Select Board sets Dec. 5 date for town charter vote
Also: Recaps of recent board decisions, discussions
Sept. 21, 2023 | By Sandy Yusen and Lisa Scagliotti This is charter language that will be on the Dec. 5 special election ballot. Sept. 5, 2023 Select Board memo. (click to enlarge)
Waterbury voters will be asked to go to the polls for a special election on Tuesday, Dec. 5, to decide whether to create a town charter that would allow for new local taxes and clarify some of the municipal manager’s responsibilities.
That was the unanimous decision of the Waterbury Select Board at its meeting on Sept. 5. Last night, the board also scheduled two public hearing dates for voters to learn more and ask questions before the special vote. Those will be held on two Mondays this fall: Oct. 30 and Nov. 6, both starting at 7 p.m.
Voting on the charter measure will be by Australian (paper) ballot in the typical fashion from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with the Steele Community Room at the municipal offices as the polling place. Early and absentee voting will be available at the town clerk’s office starting in November.
Holding the vote as a special election this fall rather than waiting to put the question to voters on Town Meeting Day in March will allow for the measure to proceed through the process in a timely way, town officials have discussed. Questions related to municipal charters require legislative approval. If voters approved the measure on Dec. 5, it would be decided in time to send to the legislature when the session convenes in early January.
The proposed charter language is posted in the Select Board’s Sept. 5 minutes. It would allow for the creation of a local option tax. Municipal Manager Tom Leitz outlined the proposal in his quarterly update recently. It would add 1% to the local sales, rooms and meals, and alcohol taxes. Leitz estimates that it would boost revenue to the town by an estimated $600,000 annually.
Leitz said he believes the tax would help to lessen future increases in property taxes for residents, and would shift some of the tax burden to non-residents. Presently the only local tax revenue the town collects is from property owners. The option tax would be applied to revenue sources paid by anyone making purchases in stores, restaurants and pubs, and staying in hotels. He cited a study conducted by Revitalizing Waterbury among 11 local businesses that estimated approximately 60% of their customers hailed from outside Waterbury.
Any local taxes need to be addressed in a town charter. Waterbury currently does not have a charter and instead defers to state statute for guidelines on local governance.
Waterbury residents can review and discuss the proposed charter during the two upcoming public hearings that the Select Board will hold Oct. 30 and Nov. 6.
If voters approve the measure and it wins adoption from the legislature and is signed by the governor, the new taxes could go into effect by early 2025. In discussing the timeline, board members recognized the need to allow adequate time for community engagement and buy-in, while raising concerns that legislative procedures may change in the future to make it more difficult for towns to implement local retail taxes.
The town charter would also incorporate a change to municipal hiring processes. The proposed language in the charter gives the municipal manager the authority to hire for certain positions, with approval from the Select Board. This simplifies the current hiring process and alleviates the burden of volunteer boards to vet candidates and conduct interviews for some positions as outlined in state law.
Other Select Board business
The Select Board has taken action on a number of other matters recently:
The Board approved a resolution to affirm the town’s interest in purchasing the Stanley and Wasson Halls property at the State Office Complex, a 2.5-acre plot owned by the state located near the corner of Randall Street and Park Row. The parcel could potentially be used for multi-family housing. Leitz explained that this is not a project that would happen overnight, but that it could have the potential to accommodate approximately 75 housing units without zoning modifications.
The Board approved a contribution of $25,000 to be distributed to Revitalizing Waterbury through the State of Vermont’s Downtown Vibrancy Fund program. This is the first time the state has decided to commit funding to designated downtown organizations. Revitalizing Waterbury is expected to allocate the funds towards marketing and employee benefits.
After a Sept. 5 executive session, the board voted to hire Michael Bishop for the position of Town of Waterbury Zoning Administrator. The position became vacant when Neal Leitner was chosen to succeed Steve Lotspeich as the Planning Director earlier this summer. Bishop has a background in public service, public safety, and real estate. A resident of Fayston, Bishop is currently one of two Fayston representatives on the Harwood Unified Union School Board.
The board heard from Katarina Lisaius, Waterbury’s Recreation Director, with an update on Recreation Department programs. They discussed lessons learned from this summer’s pool and camp programs, which highlighted the need for additional staffing. The board agreed that the town should recruit and hire to fill the vacant Recreation Program Coordinator position that has been open since early this summer when Wyatt O’Brien resigned. A job description and details can be found on the town’s website.
As a result of the July flooding, the board has voted to create a new Natural Disaster Preparedness Committee that will review lessons from this summer’s disaster with an eye toward planning for future emergencies. The group’s work would complement existing emergency management plans on file. The five-member committee once appointed will meet monthly and develop a handbook of procedures for post-disaster response and volunteer assistance. Town officials will craft a request for applicants for the committee to seek volunteers interested in serving on it. Board members agreed they would like to make appointments later this fall.
Vermont State Police Lt. Charles Winn, commander of the Berlin barracks, attended the Sept. 5 meeting and provided an update on the department’s contract with Waterbury to provide police services, which involves two state troopers assigned to Waterbury. The board expressed positive feedback on the arrangement and on police responsiveness to recent issues. Winn reported an uptick in local disturbances involving juveniles, narcotics, and related criminal activity. The board discussed the need for a better understanding of criminal activity and locations to determine whether surveillance and loitering ordinances are needed. While acknowledging state-wide staffing challenges for police, Winn pledged to maintain local coverage of other minor issues such as speeding, and to be visible in the community. He urged Waterbury residents to report any suspicious activity immediately: “If you see something…pick up the phone and let us know if something suspicious is happening. This is what we are here for.” The board discussed inviting a representative of a restorative justice organization at an upcoming meeting as a way to gather more information about addressing public safety.
The board this week approved a request from Revitalizing Waterbury to allocate $20,000 of the town’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for improvements to the Stowe Street alley adjacent to Stowe Street Emporium. The project is set to be done in phases as funding is acquired with the first phase beginning soon to replace old asphalt with new pavement and engraved bricks from supporters.
The board signed off on a formal contract with the Town of Moretown for fire protection services for the portion of Moretown closest to Waterbury on Cobb Hill and along U.S. Route 2. Waterbury has provided fire services to Moretown for these areas for decades without a contract, Leitz noted. The document the board approved runs from April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024. Moretown agrees to pay $3,525 and its Select Board has already approved the contract.
The board approved a request from the Old Stagecoach Inn for an entertainment permit to have live music outdoors for several evenings in the fall until 7 p.m. It also approved closing part of Bidwell Lane near the interaction with Stowe Street on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 17, for Bridgeside Books’ holiday event with live reindeer.
Select Board meetings take place on the first and third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Steele Community Room at the municipal offices and via Zoom. Additional details, including links to video recordings on ORCA Media, meeting minutes and agendas can be found on the town’s Select Board website.