Municipal Newsletter from the  Town of Essex

July 2024

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Essex Municipal Site on Upper Main Street

Public Meeting

August 1, 2024 at 7pm

The Farmhouse at Sunset Pond

70 Essex Way

Please join us at the first interactive public meeting to talk about the future of the Town of Essex municipal site at 80/90 Upper Main Street. This is an exciting opportunity for you to be at the heart of shaping our town center's future. The meeting will take place at the new Farmhouse Event Center at The Essex Resort and Spa (70 Essex Way) on Thursday, August 1 starting at 7pm. 

The Town’s consultant team is beginning the 6-month process of developing a conceptual master plan for the 32-acre site. We want to hear your ideas about what you would like to see here in addition to a municipal complex. The meeting will begin with a brief presentation to introduce the planning process and review past work. Small group discussions will follow for attendees to share ideas that will help inform the team. We hope to see you there!

If you can’t join in-person, there will be an online survey to collect feedback posted to the project website after the meeting. Other opportunities for public feedback will occur this fall. 

The Route 15 Waterline Upgrade project is currently underway. This project involves the installation of a new 12-Inch Waterline with appurtenances through the Town Center along the northern side of VT Route 15. The project scope involves the replacement of a section of existing 6-Inch waterline west along the north side of VT RT 15, west of Essex Way, with a new 12-Inch watermain, extending to the intersection of Old Stage Road, as well as the installation of a new 12-Inch water line from the existing 8-Inch main on Old Stage Road to the existing 8-Inch waterline that lies immediately east of the Billie Butler Intersection, all on the north side of VT RT 15. 

A project bid opening was held on Friday, December 22, 2023 for construction of a new waterline within the Town Center. The lowest total base bid was submitted by Desroches Construction Services, Inc., (DCS). A contract was signed with DCS to work with the Town of Essex to complete this construction project. Additionally, the Town has a contract with Aldrich and Elliott Engineering to provide construction inspection services for the duration of this project and will represent the Town of Essex onsite for the duration of the project.

Construction activities throughout the project area may impact traffic and cause delays to the traveling public. The Town of Essex and the project team are making every effort to minimize any delays caused by this work. We appreciate your patience during the construction of this watermain and look forward to its completion.

The contractor has begun using a small portion of the 80 Upper Main Street lot as a staging area for this project for pipe, select materials, and equipment. There is no demolition or prep work for the Town's future Municipal Site project taking place as part of this waterline project.

Forming the support for the Selectboard's Strategic Work Plan are 5 values with 10 long-term goals set for FY25 through FY33. Among the Selectboard values is Accountability. Here's a breakdown of the work plan goals lined up under this first value.

Value - Accountability

Local government is transparent, predictable, and focused on the community's best interests. Town officials say what they will do and then do it. Information is readily available, and officials are responsive to any questions or concerns in a timely manner.

The long-term goals relevant to Accountability include:

• Review guiding documents, policies, and standards to reflect the needs of the community, and update accordingly. Review relevant and important policies annually.
• Continually improve access to and accessibility of information and documents.

How will we achieve these goals?

• Work is underway to revise the fund balance assignment process and the Fund Balance Policy.
• The Selectboard will review policies annually at the Selectboard's organizational meeting and update as needed.
• We will improve visualization and availability of data, especially to help inform decision-making. Watch for more news on the Town's website updates coming soon!
• Publicize annual road paving and maintenance plans, including culverts.

Essex Community Justice Center

Focusing on diversity, equity & inclusion

Staff and volunteers from the Essex Community Justice Center were fortunate to attend an all-day, statewide conference at Lake Morey in Fairlee that brought over 200 staff and volunteers from the 23 Community Justice Centers across the State together to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Circles of Support and Accountability Program - seeking volunteers!

The Burlington and Essex Community Justice Centers are seeking volunteers for the Chittenden County Circles of Support and Accountability Program (COSA). A COSA team provides weekly support to high-risk individuals who are re-entering the community after a period of incarceration. By providing this opportunity to volunteer, you can help effect meaningful change toward public safety in your community and may positively impact someone's future.

Watch a documentary on the COSA program. The password is "cosa".

2025 Reappraisal Timeline/Workplan

(Subject to change)

• Request for Qualifications sent out September 13, 2022.
• Contracted with Patriot Properties, Inc. (N/K/A as Catalis, Inc.) December 5, 2022.
• Project commenced July 2023 (Catalis gathered property data from the town & city’s current grand lists).
• Field inspections began September 2023 and will continue until December 2024.
• Four (4) separate batch mailers sent out to specific neighborhood areas to date. The first batch sent September 2023, second batch sent January 2024, third batch sent March 2024, and the fourth batch sent at the end of May 2024.
• (The mailers were for town properties only, due to the more rural nature of the properties and working from the outside of the reappraisal area, towards the denser areas).
• City properties will begin receiving mailers sometime early/mid-summer.
• Due to Global Foundries classified as a specialty property, the reappraisal has a separate contract. The contract is with CBRE Valuation & Advisory from Hartford, CT. CBRE conducted the last reappraisal for IBM.
• Global Foundries physical inspection expected sometime in September 2024.
• Final inspections of all properties estimated to be complete April 2025.
• The reappraisal valuations are effective as of April 1, 2025. 
• Sometime in January 2025, Income & Expense mailers mailed out to commercial properties.
• Catalis will install basic valuation tables created from sales & income data/analysis sometime between January 2025 – April 2025 and revise them as we approach the appraisal date.
• April – May 2025 Catalis will review all property to set preliminary values.
• Preliminary values for review by the Assessor, May 2025.
• May 2025 Catalis to notify all property owners of their new proposed values.
• Informal Public Hearings conducted May-June 2025.
• Submission of values to create the 2025 Preliminary Grand List filed with the clerk’s office will be June 20, 2025.
• The formal grievance hearings with the Assessor and CATALIS will commence fourteen (14) days after filing the preliminary grand list and will continue for an additional fourteen (14) days or extended, depending on the number of grievances. Extensions approved by the Director of Property Valuation and Review, approved by the Select Board/Council, and recorded in the clerk’s office.
• Results of formal grievances mailed seven (7) days after the grievance period ends.
• Deadline for filing an appeal to the Board of Civil Authority (BCA) is 14 days from the date of mailing the formal grievance results. 
• Deadline for filing the final grand list with the clerk’s office is August 14th.

Boards, Committees & Commissions

Thank you

The Selectboard recently appointed or reappointed members to many advisory boards and committees. Thank you to all who applied with interest and vigor to help where needed and for those who leave committees after time well-served to the Essex community.

Current vacancies

• Cemetery Commission - 1 seat
• Planning Commission (alternate) - 1seat
• Essex Representative (alternate) - Chittenden Solid Waste District 
• Essex Representative - Tree Farm Management Group - 1 seat vacant now
• Essex Representative (alternate) - Town Meeting TV Board of Trustees
• Essex Representative (alternate) - Green Mountain Transit Commissioner

Essex Agricultural Businesses

Sign up to be a part of this special community event celebrating Essex!

The Town of Essex’s annual Community Day event will take place on September 21st at Foster Road Park in Essex. This event is a celebration connecting our residents, businesses, and organizations that together make up our flourishing community.  Currently attending the event are over 40 farmers market/crafts vendors, including 5 food trucks/food vendors. There will also be a Touch a Truck event, hayrides, Alyx the Magician, and musical entertainment. 

We would love to see some of our local agricultural businesses there as well! Your business is highly valued in our community, and we want to invite you to be a part of the celebration. Your participation will help spread the word about local agriculture and what your business has to offer, gain new clientele, and establish a connection with the community.  This is your opportunity to showcase what you do best! If one of the ideas below doesn’t interest you we are open to hear your thoughts and ideas of what would work for your business.

Participation options: 

• Host a vendor booth at Community Day
• Showcase a piece of farming equipment at Touch-a-Truck 
• Conduct a demonstration 
• Showcase livestock

Please click the link below to view some options on how you can participate at the event. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Essex Recreation Department. We look forward to working with you!

Essex Parks and Recreation

Get Out and Explore Silent Auction

All proceeds from the "Get Out and Explore" Silent Auction will be used to help support the ever-increasing costs of programming for our growing community. Currently, the Essex Parks and Recreation department provides the Essex community with youth sports leagues, summer camps, a winter ski program, activities that support our 55+ active aging population, and supports organizations like the Town of Essex Little League.

Despite serving such a large and diverse community, the Essex Parks and Recreation department takes pride in offering quality programs at affordable prices. With the cost of living rising daily, offering programs at an affordable rate for families is becoming increasingly difficult. Auction donations will give the Parks and Recreation department the ability to keep programs accessible to everyone in our community and keep the cost for the programs affordable for those who want to participate in them.

Good Citizen Challenge 2024

What can you do to improve your community?

This fun and engaging civics project promotes positive engagement with groups and activities that strengthen kids’ connections to their local communities — the places where they can have the biggest and most immediate impact.

Through the Challenge, participants become more aware of the civic architecture of their communities — public spaces such as libraries, parks, city halls, town greens, the Statehouse — as well as the news outlets that cover what goes on in those places.

The Challenge encourages participants to think of themselves first and foremost as Good Citizens rather than as political partisans. Good Citizens show up, take responsibility, pitch in, keep up with current events and work well with others.

Each Challenge invites participants to learn about their communities, their government and news literacy — and find ways to help others. In return, the organizers recognize their work in Seven Days newspaper and parenting magazine Kids VT — and in person during a reception at the Vermont State House.

Participants also win prizes, and everyone who enters the 2024 Challenge will have a chance to win a free trip for two to Washington, D.C.!

Essex Police Department

Officers retire after 24 years of service

Congratulations, Corporal John Ruttenberg and Corporal Michael Wootton on their retirements after 24 years of service. Ruttenberg and Wootton both started at the Essex Police Department in August 2000.

Ruttenberg served as a Patrol Officer, a Detective, and the District Liaison Officer. Ruttenberg served on the Emergency Response Team, firearms instructor, and a de-escalation instructor.

Wootton served as a Patrol Officer, Detective, and the Emergency Response Team.

We thank you both for your service to the Essex community and your dedication to your fellow officers. We wish you both a long and joyous retirement!

Town of Essex Golf Team Wins First Place

Over $6,000 raised for Municipal Scholarship Fund

More than 80 Vermont League of Cities and Towns members and supporters participated in the 2024 Vermont Local Officials Golf Outing on June 21 at the Town of Killington's Green Mountain National Golf Course. Thanks to the generous support of the golf outing's sponsors, VLCT raised more than $6,000 for the VLCT Municipal Service Scholarship.

What is the cherry on top of this news? Our Town of Essex team won! Congratulations, Shannon Lunderville, Loren Ward, and Dave Foster. In addition, Shannon Lunderville won the Longest Drive in the Women's category.

First Place: Town of Essex, 60 (-11)

Second Place: Town of Richmond, 61 (-10)

Third Place: Town of Killington, 63 (-8)

Thank you for representing the Town of Essex so brilliantly!

The Town of Essex is hiring for multiple Full-Time and Per diem job openings, in a variety of roles and departments. We are hiring for the following roles:

Full-Time - Police Officer

The Essex Police Department is looking for motivated, honest and enthusiastic individuals looking to make a difference in the Essex Community. The Essex Police Department strives to hire individuals willing to step up to the challenge of a career in Law Enforcement. If you embody the traits of professionalism, strive for excellence and are willing to go above and beyond, then we want to speak with you. 

Full-Time - Water/Sewer Operator Level III

The Water/Sewer Operator performs skilled manual and technical work in connection with the operation of all municipal water and sewer systems.

Per Diem Fire Fighter/EMT

This position will assist with the day-to-day operations of the department’s available per-diem shifts, under the direction of the assigned officer of the day and ensure the Fire Department's mission, values and goals are met, and policies followed. The Fire Fighter/EMT will respond to all emergencies while on shift, ensure apparatus and gear are mission ready. 80 per diem hours available each week.

Volunteer Paid on Call Fire Fighter and/or EMS

Essex Fire Department is made up of approximately 37 volunteer and per diem members who put countless hours into training, planning, responding, and educating. No two calls are alike, and we need to be prepared to handle a wide range of emergencies. Over the years we have been very lucky to boast a great number of firefighters who are cross trained in other emergency services fields such as Emergency Medical Technicians, Hazardous Material Technicians, Police Officers, and Nurses. Our members also have a diverse background in full-time professional careers including finance, banking, insurance, consulting, construction, engineering, and hospitality. This diversity and well-rounded range of professions provides a strong foundation for executing the mission of the fire service.

The Town offers a very competitive benefits package to Full-Time staff to include: Generous vacation and sick accruals, VMERS C Defined Benefit Retirement Plan, MVP Health Insurance, employer paid Dental and Vision insurance, Short and Long Term Disability, Life and AD&D Insurance and optional ICMA-RC 457 and Roth IRA Retirement plans.

Test your pool water before draining

As residents are getting ready to open or close their pool this summer and need to drain the pool water, this is an important reminder that all residents must have their pool water quality tested before discharging it into the environment. Chlorinated water can have adverse impacts on aquatic life within a body of water when discharged directly into the street, catch basin, or stream. The storm water that drains to the catch basins on the street is not treated and drains directly into a stream. 

Residents must test their pool water and submit those results to Public Works for approval to drain their pool into the Town’s storm system. If those test results show chlorine, it is recommended to leave your pool to sit untreated for 7-10 days to allow the chlorine to break down and then test the water again. Other recommendations include adding dichlorination chemicals to the pool that will break down the chlorine or discharging the chlorinated water to land where it will not drain to local surface waters. 

Additional information regarding pool water disposal can be found on the Town’s website at https://www.essexvt.org/224/Pool-Water-Disposal. 

Parents of College Students - Important NOTICE for Voting

On November 5, 2024, voters will vote for several offices, including President of the United States. The Secretary of State’s Office will be mailing ballots to all active registered voters around September 23, 2024. They will use the mailing address that is in the statewide voter checklist when mailing the ballot. 

If you have a child away at college, and they will not be home for the vote, please encourage them to access their voting record through the My Voter Page. They should review their information, and if necessary, update their MAILING address. This should be done BEFORE September 1, 2024. 

Not a student but vote? You should also access your information using the same link to verify your information is current.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the Clerk’s Office at 802-879-0413 or clerk@essex.org. 

Justice of the Peace

In November Essex voters will elect 15 Justices of the Peace (JP) for a two-year term. JPs sit on the Board of Civil Authority (BCA) along with Selectboard members and the Town Clerk. Members of the BCA serve as election officials, hear property tax grievance appeals, and serve as members on the Board of Abatement. More information on the responsibilities of a JP can be found in The Vermont Justice of the Peace Guide.

How do you become a Justice of the Peace candidate?

1.      Major and minor political parties nominate candidates. If you want to be nominated by a party, please reach out to the party to find out when they are meeting. More information on this process can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.

2.      If you want to run as an independent candidate, you must file a petition and a Consent of Candidate form with the Town Clerk’s Office by 5pm, Friday, August 16, 2024. More information on running as an independent JP can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.

Please reach out to the Town Clerk’s Office at 802-879-0413 or clerk@essex.org if you have any questions.

State Primary Election August 13

The Primary Election for state offices (Governor, Lt. Governor, Treasurer, etc.) is Tuesday, August 13, 2024. The outcome of this election will determine who will run for office within each major political party in the November General Election.   

Voters who want to vote by absentee MUST request an absentee ballot for this election. Ballots will NOT be automatically mailed. To request a ballot, you can visit the My Voter Page, call 802-879-0413, email clerk@essex.org, or come in person to the Clerk’s Office. 

Voters will receive three ballots: Democratic, Progressive, and Republican. You will only be able to vote on ONE ballot, but you must return all three ballots. There are instructions on the envelopes to help voters follow the required process.

If you have any questions about the State Primary Election process, please call 802-879-0413 or email clerk@essex.org. 

Property Tax Credit Letter from Vermont Department of Taxes - The Vermont Department of Taxes mailed letters in July to property owners notifying them of a credit that will be applied to their property tax bill IF the property owner qualifies. If you did not receive a letter and think you should have, please contact the Vermont Department of Taxes. The Town is only notified of the credit amount, not why a person didn’t receive a letter or does not qualify. For general information on the property tax credit visit https://tax.vermont.gov/property/property-tax-credit.

If you received a letter, please retain it, and compare it to your tax bill. Tax bills will be issued in mid-August.

Fireworks Permitting Process - Vermont State Law only allows for the legal use, possession, and sale of fireworks after a permit is issued. Applications for fireworks permits must submitted to the chief of a local fire department at least 15 days before a display. Learn more.

Water bills are due August 15 - A drop box for payments is located outside the entrance door at the Town Offices at 81 Main Street. Visit the Water & Sewer Bills page on the Town's website.

Request for Bids - 2024 Sand Hill Road Outfall Project

Sealed bids will be received at the Town of Essex Public Works Office or mailed to the Town of Essex, Department of Public Works, 81 Main Street Essex Jct., VT 05452 until 11:00 AM on Friday, July 19th, 2024. Learn more.

Mark your Calendar

Jul 15 - Selectboard Meeting

Jul 16 - Police Community Advisory Board Meeting

Jul 18 - Economic Development Commission Business Outreach Meeting

Jul 24 - Charter Review Committee Meeting

Jul 25 - Planning Commission Meeting

Aug 1 - Economic Development Commission Meeting

Aug 1 - Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting

Aug 1 - Public Meeting - Municipal Site

Aug 5 - Selectboard Meeting

Aug 6 - National Night Out

Aug 6 - Housing Commission Meeting

Aug 8 - Planning Commission meeting

Aug 15 - Water Bills are due

Be sure to look online for cancelations. When offices are closed, a drop box for payments is located outside the entrance door at the Town Offices at 81 Main Street, Essex Junction. Many services are available online at www.essexvt.org.

July is Parks & Recreation Month

2024 is celebrating the vital role park & recreational professionals play in bringing people together, providing essential services and fostering the growth of our communities. We love our Essex Parks & Rec!