The Weekly Record – Dec. 15, 2025
And so ends a tradition
You should have received the December issue of The Hinesburg Record by now. It is our last as a 10-times-a-year printed newspaper. We are now this: The Weekly Record, this newsletter which arrives in subscribers’ email boxes for free every Monday morning (early) and the website behind it, hinesburgrecord.org, which has all the stories linked here and many more. In fact each day we usually have a new story for you – news, profiles, upcoming events, school news, sports, commentary, ‘My Story’ audios, photographs and information about the beautiful town of Hinesburg.
What a busy building spring it’s going to be
It was a long momentous meeting; on Wednesday, Dec. 2, the Hinesburg Development Review Board, after reviewing dozens upon dozens of conditions for each of the projects, gave approval to three major projects that will result in 174 units of housing, many of them “affordable” in perpetuity. When you consider that the largest planned development, Haystack Crossing, is also just getting underway, prepare yourself for all the construction that will be taking place in town come spring. (Some is beginning this winter.) Full Story.
Go, Adam
Sometimes it’s nice when someone just comes out and says what’s on his mind. And last week, late in the day, CVSD Superintendent Adam Bunting sent The Record a letter to the editor that revealed exactly what was on his mind. In the process he listed all the things that his fellow educators and students have accomplished in the past few years. Here’s how it began
“I must admit I’m a little annoyed. I work hard not to be defensive of an educational status quo, as our schools, nationally, have significant work ahead to become more human and more future-centered. But I want to focus this letter on CVSD, because I worry that narratives like those offered by Senator Beck, Rep. McCoy, and Governor Scott misrepresent the success and hard work of our students, educators, and families, risking support for our system. …” You have to read the rest.
More to the argument – A Special Report
Supt. Bunting’s defense of the performance of his district and its students will be the basis of his and the CVSD school board’s pitch for the budget they are zeroing in on – $107 million (and a $13 million building maintenance bond issue), a 5 percent increase from FY2026 budget. Two things: that doesn’t necessarily translate to a 5 percent rate increase – or even the 12 percent increase as estimated for the state by Vermont education officials; and the district can’t do anything about the bulk of the budgetary increase: a 7.3 percent hike in healthcare costs and a five percent boost in teachers’ salaries as agreed to by the union and district last summer. The worst thing about all this is that when we vote in March, we won’t know what impact the budget will have on our tax bills. Why? Well … it’s complicated.
Which is why this morning The Record posted A Special Report about the school budget: the numbers, the complexity of school funding and the context of the budget deliberations. The school district isn’t the only one pressing Hinesburg voters for more money. Several town departments are asking Hinesburg property owners to pay more for services that they, too, feel are absolutely necessary. Special Report.
Lantman’s still a family tradition a century later
Lantman’s is more than a market. For over 100 years it has been the center of commerce, a place where we shop, catch up with friends and converse with the staff many of whom have been there for years. The market began as a family-run business and continues to be a family business – the Lantmans ran it for two generations, the Busiers bought it and now a third generation of Busiers are often seen helping out. And have you ever noticed the rock? Full story of Lantman’s history.
And speaking of histories – The Record
This month we ended the printed version of The Record, and it wouldn’t have been complete without a story on the 38-year history of the printed paper written by Mary Jo Brace, daughter of co-founder June Giroux. Mary Jo has shared the incredible list of community members who’ve donated time, expertise and passion to keep the paper going all these years. And the paper has turned up in some unlikely places, like as a prop in this school play in Edwardsville, Illinois, of all places, the doing of Mary Jo’s granddaughter Emmaline on left. Full story.
A tour you may have missed …
If you didn’t make the tour last month, members of the Lewis Creek Association have put together a piece that does the next best thing: they explain the remarkable amount of work that’s been done behind the scenes in Hinesburg to create natural barriers to protect Lewis Creek from runoff and sediments. Full story.
And speaking of water …
Columnist Roger Donegan takes us on a little historical tour of water levels of Lake Champlain, uncovering a few sights – and a few facts – we wouldn’t have uncovered on our own. Full column.
And here are two things you shouldn’t miss …
The Record will posting photos and sound from the annual Hinesburg Artist Series Holiday Concert held Sunday afternoon at St. Jude’s. Look for it later in the week – Tuesday if we’re lucky.
And more things not to miss …
We will publish more detailed reports on the budgets of the Carpenter-Carse Library (Wednesday) and the Hinesburg Town Clerk/Treasurer. (Thursday). Check hinesburgrecord.org for the stories.
And something you definitely don’t want to miss …
The seventh and eighth graders at Hinesburg Community School worked hard this fall on a project called Community Stories, where pairs of students went out and interviewed a community member, took their picture and wrote a story about them. A gaggle of teachers was involved along with The Record’s recent page designer – Jamie Proctor-Brassard – who guided the students on how to take good photographs. They did. Beginning January 1, The Record will publish one of these stories a day on hinesburgrecord.org for 50 days. Don’t miss them!
Upcoming
Monday
Senior meet-up group at 1 p.m. at Carpenter-Carse Library
Tuesday
CVSD School Board budget meeting – operations and maintenance budgets, at 6 p.m. CVU library. Also live and after meeting video on Media Factory.
Wednesday
Selectboard meeting at 6 p.m. at Town Hall; one key discussion will be whether the town should create a Local Option Tax to, in part, pay for expected increases in the FY2027 budget. Also live and after meeting video on Media Factory and on Zoom (click link at time of meeting).
Saturday
Santa’s coming to town! On a red fire truck. The Hinesburg Fire Department will hold its first Santa parade from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parade Route: CVU Road → Mechanicsville Road → Commerce Street.
Full Calendar of events
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