The Future of Essex

What does it look like to you?

As we roll into a new year, we are reminded to take a look at all that we want to refresh and reenergize. With the separation of the Village of Essex Junction from the Town of Essex last year, this means the Town's border lines, budget, and population have changed. 

What should the "new" version of the Town of Essex provide to you as a resident? What services are important to you? What should the future plans for development look like? These and many other questions are being asked by the Town Selectboard and they need to hear from you! 

Two ways for you to become involved:

1. Fiscal Year 2024 Budget

While you're welcome to examine the proposed budget line by line, it isn't necessary to spend hours diving into the spreadsheets of numbers to provide your feedback on the budget. You just have to let your town representatives know what is important to you. What services do you wish the Town would provide? What services do you already love? What concerns you as the budget is being prepared for voter approval? Visit www.essexvt.org/budget to view the latest updates and information on the budget process. You can watch videos, view budget documents, send feedback through an online form, and find meeting dates and times for the next budget work sessions. 

2. Town Plan 2024

The new Town Plan work has begun! This is an exciting time for the Town of Essex to launch fresh new plans for the future. The Town Plan is a visionary, guiding document that sets goals for the Town for the next 8 years. Once adopted, a Town Plan is used to update zoning and subdivision regulations, seek grants, and set work plans for municipal departments, boards, commissions and committees. Multiple meetings have been scheduled in January at various times and locations to provide you with an opportunity to provide your input. Consider attending a meeting or visit the web page at www.essexvt.org/townplan2024 to complete an online form if you are unable to attend in person. Follow the Town's Facebook page to continue to receive updates on important community engagement opportunities. Read more about these public forum meetings in the "Upcoming Meetings" section of this newsletter.

Announcements & Events

Register Your Dog and Be Entered to Win Prizes!

All dogs must be registered by April 1st

REMINDER: Bring your dog's current rabies certificate.
Neutered/spayed dog - $9.00
Un-neutered/spayed dog - $13.00

HOW TO REGISTER:
During the month of January, send a copy of your dog's rabies certificate to the Clerk's Office by emailing at clerk@essex.org; mailing to 81 Main St., Essex Junction; or stop by in person. 

One entry per dog owner, winners will be drawn on February 1st.

Nominating Petitions Now Available

Nominating petitions for the 2023 Annual Town Meeting are now available online or by stopping by the Clerk's Office. The following officers will be elected at the 2023 Town of Essex Annual Town meeting on March 7, 2023:

Moderator - one 1-year term (incumbent John Sonnick);

Selectboard Member - two 3-year terms (incumbents Ethan Lawrence and Andy Watts)

In order to have a name placed on the ballot, candidates are required to submit a petition containing at least 30 valid signatures and a consent of candidate form to the Town Clerk. The deadline for submittal of both forms is January 30, 2023 (the sixth Monday preceding the date of election 17 VSA §2681(a)(1)(A).

For more information or to ask questions, please contact the Town Clerk at the Town Offices at 81 Main Street, Essex Jct.; by email at clerk@essex.org; or by phone at 879-0413.

View and download forms...

ARPA Funds for Development & Municipal Complex

In May 2022, the Selectboard identified a new municipal complex as one of the priorities it wanted to consider in the coming year. The current office space at 81 Main is undersized for current staffing levels and needs, including the need of more than one meeting space. It is also located in a different municipality, the City of Essex Junction. Both the Parks and Recreation department and the Library need more programming space. The Senior Center is located within the City and will need to be relocated, reimagined, or both. The Fire Station is undersized for a growing community. In addition, the Town has a need for additional market rate, workforce, and affordable housing. 

Town staff is currently working with Wieman Lamphere Architects to determine the space needs for existing and future growth for a new Fire Station and Town Offices. Although this study has not been completed, staff foresees the need for approximately 10 acres for current municipal space and to allow room for expected future growth. If the Town were to purchase a property, it would ideally be large enough where we could see additional development on the site to meet other community needs. The goal would be to develop a site in a way that could transform the center of Town and apply the vison and principles found in the ETC|NEXT plan, such as including contextual design standards and reclaiming underutilized space for housing, businesses, and civic spaces.

When staff hosted a survey about how to use American Rescue Plan Acct (ARPA) money in 2022, five categories rose to the top:

1. Infrastructure projects
2. Transportation projects
3. Town Buildings projects
4. Tax relief
5. Projects mitigating climate change

By using ARPA funds to acquire land, the Town could pursue the ideas preferred by residents. Town Buildings would be a primary focus of a land acquisition. Other ideas could be to upgrade water and sewer lines (infrastructure) and sidewalks (transportation) in the area of land designated for municipal, recreational and community facilities; to build to net zero standards and/or install renewable energy facilities.

(Excerpts from memo to Essex Selectboard from Community Development Director Katherine Sonnick on 11/7/2022)

Two Ice Rinks to Enjoy!

A second "learn to skate" rink added

This Winter our ice rink is located at Foster Road Park (60 Foster Road). There will be a sign (open/closed) at the top of the dirt road of Foster Road and another at the rink.

Free to the public! Bring your own skates!

Please subscribe to our text and email notification system to receive status updates regarding the condition of the ice. 
Sign up today to stay informed!

Upcoming Meetings

Proposed Amendments to the Essex Town Charter

The proposed changes include a reorganization of the charter and the following additions:

• Ability to adopt and enforce ordinances for the purpose of regulating, licensing, and fixing reasonable and necessary license fees
• Just cause eviction section
• Recall provision for Selectboard members
• Creation of a Development Review Board and concurrent elimination of a Zoning Board of Adjustment

An official copy of the proposed charter will be on file for public inspection at the Clerk’s Office at 81 Main Street, Essex, Vermont 05452, beginning January 4, 2023.

Find meeting information...

Proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Budget

The public is invited to attend and offer comments regarding the proposed budget. The proposed FY2024 budget of $15,401,152 shows a decrease in expenditures of $1,274,089, or 7.6% less than the current budget. Due to the Town losing 41 percent of its tax base with the separation of the Village of Essex Junction, the budget is expected to result in a municipal tax rate increase of 22.0%.

Find complete details...

Proposed Capital Budget and Five-Year Plan

The public is invited to attend and offer comments regarding the proposed capital budget and five-year plan. The proposed FY2024 Capital Plan shows capital tax additions of $322,000, spending of $1,368,170, and an ending balance of $2,874,266. 

Find complete details...

Town Plan 2024 Community Visioning Meetings

Your hopes for the future of your town can only be reflected in the plan if you show up and share them! The plan starts with YOU! 

If you can't attend a meeting, submit your ideas online!

Learn more about the Town Plan...

Staff Updates & News

Congratulations, Officer Fournier!

Officer Bob Fournier graduated from the 114th Vermont Police Academy in December, receiving the Top Driver Award completing the highest in ability to complete the driving standard exercises and a final exam score of 100. Fournier also received the peer-voted Eugene Giotti Award based on the officer's level of honesty, loyalty, motivation, and teamwork. Congratulations, Officer Fournier on your graduation, recognition, and achievements!

Items of Note

LIBRARY HOURS HAVE CHANGED: Starting January 3, the library will be returning to its regular hours of Monday, ,Wednesday, and Friday from 9-5; Tuesday and Thursday from 9-8; and Saturday from 9-2. Visit  www.essexfreelibrary.org for more information. 

WINTER PARKING BAN NOW IN EFFECT: Vehicles may not be parked on the street December 1st through April 1st. Read about the parking ban and other important winter reminders...

ESSEX HUMAN SERVICES FUNDING FOR NONPROFITS: Nonprofit organizations may apply for human services funding to support services provided to Essex residents. Deadline is February 15, 2023. www.essexvt.org/humanservices. 

SENIOR VAN SERVICES: If Essex schools are closed, the senior van and Essex Area Senior Center are also closed. Contact recmail@essex.org or at 878-1342 with questions.

Volunteer Opportunities

Boards & Committees

Have you made your New Year's resolution, yet? How about giving back to your community? Get to know your neighbors and provide recommendations to your local Selectboard members on policy issues. The Town of Essex offers a $50 per meeting stipend to cover indirect costs such as transportation or child care. Most meetings offer attendees the chance to participate online. Volunteering has never been easier!

Highlight: Essex Energy Committee

The Essex Energy Committee's mission is to provide leadership to the citizens and is charged with tracking municipal energy use, recommending targets and actions for decreasing use, researching and recommending opportunities to utilize renewable energy sources and the efficient use of energy within town operations, developing and managing energy efficiency educational programs and creating annual reports on energy projects and opportunities.

Learn more or APPLY TODAY!

Employment Opportunities

Highlight: Community Connections Coordinator

The Essex Community Justice Center is in search of someone who is passionate about restorative approaches to crime and conflict. The Community Connections Coordinator serves as the primary ambassador for Community Connections programming and seeks opportunities to present on the program to new communities to increase awareness of what it offers. 

The Essex Community Justice Center is committed to equity and inclusion, recognizing and respecting that diverse perspectives and experiences are valuable to the team and essential to public service. BIPOC, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ applicants, and people from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Applicants with a criminal record need to be at least one year past the completion of their supervision/sentence in order to be considered. The minimum starting salary for this position is $22 per hour. This position is open until filled and applications can be submitted online at https://essexvt.bamboohr.com/careers.

Mark your Calendar

Jan. 7 - Town Plan Public Forum at 10 am - Lamell Lumber Company
Jan. 9 - Town Plan Public Forum at 11:30 am - virtual
Jan. 9 - Town Plan Public Forum at 6 pm - 1st Republic Brewing
Jan. 10 - Town Plan Public Forum at 10 am - Susan's Place
Jan. 10 - Conservation & Trails Committee Meeting
Jan. 12 - Town Plan Public Forum at 10 am - Uncommon Coffee
Jan. 12 - Planning Commission Meeting
Jan. 12 - Town Plan Public Forum at 6:30 pm - Essex Country Club
Jan. 14 - Town Plan Public Forum at 2 pm - Fort Ethan Allen Museum
Jan. 16 - Offices closed - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 17 - Selectboard Meeting & Public Hearings
Jan. 18 - Housing Commission Meeting
Jan. 26 - Planning Commission Meeting
Jan. 30 - Special Selectboard Meeting & Public Hearings
Feb. 1 - Housing Commission Meeting
Feb. 2 - Economic Development Commission Meeting
Feb. 2 - Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting

View Calendar Event Details

REMINDER: When offices are closed, a drop box is available for payments outside of the entrance door at the Town Offices at 81 Main Street, Essex Junction and many services are available online at www.essexvt.org.

Social Media

Follow the Town of Essex on Facebook
Watch for posts on Front Porch Forum
Subscribe to Town of Essex YouTube
Town of Essex Linked In

Do you have an idea to improve community engagement or have a suggestion for future newsletters?

Please let us know!