Highlights: May 21 Selectboard meeting

Traffic delays, water rates, and home values on the rise

By Lynn Monty
The Record Staff Reporter

Raise a frosty glass to Ezra Tautfest who gained approval for a bicycle fundraiser to pass through town on June 29. Bicycle Express and Frost Beer Works will host Tour De Frost to benefit Vermont Cycling Youth Bicycle Express Teams. The ride, touted as a “fun community gravel ride,” will start and end at Frost Beer Works utilizing a total of 45 miles of Vermont roadways. Registration includes a post-ride beer from Frost Beer Works and lunch from Pro Pig.

Hinesburg’s Community Block Grant will provide Champlain Housing Trust with $50,000 for infrastructure installation and eight Habitat for Humanity units to be built in the Windy Ridge development. This grant was originally awarded to the Town for community development, the first of which was a job creation project with Vermont Smoke and Cure in 2016. Chair of the Affordable Housing Committee Carl Bohlen said a few years ago the Selectboard approved changes to this economic revolving loan fund to include support for affordable housing projects. As of the end of March the total balance in the fund was $192,142. “A top concern for businesses is lack of housing,” Bohlen said. “The Affordable Housing Committee is happy with the approval. The Selectboard has been supportive all along. This is a major project that is bringing affordable housing to Hinesburg.”

Another past recipient of the Hinesburg’s Community Block Grant, Kelley's Field II, will host a Ribbon Cutting at 1 p.m. on June 4. Town Manager Todd Odit has been invited to speak at the event. An invitation was forwarded to the Selectboard.

Approval for the fire department to lease a new compressor and fill station in the amount of $65,924 was granted. The lease is with Municipal Leasing Consultants for a 5-year term with annual payments in advance with an interest rate of 5.75%.

As it turns out Selectboard member Paul Lamberson is not able to serve as the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) representative as they also meet on the third Wednesday of every month, at the same time that Hinesburg's Select Board meets. John Kingston will likely submit an application to be the CCRPC rep for Hinesburg at the 6/4 Selectboard meeting. “He was already willing to serve as Alternate Rep,” Lamberson said.” He and I recently met with outgoing rep Michael Bissonette to learn more about the CCRPC.”

Mark your calendars for a public hearing on the Proposed FY26 Water and Wastewater Budgets and Rates. The Selectboard will provide a draft to the public before the hearing. This hearing will be held at 6:15 pm on June 4, slated to be adopted on June 18. Combined impact affects include accounts that use 6,000 cu/ft annually could see an estimated increase 6.2%. Accounts that use 10,000 cu/ft annually could see an increase of about 8.3%. CVU is one of the largest users on the system. They could see an estimated 12% increase.

G.W. Tatro was approved to install the water main for Well #6 in the amount of $213,743. Site work for Haystack Homes will begin this spring and Haystack’s contractor will aide in installation before their streets and sidewalks are installed. To remain on task, the majority of this will be paid for using a municipal lease purchase and not a bond vote. But the bond vote is still on the table to cover Beecher Hill Road’s culvert and bridge costs, and deck replacement on Hollow Road bridge. The fall bond vote would allow the Town to apply for the bond bank’s November application period which would result in funding in March of 2026.

Since the Wastewater Agreement was approved with Ship Seven, LLC (Triple L residences) for connection to the Town system, there will be traffic delays on Richmond Road between Triple L and Iroquois Manufacturing this summer. The Town main ends near Iroquois Manufacturing. An engineer has been retained by the Town to check in daily on the project. “The Town won’t own this infrastructure but will receive everything that goes through it,” Odit said. “We want to make sure the Town’s interests are represented in the construction.”

Individual meters will be on each home, but Ship Seven will be billed. Having meters on each mobile home will help reduce use of water, Odit said. Ship Seven submitted a state wastewater permit application last year and allocation of 7,050 gallons per day was granted. The agreement states the Town will not be responsible for the extension installation since it is outside of the Town’s wastewater service area, and the Town will not be responsible for maintenance.

All of the capacity requested won’t be available until the wastewater facility is completed, possibly in May of 2026. Ship Seven has approval to connect 47 homes, 30 will be connected this summer, the remaining 17 on North Road will be on a separate septic system.

A Proposed FY25 Capital Transfer change was approved. The reversal of the FY25 transfer of $150,000 from the General Fund to the Highway Capital Reserve Fund was to help offset the cost of July flood damage. So far storm repairs have cost the Town $640,000.

In Odit’s Town Manager oral report he said that residential home values have gone up significantly and the official change of appraisal notices have been mailed. Homeowners might see more than a 50% increase in their property values. Reappraisals were completed April 1, 2025.

It’s important to note that just because home values have risen, property taxes won’t necessarily go up as well, Odit said. In the Reappraisal FAQ section of the Official Notice of Change of Appraisal booklet sent to Hinesburg property owners, it reads that the budget was passed at Town meeting and the amount of taxes to be raised is set. The education tax rate is set by the State sometime in July. Individual taxes may be adjusted depending on income levels if eligible for a Homestead deduction.

Informal informational hearings to review data with the assessor will be held from 9 am to 4 pm, June 2 through June 5. Please call the Hinesburg Town Clerk’s office at 802-482-2281 ext. 1 during office hours to schedule an appointment.

Formal grievance hearings will be held at Hinesburg Town Hall street level auditorium 9 am to 4 pm, June 23 through June 26. Please call 802-482-2281 ext. 1 for an appointment. Letters must be received and appointments made on or before June 23. Emails should be sent to assessor@hinesburg.org or mailed to Assessor, Town of Hinesburg, 10632 VT Route 116, Hinesburg, VT 05461. View your property tax data by going to the NEMRC online web site at www.nemrc.info/Hinesburg.