The Weekly Record – Feb. 2, 2026
New police chief; HCS students stage protest; budget information meetings coming up soon; and The Record wants candidates' statements, bios and photos.
A few reminders …
To read this newsletter (and other stories not summarized here) on our website, just click the headline at the top or the Weekly icon . . . We need more writers. Do you have an interest that you want to write about? Want to cover town government? Share your photographs? Tell us about your organization? Email us. Support our advertisers whose banners are on this page and those listed on our new Business Directory Our first printed Monthly Summary for those unable to access computers goes out this week; if you know someone who can’t access us online or via email, have them send their address to Hinesburg Record, P.O. Box 304, Hinesburg, VT 05461.
And now the news . . .
Hinesburg has a new police chief
Chris Romance, a veteran of nearly 30 years with the Rockville Centre Police Department, will start Feb. 16. In announcing the hire, Town Manager Todd Odit noted Romance’s “experience in public safety, law enforcement, and emergency management, with a strong background in leadership, organizational development, and community-focused policing.” Full Story, click here.
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It’s up to you now …
The school and town budgets have been passed and now you get to vote on them. Early voting begins Feb. 11 (get your ballots at the Town Clerk’s office or by going here.) Voting day is March 3. For an informed vote, read The Record’s extensive coverage of the budgets and/or attend the two public informational meetings about the budgets: Town of Hinesburg, 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 9, at CVU; CVSD, 5 p.m. Monday, March 2, at CVU.
In summary:
The Champlain Valley School District proposes a $107 million budget, an increase of five percent over last year – primarily due to negotiated salary increases and healthcare costs. We will not know the impact on our tax rate until this spring after a) the Vermont Education Department computes how the education fund will be dispersed and b) whether the governor and legislature will pass a “buy-down” expenditure to add to the reimbursement and bring rates down.
The proposed Hinesburg Town Budget is a little over $5 million and includes increases in healthcare as well as an additional firefighter and a sixth police officer to help both public safety departments provide full coverage to the town throughout the week. The budget includes the decision to not fund Fourth of July fireworks because the cost had skyrocketed (sorry) to $20,000.
The Record has reported extensively on this year’s budget process. To see past coverage including special reports on both the town and school budgets, click here.
Are you a Hinesburg candidate? We want your statement.
If you have registered, The Record would love to tell our readers about you. Send us a statement and photo by Feb. 6. Narrative statement should be no longer than 1,200 words and should include something about you – your background, your skills, experience, what your priorities are and what you would do first if elected. You can also send an audio file if that’s easier. news@hinesburgrecord.org. Files should be .docx and/or .mp3 files. And don’t forget your photograph. NEW DEADLINE: Feb. 6.
CVU boys varsity hockey beat BFA-St. Albans in overtime on Saturday, 3-2. To see story and slideshow, click here.
And in basketball …
CVU’s basketball teams had an up and down week with the boys’ and the girls’ teams each notching a win and a loss. However, the real news was off the court: Students from both Rice and CVU were banned from attending the Tuesday boys’ game at Rice because of an escalating series of crude, threatening posts by students on Instagram. For story, click here.
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Upcoming
Monday
Lewis Creek Association presentation, 7 p.m., Charlotte Library, discussion about water quality in Lewis Creek and the LaPlatte River.
Tuesday
The Development Review Board, 7 p.m., Town Hall and Google Meet
Wednesday
Selectboard regular meeting, 6 p.m., Town Hall and Zoom
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Hinesburg Resists speakers
Jill Martin Diaz, executive director of the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project, and Mike Pieciak, Vermont State Treasurer, spoke to a packed room at the United Church Parish Hall on Wednesday evening, Jan. 29. They shared their work with the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund and their perspectives on the broader national landscape affecting Vermonters. Full story, click here.
ACCESS CVU classes underway
The winter/spring lineup of classes – from welding to watercoloring, cooking to carpentry – are beginning and there’s still time for you to sign up! For story, click here.
In case you missed it . . .
Free museum webinars
Shelburne Museum invites the public to participate in a series of free virtual and hybrid webinars this spring that offer behind-the-scenes perspectives, creative skill-building and scholarly insights inspired by the museum’s collections and exhibitions. Go to shelburnemuseum.org/museum-from-home/webinars for more information and to register.
Student chess player championships
The 39th Annual Vermont State Scholastic Chess Championships will be held on Saturday, March 28, at Lamoille Union High School in Hyde Park, Vermont. Deadline for registering is March 23. Are you planning to compete? The Record would like to hear from you: news@hinesburgrecord.org for future coverage. Full story, click here.
