anne Galloway asking about risks that federal funding cuts might affect the public works director position. Upson responded that he thinks current funding is secure, as is work planning upgrades to the sewage treatment plant.
Carol Schminke suggested the rising costs of personal health insurance makes funding it for town employees difficult, to which Remick said, it’s commonly offered by businesses, and town employees do cover some of the costs themselves.
David Shepard was concerned about the apparent increase in town employees to which Business Manager Casey Rowell commented on it being a transfer of the budget line items for the community development coordinator, primarily responsible for grant writing, and zoning administrator, into the town manager’s office this year, but not the addition of new staff.
Remick responded to a question by Griffin Schneider about how the new public works director position will be filled, by saying it will be up to the town manager with assistance from the select board and perhaps members of the public.
Galloway asked several questions about funding of the library, including one about the cost of the addition. Daphne Kalmar said the final cost isn’t yet known, but the roughly $3M cost has been paid for by grants and private donations, except for a $450,000 town bond. Remick indicated the library building is owned by the town and most of its operational costs are paid for in the town budget.
Danny Hale commented on the importance of the library, pointing to the difference between funding of the Fire Department at roughly $90,000 and $200,000 for the library.
The vote, called for at 11:15 a.m., passed unanimously.
Appropriations in Articles 6 through 22 passed unanimously as one, with the exception of Articles 8 and 22 requesting $4,000 for the Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE) to cover the cost of public use of Atkins Field and $1,500 for Salvation Farms, which Debra Hartt asked to be take up separately with enough community support for Ainsworth to allow it.
Appropriations included $3,500 to AWARE, $2,600 for Caledonia Home Health Care and Hospice, $2,500 to the Craftsbury Community Care Center, $5,000 for the Greensboro Nursing Home, $5,000 to the Hardwick Area Food Pantry, $3,000 for Hardwick Community Television, $2,800 to the Hardwick Downtown Partnership, $3,000 for the Hardwick Historical Society, $1,000 to support Justice For Dogs, $2,500 for the Lamoille Family Center, $3,500 to NEKarts, $4,500 for Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging, $3,161 to Northeast Kingdom Human Services, $1,000 to Northeast Kingdom Learning Services and $3,400.00 for Rural Community Transportation.
After considerable discussion, as the community and Debra Hartt learned what could and could not be discussed and how, along with a suspension of normal procedures, The CAE was allocated the warned amount of $4,000, which Upson suggested was roughly the cost of mowing and the port-a-potty rental. Salvation Farms will receive an additional $2,000, for a total of $3,500, an amount Dani Smith, a former Salvations Farms employee made comments about because she didn’t think it appropriate to reduce the CAE’s allocation. A comment from nancy Notterman supporting the increase suggested it might be appropriate given uncertainties with which the year has begun.
The articles Moderator Ainsworth called her favorites passed without comment, allowing the select board to enter into special tax agreements.
Ainsworth announced her retirement in the first item of nonbinding business, after which Upson presented a gift in appreciation for her service.
Neal Yurick commented on issues surrounding the vote a year ago to keep Greensboro’s Lakeview School open, which seemed at odds with the school board’s plans to send Lakeview’s first through sixth grade students to other schools and bus other Pre-K and K students from Hardwick and Woodbury Elementary Schools to Greensboro.
Paul Fixx asked the select board to consider requesting statements from those organizations asking for appropriations to indicate their accounting practices conform to generally accepted practices in light of recent financial irregularities.
Jan Mueller shared the Downtown Partnership’s Springfest plans for a two-day celebration, including an Atkins Field event after the Friday Farmers Market and a downtown fair to follow the traditional Saturday parade.
Community Development Coordinator Tracy Martin pointed to plans for a Better Connections Community Gathering for East Hardwick Residents at the Memorial Building, Wednesday, March 12, 6:30 p.m. with a preview of a report, soup, snacks and conversation.
Brendan Buckly asked the select board to consider moving town meeting to a time that isn’t in the middle of a workday for many.
Leesa Cathcart commented on the value of Jackson Dam, holding back Hardwick Lake, as an important wildlife habitat and community resource.
Nancy Notterman asked Helen Beattie to update the community on the emergency planning process, which Beattie did, suggesting a detailed public presentation will be available shortly.
Alana Considine proposed a motion on a nonbinding resolution, which Ainsworth ruled out of order as not being germane to Hardwick. Ross Connelly objected, offering an example that social security and medicare apply to Hardwick residents, thus making the motion pertinent to Hardwick. Connelly’s call to allow a vote on the motion succeeded, with Ainsworth deferring to the assembly. Considine’s resolution passed to end the meeting: “We, the residents of Hardwick, resolve to formally request that our governor, Phil Scott, publicly reaffirm his commitment to upholding the rule of law, protecting the rights of Vermonters and the Vermont Constitution amidst federal overreach, even if confronted with federal threats related to funding or other matters.
Furthermore, we encourage him to proactively leverage his authority and engage with his colleagues nationwide to advocate for the protection of the rights of government personnel, immigrants and individuals belonging to the LGBTQIA+, disabled and BIPOC communities.”
Additionally, we call on him to work with his colleagues on both a state and federal level to safeguard critical services such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security, which are essential to the well-being of all Vermonters.”
Polite and civil discourse between community members and town officials throughout the meeting made for a pleasant morning, commented several people attending.
An earlier version of this story indicated Dave O’Brien had been elected town agent, when David Shepard was elected to fill that role. And Dani Smith does not currently work for Salvation Famrs, but is a former emplyee. She said, “My comments were that when [I] did work for the organization back then, I helped get articles on various town budgets and at the time, the amount we were requesting was $1,500. I think it is great that Salvation Farms is receiving more funding to do its work, but I did not want to see the CAE’s amount reduced and felt the need to speak up.”
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
