SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Last Monday, Jan. 8, the Springfield Selectboard heard from the budget advisory committee (BAC) Chair John Bond, who presented the committee’s recommendations for fiscal year 2024.
A meeting to receive public input on the proposed budget was scheduled for Jan. 15, at 6 p.m. After hearing from citizens and making revisions, the board approved the 2025 budget at that time, with a vote on the amount to be raised by taxpayers scheduled for Town Meeting in March.
At the Jan. 8 meeting, Jeffrey Dacey was appointed to the planning commission. At the recommendation of planning administrator Charles Wise, a student commissioner was also appointed. Springfield High School student Marshall Simpson, who had been working as a youth volunteer since September, will join the commission through June 30, the end of his term coinciding with the end of the school year.
After some discussion, the board approved a $30,000 grant from the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to nonprofit Stonecutters 802 LLC for the purposes of funding a marketing proposal. $20,000 will go toward designing a website marketing the Town of Springfield to visitors, businesses, residents, and those looking to relocate to the town. The remaining $10,000 will fund other expenses such as video, photography, and graphic design.
Part of a larger initiative as prioritized in town plans such as the Strategic Plan, the Downtown Master Plan, the Main Street Master Plan, and other plans adopted by the selectboard via a community review process, the project’s goals are to make Springfield “the center of industrial and technical innovation in southern Vermont, a destination for clean, affordable living, and a connected and interconnected community.”
Springfield resident and design review commission member Bill Cronin presented the project’s overview to the board.
Two selectboard members, Walter Martone and Heather Frahm, recused themselves from the debate, stating they are party to the nonprofit. Although Frahm said, “Just to be clear, Stonecutters, I mean Springfield 802, is not taking any money. This is just a facilitation of the marketing efforts.”
“That was my number one question,” Board Chair Kristi Morris remarked. “Who is receiving the $20,000 from the website?”
Frahm responded, “Not us.”
Cronin repeated, “Yes, not us. It’s the LLC that we’ve established. Stonecutters 802.”
“So, you’re going to build the website?” Morris asked.
“Not me,” Cronin replied. “You want one that’s really going to work.”
Morris continued, “So, Stonecutters 802 LLC has members made up of some in this room, and somebody is going to build this website.”
“Yes,” Cronin replied.
Morris explained the need to be fully transparent, “so that there isn’t any issue with board members receiving funds from this initiative.”
Owner of the Black River Coffee Bar Mike Schmitt added, “The funds that will be received will be passed through immediately to a third-party contractor based on their proposal. The additional $10,000 will be processed the same way as soon as we identify the graphic developers, and the printing services will be passed on to them. It will be completely transparent.”
Town manager Jeff Mobus reported that the town had received a grant to update the Hazard Mitigation Plan. Relaying that community awareness and input “are important parts of the planning process,” Mobus encouraged residents to go to the town website and access a survey regarding the plan, to take the opportunity to have their opinions heard.
Resident Jennifer Schaefer was at the meeting to address the board regarding a civil dispute involving her property. Introducing Schaefer and summarizing her complaint, Mobus stated, “She is not pleased either with the police actions or my responses throughout the dispute. As a result, she has asked to address the selectboard directly.”
The board listened as Schaefer reported that she and her husband were no longer able to maintain their property due to their declining health. Subsequently the property is not up to code, Schaefer explained, and they were “currently living on the property in shambles.”
Last year they listed the property for sale, and a couple expressed interest in purchasing the property, but were unable to secure a bank loan. According to Schaefer, in lieu of cash she entered into an agreement with the couple to help get the property up to code as well as offer care-giving services in exchange for free room and board. What happened instead, Schaefer claimed, was that the couple forced her to sign documents against her will, tried to take over ownership of the property, destroyed a $12,000 trailer, and terrorized the Schaefers.
A civil case that had gone to Vermont Superior Court had been decided in the Schaefers’ favor, and as of Nov. 11, 2023, the couple was finally forced to leave the property. But the animosity between the parties continues, Schaefer expressed, and a criminal charge filed against Mr. Schaefer remains outstanding, while they have received no restitution for the actions of the couple.
Board member Michael Martin noted that what Schaefer was presenting was a fraud case, and recommended she take that up with the district attorney.
Following the meeting, Mobus and the board began the final budget workshop.