Feb. 18 Selectboard Meeting Summary
Intro to new police chief, discussion of HNS building, Windy Ridge funding proposal, and an ICE resolution
By Cathy Ryan
The Hinesburg selectboard met on Feb. 18. The full video of the meeting can be viewed below, or on the Hinesburg section of the Media Factory website, or at Vimeo which may display better on some devices.
The agenda for this meeting is available here. The recordings by Media Factory have a table of contents of the agenda items, and you can skip to those exact spots in the video. Click the icon with 3 dots and 3 lines, then click the agenda item (below is just a screenshot - you can’t click it):
You can also click on the gear icon and speed up the playback speed, so you can play back the video at a slightly (or much) faster speed, until it gets to something you’re interested in, then slow it back down. Closed captioning is also available. They are automatically generated, so there may be mistakes.
Introduction of New Police Chief Christopher Romance
Town Manager Todd Odit introduced Hinesburg’s new police chief, Christopher Romance, to the selectboard. Odit said, “I’m really excited about our new chief. I think our public safety departments are really looking forward in the right direction. They’ve had a lot of build-up and I want to recognize everyone who has been involved in the past, but I’m really excited about where we’re going and what Chief Romance brings to the town.”
Chief Romance explained he has a background of over 29 years of law enforcement, saying, “I’ve been through a number of different academies and schools and trainings to be able to bring the best of policing to the Town of Hinesburg. My door is always open for any type of questions, anything you may need, and I’m excited to be here as well.”
Chief Romance has already met with the principals of Hinesburg Community School and CVU. He plans on being very involved with the school district, serve on their Emergency Management Committee, and develop plans for the safety and security of the children, staff, and teachers. Odit pointed out that this was one of the reasons he decided to offer the position to Romance, because of his involvement with the schools in New York, and the importance that it has here in Hinesburg, since the town hosts the largest high school in the state.
The chief’s first day was Tuesday, Feb. 17. He said there will be “Meet the Chief” events where community members can come down and meet Romance, discuss community concerns they may have, and he can learn about the community.
Discussion with Preschool Regarding Building Lease and Future
The Hinesburg Nursery School operates out of the former Masonic Lodge building, just west of Hinesburg Community School. The building is owned by the town, and the preschool met with the selectboard to discuss long term plans for the building, since some safety upgrades and renovations are necessary.
Hinesburg Nursery School (HNS) proposed the following:
Minimum of 10-year lease; and/or
Possibility to purchase the building and grounds if the opportunity arises;
Establish a working relationship with the selectboard to move forward with any major building renovations.
HNS doesn’t want to put a lot of money toward a building unless they feel secure there.
History of the building
In 1942 the Congregational Church donated its land and building at the intersection of Route 116 and Silver Street to Patriot Lodge. The original building was destroyed by fire in November 1950, and the present Masonic Temple was dedicated on Oct. 13, 1954. In 1996 the lodge deeded its land and building to the Town of Hinesburg in return for a 50-year lease on the building.
In the July 2004 issue of The Record, there was an article about the 150th anniversary of that Patriot Lodge organization in Hinesburg, and the article has additional history of the building. You can view that issue here.
Hinesburg Nursery School, which is a nonprofit organization, was established in 1972 and has been a tenant of the current building since September 1990.
In the past, the Masons leased the building from the Town, and the Masons sub-let it to the Hinesburg Nursery School. Starting last year, the Masons left and HNS now leases it directly from the Town. The current lease expires the end of May of this year.
Selectboard member Paul Lamberson pointed out that if they’re discussing a long-term lease, versus the possibility of HNS buying the building, that would be a real estate transaction that the selectboard shouldn’t be discussing in a public forum. Selectboard Chair Merrily Lovell agreed, saying that at this meeting they’d just take in information, and the selectboard would have to go into Executive Session at a later date to discuss potentially selling the property.
Lamberson said that perhaps they needed to form a subcommittee and/or have Odit look into and discuss it with the selectboard.
A representative of HNS said they understand; saying, “We’re thinking let’s get the ball rolling, and let’s let you know we would like to stay.”
“I’m letting you know I want you to stay,” Lamberson replied. Other selectboard members concurred.
Odit pointed out that whenever a town wants to divest itself of property, it has to go to a vote. So, he felt that a long-term solution wasn’t going to happen quickly, certainly not before the current lease is up. He said a long-term lease of 10 years or more would also take time to sort out, and suggested a shorter-term lease for now, to give the Town time to work on the long-term picture. Lovell said that as soon as they could, the selectboard would meet in executive session and then come to HNS with a new lease proposal.
Champlain Housing Trust Discussion
Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) discussed the State of Vermont’s Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP). This is a state program that CHT would like the Town to apply for, to use for the north side of the Windy Ridge project. With this project, the town would forego some future tax revenue for 20 years, in order for the State to pay for infrastructure costs now. For the newly-built homes, the Town would only receive 15 percent of the municipal property tax revenue that it normally would for 20 years; the rest would go to the State to repay the infrastructure the State paid for.
CHT representatives said that the south side is funded and ready to go, but CHT needs more funding for the road, multi-use paths, water and sewer, for the northern portion of the Windy Ridge project.
Odit said that his concern is that the 15 percent of the municipal property tax that the Town retains would not cover the cost of services to that development. “Our Grand List is so flat, and so heavily residential, that I would have a hard time recommending to the board that we give up that incremental municipal tax,” he said.
Lamberson acknowledged that in the past, municipalities often paid for and put in the infrastructure for a project, and the builders put in the houses. But he also expressed doubt, saying, “The proposed CHIP-supported portion, $3 million. That’s a big number. We ask for votes for a lot smaller numbers than that. I’d really be uncomfortable taking much action without a lot more community input… There are a whole lot of people in this community who are not going to directly benefit from this program.”
CHT said that the estimated loss in tax revenue to the town would be over $37,000 a year, for 20 years. The 20 years is negotiable with the State, but then the State would provide less funds for infrastructure. If the Town does not support the CHIP program for this project, the north side of the project might not get built at all, CHT pointed out, leading to no new tax revenue from that project.
Receipt of Proposed Town Plan Changes and Warn Public Hearings
At their Feb. 11 meeting, the Planning Commission (PC) voted to forward the draft Hinesburg 2026 Town Plan to the selectboard. Zachary Nersinger, Hinesburg’s Town Planner, spoke with the selectboard at the Feb. 18 meeting. The Planning Commission is holding a public meeting on Feb. 25. Nersinger asked the selectboard to give approval to warn of public hearings on April 1 and 14.
Nersinger explained that the previous Town Plan expired in September of 2025, so it’s urgent to get a new plan adopted, partially in order for the town to maintain Tier 1B status. Tier 1B areas are where housing projects up to 50 units are exempt from Act 250.
The selectboard voted to approve two public hearings, on April 1 and 14, to review the new town plan.
Citizen Request to Consider Adoption of Resolution Regarding U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement
Andrea Morgante spoke to the selectboard, and asked for the selectboard to adopt a resolution regarding U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) and then forward it to multiple officials including Kristi Noem (U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security), the Vermont governor, our representatives, and the Vermont Attorney General. The proposed resolution can be viewed below:
The proposed actions (a small portion of the whole resolution) are:
“Be It Resolved by the Town of Hinesburg: That the Town strongly objects to the use of any facility within the State of Vermont for the surveillance of the online activities of Vermonters or any U.S .residents by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security.
That the town call upon ICE to disclose to the Vermont Attorney General operational locations within the state, including the number of personnel and specific nature of activities conducted at each site.”
Lamberson commented that he’s torn. “I, Paul Lamberson, am so thoroughly disgusted with what I perceive to be the complete collapse of checks and balances at the federal level, that the branches of government have just caved to one, but I also know that I am representing the whole community right now as a selectboard member. And that puts me in a bit of a pickle… In a different set of circumstances, I wish this was appearing on a ballot and that individuals were voting on it. I’m going to be reluctant to represent the whole community with just my single vote in support of or against this tonight.”
Selectboard member Mike Loner said, “I do have major concern for families who live right here in Hinesburg, who could very easily become targets of future ICE enforcement efforts in Vermont… I really wish this had been timely enough to get it on the Warning [for the Town Meeting Day ballot]. I personally believe Hinesburg would pass this, but I don’t know if I have the ability to speak for all of Hinesburg.”
Selectboard member Maggie Gordon commented, “To be honest, ‘The Town objects to…’ it’s like, does anyone care that Hinesburg… it’s just not sitting right. But if it were an all-state thing, or 200 out of 250 towns…” “That’s how it starts…” Morgante replied.
Selectboard member Dennis Place said, “I agree with Paul. I’m not willing to vote ‘Yes’ on it. I definitely don’t agree with a lot of the things they [ICE] do, but I do agree with some of the things they do. You have immigration laws for a reason, so... On social media, who knows how much of any of that is true. You can’t trust social media.”
Lovell said, “I agree with this, and Vermont certainly has a history of small towns making their voices heard and then eventually coming together as a state… I would prefer it that it was more focused on safety in Hinesburg. I’m pretty upset that that minister was just taken, and I have not heard anything of what’s happened to him - out of Shelburne - that could happen in Hinesburg just as well. So I would like something in there where there’s some protection for the people of Hinesburg. But that’s the only thing. I’m in favor of it.”
Many residents spoke and gave their opinions during the meeting, which can be heard in the video. It was pointed out by the selectboard that residents could gather signatures and put this on the November ballot (or the selectboard could choose to do so, not needing signatures) but many expressed the concern that that was too long to wait.
Lovell said, “I want to see this move forward. I want to see a small group be able to work on it and create a new resolution. I’m willing to carry the ball on that, or if it’s more appropriate for the DEIB [Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging] Committee to carry the ball on that, that’s fine, too.”
Loner, who is on the DEIB Committee, responded, “The DEIB has stated in the past that we don’t write resolutions, or present resolutions, we’re a policy committee, but I’d be more than willing to bring this to the committee and see if they want to be the convening body of this conversation, bringing the groups together.” The DEIB Committee is meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 6 p.m.
Joy Dubin Grossman, assistant town administrator, said, “Can I make a suggestion, let me think this through further, and I’m going to have a further conversation with Todd as well, and let me circle back.” Odit wasn’t present for this portion of the meeting.
Lovell closed the discussion by saying, “I think we’ve probably gone as far with this as we can with this tonight, and I’m going to leave it to you, Joy, and Mike, to let me know how this is going to go forward.”