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Richmond discusses next steps after not hiring a new police chief; seeks renewed talks with Hinesburg
Summary
After deciding not to hire Anthony Cambridge as Richmond’s police chief, the Select Board voted to reconvene a police governance committee and pursue talks with neighboring Hinesburg about continued shared chief services and a refreshed intermunicipal agreement.
The Richmond Select Board discussed next steps for police leadership and intermunicipal cooperation after the board did not move forward with hiring Anthony Cambridge as a Richmond police chief. Town Manager Josh Arneson recommended reconvening the police governance committee and meeting with Hinesburg to review the current shared‑chief arrangement and consider next steps.
Arneson said the committee — originally formed with two selectboard members from each town, the town managers and the acting police chiefs — has not met in over a year. He recommended that Richmond send two representatives to reawaken the group; board members suggested David Sanders and Bart Hill serve as Richmond’s representatives if Hinesburg makes a similar designation.
Members discussed models for regionalized services, citing Essex/Essex Junction as an example of a contract arrangement that centralizes leadership without creating a municipal district. Participants noted potential advantages in cost and staffing and flagged the need to ensure equitable representation and coverage if regionalization expanded.
Arneson said Hinesburg’s manager planned to discuss the matter at that town’s upcoming meeting; if both boards agree, Richmond staff expected to return with a draft update to the shared‑chief agreement and a proposed fee structure in early April.
The Select Board also authorized staff to pursue administrative steps needed to reconvene the committee and coordinate with Hinesburg. No formal change to the intermunicipal contract was approved at the March 17 meeting; the board instead set a path for negotiation and committee review.
