[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6220165,"mediaKeyId","3618356-5b03644040c1da5b1c97529c824c2498","parentId",3618356,"title","Council approves regional appointments, reappoints city clerk and tree warden; names new governance committee member","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3169000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618356-5b03644040c1da5b1c97529c824c2498&start=3169&end=3169","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618356-5b03644040c1da5b1c97529c824c2498/thumbnail_3169000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6220165/Essex-Junction-City/Chittenden-County/Vermont/Council-approves-regional-appointments-reappoints-city-clerk-and-tree-warden-names-new-governance-committee-member","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220165-033d409c208407ffad3e07bc11068fa0/orig.mp4?Expires=1775433362&Signature=UlU8t61OBnsJ8Vg859lC3oPm1Cgmw-4cmMTiYLss2EXqohPAGPKJjWPluc-anQ-AOJ6ITB1i6NMgcYwtF0fIyPI3GetlVlJ4p56MLfazhVaITWjvTu2GiKZK~td-xxgemZk0CY7YKQ1v5LRF41~AC8yczJWUbtNi0WeAynrmUuxhqjXPWQfIRq5wzoiWudO5nlvepGAmSAdn6R2Ugl-n8DihiYW1zwmQ8P2zBsoQyX2IIJPSFGfpLBM~PHbSijH7IFuqeBDZYQraMqGZeXNyhK8qwBmWTQ94UCYGiEEovfMcyP08KqezHQzFMr-96O~lXioRfwClbjT3wU8uAgov-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Essex Junction City, VT","date","2025-05-29T12:19:13Z","article","The Essex Junction City Council on May 28 approved multiple appointments and reappointments covering regional boards, municipal administrative roles and an internal governance committee seat.

Regional and intermunicipal appointments: The council approved its slate of representatives to regional bodies, including appointing Kristen Gildea as the city's representative to the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) with Dan Karen as alternate; Chris Ewan as CCRPC technical-advisory representative with Michael Gugheri as alternate; Chelsea Mandingo (Mandigo) as CCRPC Clean Water Advisory Committee representative; Amber Thibault as the city's Town Meeting TV representative with Marcus Serna as alternate; and George Tyler as the representative to the Winooski Valley Park District.

Reappointments: The council reappointed Susan McNamara Hill as city clerk for FY26 and reappointed Warren Spinner as tree warden. Council discussion included a brief review of how the city assesses outside contractors and professional services (auditor, attorney, engineer) and a note that staff will consider procurement policy updates and potential requests for proposals for some services in future budget cycles.

Governance committee appointment: After an executive session to discuss committee applications, the council voted to appoint Bethany Clark to the governance committee; the motion passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: The council's regional reps serve as the city's voting and advisory contacts on cross-jurisdictional issues including planning, transportation and water. Reappointing the city clerk and tree warden preserves continuity in core municipal functions. Councilors also discussed the value of regular performance reviews or RFP processes for long-standing professional-service contracts.

Action and votes: The council moved and seconded the appointment motions and recorded voice votes approving the list of regional appointments, the reappointments of McNamara Hill and Spinner, and the governance committee appointment of Bethany Clark.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Essex Junction City Council - 5/28/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Essex Junction City Council made several staffing and representative appointments on May 28, including reappointing Susan McNamara Hill as city clerk and Warren Spinner as tree warden, confirming regional representatives to CCRPC and other bodies, and appointing Bethany Clark to the governance committee following executive session.","taxTitle","Essex Junction City, Chittenden County, Vermont","taxId",68791,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6220171,"City manager authorized to apply for ICMA economic mobility assistance with regional partners",462,2695000,3157000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618356-5b03644040c1da5b1c97529c824c2498&start=2695&end=3157","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618356-5b03644040c1da5b1c97529c824c2498/thumbnail_2695000.jpg","/articles/6220171/Essex-Junction-City/Chittenden-County/Vermont/City-manager-authorized-to-apply-for-ICMA-economic-mobility-assistance-with-regional-partners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220171-e32315ac544c451a6d8507fe1086a290/orig.mp4?Expires=1775433362&Signature=PSjUgK8WBCRPcgYXQw25eIM5vaHN3~KeVzYgiLape10n9GEunFBZ~2hodfTkZw8H5dMf3yjrBofq4RmzwUeN88kffiNzG3BxHmUaPMzh3a4NWcCJGrfJ-T~kn9ebf727uSkpdLsyi3T0Gxb5nxx3Zv9lG-utoALcE09j1OBvc718FOUQmVlY63XrF3GX6vTFNz3ohieMnGlG4vRqV2KB-gWU0kGsu-hAw65Pxsynyoek2i~I-Qr3y7T~swbm6qyar1rkyAo2ZznJO7tAr9r3WxkgWjzH~PsT5Y4r7wzVsX76TRnOZQeJO9XhDpiOBewiICDaA22e8zxhN24Iq-R0MQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Essex Junction City Council on May 28 authorized the city manager to apply for the ICMA Economic Mobility and Opportunity Special Assistance Program with interested municipal partners.

City Manager Regina said the FY26 budget includes $25,000 toward an \"equity policy advisor\" concept to be shared with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) and partner municipalities and that only Essex Junction and Winooski had set aside that amount so far. Regina said officials had discussed combining that concept with the ICMA program because the ICMA opportunity is more outward-facing and community-oriented while the originally envisioned advisor role was more internally focused.

Regina said initial interest in the ICMA program comes from Winooski, South Burlington and Shelburne because those communities have specific economic-development funding and that the program could help fund staff time for coordination. Councilor Marcus Serna said the opportunity was \"really kind of exciting\" and noted that a grant-funded FTE could help accelerate work on housing, economic development and other council priorities.

Action and vote: Councilor [unnamed in transcript] moved to authorize the city manager to apply for the ICMA program with municipal partners; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote with no nays recorded.

Next steps: Regina said staff will continue the application process with regional partners and that council members who assisted with the application package will be thanked in the record. She noted the ICMA deadline was extended by one week, enabling staff to complete the submission.","Essex Junction authorized its city manager to apply with municipal partners for the ICMA Economic Mobility and Opportunity Special Assistance Program, leveraging a $25,000 FY26 allocation to pursue an external-funded position to support local equity and economic-mobility work.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6220176,"Council authorizes MOU for fire department training site; chief outlines upkeep and staffing challenges",1344,1693000,3037000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618356-5b03644040c1da5b1c97529c824c2498&start=1693&end=3037","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618356-5b03644040c1da5b1c97529c824c2498/thumbnail_1693000.jpg","/articles/6220176/Essex-Junction-City/Chittenden-County/Vermont/Council-authorizes-MOU-for-fire-department-training-site-chief-outlines-upkeep-and-staffing-challenges","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220176-c764d52aba7390092c83bbcd2d4c4e5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775433362&Signature=ZpXtCt-vDb-nkMTDB~-rBNoMJWRKohDVcvNB9K-WRho4krVpNJJm~ogkQf7XJajQd~PwmwriZB~zNXNVGk2wPYUG3HZwN3R2oNELVkmMx2yB5CdVGDeYIf0ruI9wUpwr5U1RaGIplhUjt3Aigdz6wV-jGcUL62BV~QAgizEdwKKPOPp4cC41OUKMlhiaZGPwlidbzpphXot954Bs2ikXyVy5efjBp-hpa1BZacOG2bL8uL0CsjPc2JZ4bPlWgYwHsoYYk5oNux3SZtfSbAfKQ6I0RJjyo0~Qbtr9ZLvnNW9x02E3a1AcUNr~nhkGnt8922rO8~mYikF~tAm2d5qjSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Essex Junction City Council on May 28 authorized the city manager to approve a memorandum of understanding with CVE for a local fire-training site and heard an operations update from Fire Chief Chris Caborio.

Chief Chris Caborio told the council the department recently received a rebuilt ladder truck on Jan. 1 and absorbed roughly $36,000 in additional repairs to bring the apparatus \"back up to spec.\" He said the department delayed some purchases, including planned radio replacements, to stay within budget and that those items will be ordered in the next fiscal year.

Caborio said the department roster is about 30\u000025to\u000032 people, which \"really works for us,\" but noted training attendance and maintenance of required quarterly hours remain a challenge for some volunteers. \"We have to maintain for anybody that's filling a role of firefighter... 10 hours of training every quarter,\" Caborio said, noting the department is following up with members who are training-deficient.

Training site and MOU: The council reviewed a proposal to build a training site on CVE property using stacked Connex shipping containers to simulate two-story structures and room-and-content fires. Caborio described the site as a local, low-travel option that would let firefighters do realistic live-fire and search-and-rescue exercises closer to the station than existing regional facilities. \"You're literally 1 mile from the station,\" he said, citing convenience compared with training centers two hours away.

Councilor Brian asked about the initial cost estimate; the memorandum of understanding and related materials include a preliminary figure in the range of $7,000 to $9,000 for site work and Connex setup. Caborio confirmed the town would provide the containers and materials and said CVE was not charging rent for the space.

Public notice and schedule: Caborio said live-fire training would likely be seasonal and most active from April through November, with potential winter use depending on access. He said the department would notify dispatch and the public in advance of live burns and could provide at least a week's notice to allow public notification.

Action and vote: A motion to authorize the city manager to approve the MOU pending legal review passed by voice vote; council members recorded unanimous support in the meeting record.

Why it matters: Councilors said improved local training would allow more realistic, hands-on drills for volunteers and potentially increase training participation by reducing travel time. The MOU still requires legal review and operational planning before live-fire sessions begin.","Essex Junction City Council authorized the city manager to finalize a memorandum of understanding with CVE for a local fire-training site after Fire Chief Chris Caborio described recent equipment work, roster levels and training needs. The MOU passed pending legal review.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6220180,"Council approves Chittenden Solid Waste District FY26 budget as CSWD seeks $10-per-ton fee increase",1019,396000,1415000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618356-5b03644040c1da5b1c97529c824c2498&start=396&end=1415","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618356-5b03644040c1da5b1c97529c824c2498/thumbnail_396000.jpg","/articles/6220180/Essex-Junction-City/Chittenden-County/Vermont/Council-approves-Chittenden-Solid-Waste-District-FY26-budget-as-CSWD-seeks-10-per-ton-fee-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220180-3259f79a48e0dbb18bfb647fff2d2f9b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775433362&Signature=VPApO8UgLQDIwciEPiLPQZxEAq2O0va5JTCUPos7gbRUx9fspYgoO4XTeJVFyuw-1-Jy04RZ277Z2BPPAFSKJI9wGiuTmi4IA3m3Wo-bWAU0wGw3TJhlHrw7aPXP23sTTf31uFm07gVYrVAy2D~ewHyi6Tc2VfSCh5wdt2oyCvr3pHPEPnLCIq58pW5ESFLomfboHEMSxUZUpq0FmS8F1TEsVKc1MMoxCV0WVjE3lmh7cKWBswyhqmEcDwkUGmQRMwpvsZc0w-pL8tNGRsZmoZL4~uTI2sSrpl-gkKatAV8NGQZJdgQEv-YSguj3gwPOtqNz2ItoemGuaq2vwYnnoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Essex Junction City Council on May 28 approved the Chittenden Solid Waste District\u0000(CSWD) fiscal year 2026 budget after a presentation from CSWD staff who said the district will seek to raise its solid waste management fee from $30 to $40 per ton.

CSWD Executive Director Sarah Reeves told the council the fee \"is the fee that is charged directly to haulers for the trash that they bring to the landfill\" and that the fee \"has been in place since 1993.\" Reeves said the proposed rate increase would raise the district's anticipated revenue from about $16.2 million to roughly $17.5 million and that \"every dollar over that 16.2 that was initially budgeted ... will then go directly to the MERF capital projects fund.\" She said the additional revenue is intended to close a funding gap of about $4,000,000 for the materials recycling facility capital project.

Why it matters: CSWD's solid waste management fee is charged to trash haulers and is typically passed through to customers as part of hauling bills. Reeves said an average Chittenden County household generates just over 1 ton of trash per year and that CSWD's share of the typical $50 monthly subscription bill would rise from about $3 to \"just under $4 a month,\" or \"an increase of less than a dollar per month per average household.\"

Reeves outlined the primary drivers of the funding gap: COVID-related delays, inflation and an unanticipated $3,000,000 cost to purchase an alternate property after the originally planned Redmond Road site proved unsuitable because of wetlands. She told the council the district had considered and dismissed other options — including a per-capita municipal assessment, municipal property-tax funding, or larger increases at drop-off centers — because of timing and fairness concerns for member municipalities. \"We did not want to... place that burden on our local municipalities or on residents and businesses in Chittenden County,\" Reeves said.

The district recommended moving the solid waste management fee to a formula of small regular annual adjustments tied to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index (either the garbage-and-trash index or the Northeast Urban CPI) to keep pace with inflation.

Council discussion and vote: Councilors asked about personnel costs and fee impacts. Councilor Emily asked about the modest payroll/benefits increase and Reeves credited retirements and careful hiring. Councilor Marcus Serna declared a recusal before the CSWD presentation because his wife works for CSWD and left the discussion. Councilor Elaine moved to approve CSWD's FY26 budget as presented; Councilor Jim seconded. The motion passed unanimously among voting members present; no nays were recorded and Serna was recused from the vote.

What the fee pays for: Reeves said the solid waste management fee supports CSWD administration, finance, compliance, IT, outreach and education and portions of some facilities (drop-off centers, organics recycling, environmental depot), plus reserve funds and the MERF capital fund. She said environmental depot operations are supported about 80\u000025 to 85\u000025 by the fee.

Next steps: The fee change and annual budget process are governed by CSWD's charter and board procedures; Reeves said the district's board already has passed an ordinance change to allow regular index-based adjustments and that budgets are vetted by the district finance committee and board before municipalities vote.","Essex Junction City Council voted to approve the Chittenden Solid Waste District\u0000(CSWD) fiscal year 2026 budget after a presentation from CSWD staff that included a proposal to raise the district\u0000solid waste management fee from $30 to $40 per ton to close a roughly $4 million funding gap for a materials recycling facility project.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves regional appointments, reappoints city clerk and tree warden; names new governance committee member

City manager authorized to apply for ICMA economic mobility assistance with regional partners

Council authorizes MOU for fire department training site; chief outlines upkeep and staffing challenges

Council approves Chittenden Solid Waste District FY26 budget as CSWD seeks $10-per-ton fee increase