Budget passes after 90-minute paper ballot

HARDWICK – Town Meeting Day in Hardwick brought new experiences for many attendees, with use of the Town House venue that hadn’t been used in 20 years, the election of Audrey Grant to replace long-time Moderator Orise Ainsworth and a vocal group intent on seeing as many articles as possible go to a paper or Australian ballot.

Grant was unopposed and elected moderator on a voice vote. After taking the gavel she invited Rep. Mike Southworth (R, Cal-2) to speak to the more than 250 assembled for the meeting. Southworth shared his view of legislative priorities and the work of the House, saying approximately 902 bills have been introduced this session, while a small number eventually become law.

Topics currently under consideration, including data privacy, cell tower siting, large-scale renewable energy projects, healthcare and the state budget, he said.

Proposed land use changes under Act 181 would divide the state into tiers and affect how land may be used and developed and conservation goals established in Act 59 (2023) aim to conserve 30% of Vermont land by 2030 and 50% by 2050. He noted ongoing discussion regarding whether land enrolled in the Current Use Program could count toward those conservation targets.

Rep. Southworth said education funding continues to be a major legislative focus, with multiple proposals under consideration and no final decisions made.

Southworth said he’s staying on top of reimbursement to Hardwick Elementary School for PCB remediation last year, noting that the Department of Environmental Conservation is currently funding six schools through FY26. If funds remain after those projects are addressed, Hardwick may receive partial reimbursement this fiscal year, with the possibility of additional funding in a future state budget.

Legislation related to large-scale solar development is being considered, he said, noting that certain net metering or standard offer projects may contribute to increased electric rates and possible adjustments may help balance renewable energy development with ratepayer impacts. Southworth encouraged municipalities to ensure that town plans and zoning bylaws address the siting of cell towers and large-scale energy infrastructure to avoid potential legal challenges.

Issues with large-scale data centers are being discussed due to their potential impact on electricity and water usage.

Anne Galloway asked that the select board give a summary of the town report and Select Board Chair Eric Remick responded that was planned for Article 5, though what got discussed then was primarily the budget.

Town officials at the meeting were elected by voice vote with only the tree warden being contested as Michael Deering and Geoffrey Fehrs were nominated and Fehrs was reelected on a show of hands.

Others elected were First Constable Lindsay O’Steen, Second Constable Charlie Bartlett, Town Agent Dave Shepard, Surveyor of Wood, Bark and Lumber Levi Chase, Fire Department Officers as presented in the 2025 Town Report, Library Trustees Beth McIntyre and Myles Tandy, Grand Juror Eric Remick and the Hardwick Select Board as cemetery trustees for the town’s seven cemeteries.

Select board members and school district directors weren’t known until after Australian ballots were counted when the polls, located behind the Town House stage curtain, closed at 7 p.m. By 9 p.m. results of that voting showed Ceilidh Galloway-Kane had been reelected to the select board, with 430 of the 505 votes cast. Derek Richardson had received four write-in votes and 12 others had received as many as three.

“It is an honor to be elected for another term on the select board. . . Yesterday was a shining example of local democracy in action. Town meeting 2026 was the best attended, longest and most riveting I have experienced in the past six years,” Galloway-Kane later said.

“I personally appreciated the honest feedback, debate, and ideas. I look forward to carrying all of these with me into the next three years on the select board. We heard loud and clear that we need to make Hardwick more affordable and we will work hard to do just that.

Emphasizing what it means to live in a small town she added, “. . . it is important to say that in this small but mighty community there is no us and them. We can disagree but we are all neighbors doing the best we can with the best interests of Hardwick in mind. I hope to see the same level of engagement at our regular meetings and that we can all work together to make Hardwick even better for ourselves, our children and for generations to come.”

In the race for a one-year select board seat, with seven candidates, Larry Fliegelman and Derek Richardson were elected in a tie vote, with 198 each, followed by Miranda (Davison) Brown with 194 votes, Joe Nudell with 185, Andrew Gilbert 110, Tyler LeBeau 33 and Bruce Larow 9.

“I’m humbled by being elected. I look forward to listening and learning in the coming months,” Fliegelman said. “Town Meeting was a show of democracy just when we needed it. The passions during the debates show just how much folks love Hardwick and just how much work it will take to find common ground. I’m eager to roll up my sleeves and get to work.”

Richardson said, “I feel very honored and thankful to be able to represent the Town of Hardwick and be a voice for the community. Thank you everybody for your vote of confidence.”

Sen. Scott Beck (R-Caledonia) was invited to speak, saying he gets more email from Hardwick residents than other towns in the county and appreciates it.

Giving updates on the legislature’s work this session, he pointed to housing affordability, taxes and the cost of living as important priorities, along with education funding and school district structures. Proposals for the final look of governance are still being created, he said, with the number of superintendents in Vermont seeming higher than what is essential and being a place to look for consolidation.

He praised Hardwick residents for showing up and sharing their voices without fear or judgment.

Harold McCoy made a comment to Beck about the tiered structure of Act 181 and how the current rule-making could potentially trigger Act 250 review for those with long driveways. Beck indicated legislation now being considered is likely to delay implementation of Act 181 because rules have not been completed as the implementation date approaches.

The meeting resumed with Article 4 quickly being approved; to have the town treasurer collect taxes.

Next Renaud Demers expressed concern that some attending the meeting might not be residents of Hardwick and asked that a paper ballot be used for voting on the town budget in Article 5.

There was considerable discussion about the process to be followed, and Remick reviewed the budget, calling on Town Manager David Upson to explain certain items as needed and taking many questions from the floor.

Eventually a paper ballot was properly called for and, roughly 90 minutes later, 239 confirmed residents had voted on the budget item, approving the expense of $4,741,600 on a vote of 167 to 72.

People lined up around the perimeter of the Town House while the paper balloting happened, allowing time for conversation, during which many people said they liked the new look of the building and accessibility.

Demers commented that he hoped all future votes might happen by Australian Ballot.

The next article, to add a 1% local option tax on rooms, meals and alcoholic beverages, failed by a wide margin in a voice vote.

Before taking up the next item, rules of the meeting were modified to require a majority hand or voice vote before authorizing a paper ballot.

There was considerable discussion about Article 7, to allocate $25,000 for the acquisition of 239 +/- acres for a Hardwick Town Forest that includes the top of Buffalo Mountain and leverages $700,000 in public and private funds, while creating a $25,000 fund to be used by the Town of Hardwick to initially maintain it.

That article passed by a wide margin with over 150 in favor and less than 60 opposed, according to Grant, who supervised the counting and did much of it herself.

Immediately afterward, an attempt to revote the article with a paper ballot failed on a hand count

It was then moved to take up the various appropriations in articles eight through 24 as one block, which motion passed, providing $3,500 to AWARE, $2,600 to Caledonia Home Health Care and Hospice, $4,000 for the support of Center for an Agricultural Economy, $2,500 to the Craftsbury Community Care Center, $5,000 to support Greensboro Nursing Home, $5,000 for the Area Food Pantry, $3,000 to Hardwick Community Television, $2,800 to the Downtown Partnership, $3,000 to the Historical Society, $1,000.00 to Justice For Dogs, $2,500.00 to the Lamoille Family Center, $3,500 for the support of NEKarts, $4,500.00 to the Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging, $3,161.00 for Northeast Kingdom Human Services, $1,000.00 for Northeast Kingdom Learning Services, $6,181.50 to Rural Community Transportation and $1,500 for the support of Salvation Farms.

A warned article about where to hold the 2027 Town Meeting required two votes in which the vote to move back to Hardwick Elementary School failed and the vote to keep it at the Town House passed.

Property of Hardwick Rescue Squad, Caspian Lake Lodge Masonic Temple and Caledonia Grange were exempted from taxes for the next five years, with the Rescue Squad and Grange being unanimous.

The two usual items allowing the select board to enter into contracts also passed unanimously.

Danielle Smith thanked Moderator Grant, Andrea Brightenback expressed gratitude for the chance to see democracy in action and Harold McCoy applauded the town report while thanking the board for mailing it to all residents.

Before adjourning the meeting, Emily Lanxner made a motion for a non-binding resolution stating: “We affirm our commitment to freedom, justice and equality for the Palestinian people and for all people, and we oppose all forms of racism, bigotry, discrimination, and oppression. We declare ourselves an apartheid-free community and pledge to join others in working to end all support to Israel’s apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation.”

While there was some discussion about the number of people who had left the meeting and that it might be a divisive issue, the motion passed with a hand count of 29 to 22.

After the meeting, Grant offered, “I’ve now moderated the select board candidate forum and Town Meeting Day in the last two weeks, and if it’s shown anything, it’s that people here care, are engaged, and are passionate about our town. That’s what matters most.”

Town Clerk Tonia Chase said she was contacted after the meeting about procedures to call for an Australian ballot vote on the proposed town forest article. Subsequent to that three petitions have been circulated. The first calls for a special meeting to reconsider the town forest article, which would result in an in-person vote. A second petition would allow that revote to be taken up by Australian ballot at a later date.

A final petition asks for a special meeting to consider whether all public questions, town budget and appropriations be voted by Australian ballot beginning with the next annual meeting.

Those interested in signing or learning more about the petitions may contact Roberta Foster, (802) 533-2591.