Voters Approve Municipal Budgets by Wide Margin
Police, fire, library, highway and municipal budgets pass easily. CVSD budget easily passes in all five member towns. Townshend is re-elected to CVSD board.
The Hinesburg Record Staff
For months the Hinesburg selectboard debated a push to restore the police department staffing to prior levels and to add a new position in the fire department; members had concerns over the impact on taxes and potential voter rejection.
Their worries were unfounded. Every budget item on the ballot passed by a wide margin in final results reported by the Hinesburg Town Clerk/Treasurer Heather Roberts Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, the CVSD FY 2027 $107.9 million budget passed by a 2-1 margin in the total vote by the five member communities: 4,085-2,210. The $13 million bond issue (for maintenance upgrades) and capital expenditure item for two new buses and two new vans also passed.
Cassandra Townshend, the incumbent Hinesburg representative to the CVSD board and the only elected official with opposition, easily defeated Katie Nickitas, 528-282.
The budget results:
Town government, $1.9 million, 749 yes, 272 no
Highway department, $941,592, 849-172
Police department, $953,819 (one new officer to start in December), 724-299
Fire department, (one new firefighter/EMT) $778,822, 826-184, and
Carpenter Carse Library, $284,500 (town contribution), 844-184.
The other officials re-elected were Roberts for Town Clerk, Treasurer (906 votes); selectboard members Merrily Lovell (835), and Paul Lamberson, (824); Town Moderator Frank Twarog (896); Library Trustees Catherine Moller (827) and Kathleen Rivard (808); and Peck Estate Trustee Jenny Wilkinson (845).
At least 1,028 residents voted.