Newbury residents press officials over suspected drug activity at Jefferson Hill

Residents of Jefferson Hill told the Town of Newbury Selectboard on Feb. 12 that they are alarmed by apparent illegal activity at a nearby property, including discarded needles, sporadic gunfire and an unconscious person in a car. Selectboard Chair Susan Culp convened the listening session at the Newbury Village fire station, which included Vermont State Police Lt. Charles Winn, Caledonia County Sheriff Brandon Thrailkill and Deputy Douglas Morrill.

Residents pressed officers for concrete steps. Lt. Winn said police need a report of an actual offense and probable cause to act and cautioned that “profiling” calls are not helpful. He and Sheriff Thrailkill acknowledged frustrations over past response outcomes and described limits on what law enforcement can do without demonstrable criminal conduct.

Town Clerk Chuck Schulze and Selectboard members discussed municipal options such as requesting a posted speed limit and forming a neighborhood watch, while officials recommended specific reporting practices. Lt. Winn urged callers to be specific — for example, to report discarded syringes or an unconscious person — and referred residents to VSP tip resources and “See something, say something” guidance.

Residents also raised environmental concerns: the property reportedly has no septic system and surface runoff flows toward an abutting well. Chair Culp recommended contacting the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation for state jurisdictional issues.

Officers described operational steps they have considered, including consulting a narcotics task force and potential undercover surveillance, but warned there are no guarantees. Lt. Winn said VSP has been short‑staffed but is adding academy graduates; he also promised to research a previous delayed response reported by a resident. The meeting closed with Chair Culp thanking the officers for attending.