Richmond council approves tax collection resolution, hires dispatcher and green-lights several personnel and license actions

Richmond — The Town Council on Wednesday approved a slate of administrative and revenue measures, including a resolution setting assessment and collection procedures for fiscal year 2025–26, a personnel hire in the police department, and multiple appointments and license votes.

Council members unanimously approved Resolution 25-17, described by the clerk as the town’s annual measure for the assessment and collection of property taxes for fiscal year 2025–26. The measure passed on a roll-call vote recorded during the meeting.

The council also voted to hire Thomas J. Dittora as a full-time police dispatcher, effective July 30, 2025, at the salary rate adopted in the fiscal-year 2025–26 budget and including five days of retroactive vacation for his prior part-time service. The hire followed a presentation from Chief Johnson describing Dittora’s part-time service, counseling background and the department’s staffing shortage on third shift.

Other actions approved during the meeting included: - Acceptance of the resignation of Peter Burton from the Economic Development Commission, approved by unanimous vote. - Creation of a town-administrator search/hiring committee (see separate coverage for details) and appointment of council liaison and members. - Approval of a one-year door-to-door sales license for Zachary Olsen of Trinity Solar after a council debate about the merits of door-to-door solicitation (the vote was 3–2 in favor; see separate article for full debate and roll call.) - Authorization for the town clerk to advertise proposed amendments to the Richmond Code of Ordinances on solid-waste disposal fees for public hearing (see separate article on proposed tipping-fee changes). - Authorization for two litigation-related actions taken in executive session (mediation authority and participation in opioid litigation were disclosed by the clerk after the executive session; see minutes for full language).

Councilors conducted the votes by roll call. The clerk read each outcome into the record; where the council recorded abstentions those are noted in the official minutes. The meeting also included agenda items that councilors directed staff to develop further, including a request that the public works director present options for how to allocate next fiscal year’s road funds (see separate article).

The council’s decisions tonight set the administrative and financial framework the town staff will use through the coming budget year and move forward hiring and development processes already in motion.