Rutland’s write-in mayoral election was already a week over, and a triumphant Tom Donahue joined a business chamber mixer last Tuesday to press the flesh and thank voters. No surprise: his wife Gayle, a frequent campaign partner and prolific social media supporter of her husband, was by his side. “I wouldn’t be anywhere without her,” the incoming mayor frequently said during the campaign.
May run for Chittenden County State’s Attorney
In Burlington, poll workers and an education non-profit kept watch for federal immigration agents during Town Meeting Day voting.
Donahue, following a long career in public life in Rutland, notably gained an endorsement from Governor Phil Scott.
Meanwhile, residents in Waterbury overwhelmingly approved spending more than $4.3 million on a flood mitigation project aimed at protecting homes, businesses and infrastructure from future disasters.
If you know if your local school budget passed or failed, email results and (if you have them) totals RIGHT NOW to news@vermontdailychronicle.com.
Ground rules are out for hearing; Trustees plan to keep decision a secret
Small town faces small school closure at Town Meeting.
The Town of Cambridge cut municipal spending, but paying taxpayers are still looking at a big tax hike.
Donahue: longtime alderman, endorsed by Gov. Phil Scott. Reynolds: electrician and entrepreneur. Just two of the candidates in the all-write-in election for Rutland mayor.
“At this point I will be voting no,” Scott said, citing a projected increase of $250/$100,000 of home values.
When the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife issued permits for fishing tournaments on the reservoir for the 2026 season—without notifying the city that relies on it for drinking water—Barre officials were caught off guard. When they protested, state officials reportedly offered a creative solution: tournament participants could technically “parachute in” to avoid trespassing on city land.
A risk with so many of Rutland’s big-name politicians running on a write-in ballot on March 3 was laid out by Ray LaMoria, a retired Rutland police detective, on Facebook in response to Allaire’s decision. “I’m concerned that there (are) so many good candidates including yourself for Mayor that it is going to split the vote and provide the opportunity (for) someone who shouldn’t be mayor (to) get elected. Too bad you guys couldn’t coalesce around one candidate with the same values for this one-year position.” A reported 13 candidates will also be on the ballot for five open Board of Aldermen seats.
Two Chittenden County communities – Hinesburg and Shelburne — have new permanent police chiefs.
Supreme Court rejects Town appeal
The apathy rate of Burlington voters is high, just like the city’s crime rate.
Delinquent property taxes are becoming a significant problem in some communities already grappling with tight budgets, rising costs, and uncertainty over future education finance reforms.
The town manager reportedly stole $180,000 from the Vershire Fire Department. A forensic audit of the town’s books would cost up to $250K, and wouldn’t guarantee any stolen money would be returned.
In particular, one Facebook commenter said the resolution would have no effect on ICE except to draw federal attention to Williston as a sanctuary town. “It equates to the drunk driver that thinks he’s smart for throwing his beer cans/packages out the window so they’re not in his car if he gets pulled over. That pile of cans on the side of the road equates to putting up a big sign that says, ‘I drive drunk on this road, please patrol here more,’” Frank Williams said.
A Vermont school district is under federal investigation amid allegations that its policies discriminate against girls by allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports. “These policies jeopardize both the safety and the equal opportunities of women in educational programs and activities,” OCR said in a statement announcing the investigations.
A new initiative in Bennington County signals a major shift in how Vermont enforces school bus passing laws, but the full legal framework won’t be in place until August 2026.
After years of coping with rampant drug use, vandalism, littering, unsanitary conditions, crime and panhandling that downtown business owners say drives away customers, the town selectboard on January 6 resolved – almost – to remove encampments – a policy first proposed three years ago.
Newport City was awarded nearly $30,000 to explore thermal energy networks that could lower housing and energy costs using existing sewer infrastructure and Lake Memphremagog’s ambient temperatures.
The most transformative aspect of the newly adopted plan is the authorization of significantly taller buildings along the city’s major corridors.
Never think your vote doesn’t matter…the original tally was 87-86, but one ballot – a Yes – was spoiled because it was signed by the voter.
State’s Attorney Sarah George said she would not take any more cases from Officer Wilson.
There is a shadowy international group behind Dan DeWalt’s proposed ballot items.
Toborg’s election to chair this month was not without hesitation and misgivings by the other members.
The debate in Pittsford wasn’t about personalities or local politics. It reflected a broader question confronting nearly every town in Vermont: Where does state law end and agency preference begin?
UVM intends to seek permits for additional towers as the program expands over the coming years, with full network completion potentially taking up to ten years.
“We face hard choices,” the document continues. “Some people in Vermont are going hungry and going without health care. Others are taking vouchers away from the academies and public schools to fund taxpayer funded ski schools that require parents to ‘top off’ the tuition…”
A Vershire woman arrested last week for embezzling $186,000 from the Tunbridge Volunteer Fire Department over the last decade has been forced out as town manager in Williamstown.
Charter Committee hits pause on tax fairness measures, ponders advisory vote
The results were announced shortly after noon today.
In off-year voting yesterday, Washington County voters said no to a Berlin Rec Center, yes to housing and public works garage in Barre. Results on the Central Vermont Career Center won’t be available until Thursday.
The bond vote will be across 18 Washington County towns including Montpelier, Waitsfield, Barre City and Barre Town. Northfield and Woodbury are not included in this vote nor the district. You can read the full list of towns here.
On October 8, 2025, in a late-night meeting, the City Council voted to approve a one-year, sole-source brokerage contract with White + Burke to manage the recruitment of a developer for the property.
A promotional video released Friday by Newport Downtown Development showcases a city attempting to rebuild trust and economic vitality years after a fraudulent development scheme left downtown with an empty construction site and disillusioned residents.
Following the resignation of the Northfield Police chief over alleged racial discrimination within the community, a Northfield resident has posted a list of alleged severe operational failures by the chief including zero traffic stops in two years, a refusal to wear a police uniform, and breaking public information laws.
A public meeting planned for Wednesday to discuss plans by the Woodstock Resort Corp. to demolish two historic homes on South Street by the Woodstock Inn was postponed after the Village failed to comply with the Vermont Open Meeting Law.
No injuries were reported. However the Clubhouse and Hogan’s Pub suffered irreparable damage.
Why the elected town government, acting on behalf of all its constituents, would trade its opposition for nearly a quarter-million dollars in annual revenue and other benefits.
Deputy involved in fatal shooting among them
So another question arises: Should taxpayers be expected to keep funding an employee who openly disparages a large portion of the very community he serves?
The project, first identified in the 2016 Memphremagog Stormwater Master Plan managed by the Memphremagog Watershed Association, is now known as the Newport City Elementary School Green Schools Initiative. It supports ongoing efforts to meet Lake Memphremagog’s Total Maximum Daily Load requirements for phosphorus reduction and the Tactical Basin Plan workplan for the watershed.
Reliance on on-site septic and well water signifies that a place “is frozen in amber, ain’t nothing gonna happen here again, it is what it is, nothing’s gonna change,” said Chris Campany, executive director of the Windham County Regional Planning Commission.
Last Woodstock chief demoted in part for his haircuts
“It was a straight up geyser,” said Tim Sinnott of Parkside Drive, who was checking out the site with his family. Sinnott said water shot 120 feet into the air.
Vermont Superior Court Judge H. Dickson Corbett ruled Friday afternoon that the five Woodstock Village Trustees — Chair Seton McIlroy, Vice Chair Jeffrey Kahn, and members Brenda Blakeman, Frank Horneck, and Lisa Lawlor — had failed to properly follow the law.
This year, over 40 community members and 11 partner organizations participated in Local Working Groups to identify the top three funding priorities. Each priority will receive $200,000 through separate Local Fund Pools.
Baker said the city received 14 applications to replace Chief Shawn Burke, who resigned, effective in March, to take a two-year post as the interim police chief in Burlington.
What do a pit and a jellyfish have in common? Find out by reading ‘The Big Pit on State Street.’
The city was notified that $2.5 million for water main replacement and $1.5 million to elevate a 20-unit building on Elm Street damaged by 2023 floodwaters will not be funded.
Voters will decide whether to provide $15,000
The bugs have been spotted in 96 out of Vermont’s 247 municipal areas, the state says
A Vermont superintendent and an attorney for a public school that prohibited a young student from wearing a shirt that states “There are only 2 genders” now claim the school did not discipline her, and that it has consistently “[done its] very best to protect free speech in schools.” These officials are using local media to gaslight the Vermont public and the school community. The school’s own emails reveal what actually occurred.
Hartford recently announced major construction is needed for the high school building after learning PCB levels are considered dangerous and in need of remediation, with no help coming from the state. A lawsuit against Monsanto may be the only thing available outside of increasing taxes.
On the hook for the bill will be either Hartford taxpayers or Monsanto. The State of Vermont, which requires testing for PCBs in buildings built before 1980, has already stated it will not be giving any financial assistance.
Brennan presented the flip-side of Vyhovsky’s public safety argument: that responsible people carrying guns makes them, and the community, safer.
A citizen had asked the selectboard on April 8, “Why isn’t he wearing [his uniform] so he looks like a police chief and not a gangster off the street that’s just driving our cruisers around?”
It is becoming lawless and it will reap what it sows.
On the lower end of the scale, Andover’s budget is a relatively small $1.24 million, while South Burlington’s comes in at a much larger $55.8 million.
She clearly rejects our long-established unity in favor of the tools of division.
Otter Valley Unified Union School District residents are weighing their options after the district’s proposed $28 million budget was approved by just one vote.
If Hamas stopped fighting, there would be no war. If Israel stopped fighting, there would be no Israel.
Residents voted 130-30 to pass Article 13, which proposed a reserve fund dedicated to expanding the community.
Even though the school had relented, the student was threatened with discipline yet again by a teacher when M.P. next wore the shirt to school the next week.
After a half hour closed door meeting Monday evening with the Selectboard, the town manager announced the town was headed in a different direction.
Rejected proposals would have put budget, town issues to voters by secret ballot
Officials say that the facility requires replacing control systems, mechanical and electrical components, and making structural repairs and improvements.
The current model of education funding is inefficient and unsustainable. There are clear areas for significant saving that will make VT more affordable for all.
A proposal to build a $12.1M Valley Community Center (VCC) is moving forward across multiple towns, with funding to come primarily from taxpayer-backed bonds.
“Making some compromises to keep the spending increase in check”
A PAC with missing money, unfiled reports, and unanswered questions
A new bill seeks to formalize the always-controversial process of closing a community’s public elementary school.
“People cannot sustain continued tax increases, especially in the light of an upcoming city-wide reappraisal” of real estate valuations that could lead to yet higher taxes, according to a Clifford campaign statement this month.
There can be exceptions to these numbers when concerning for example students who fall into special education categories that require more attention and resources.
To ensure a degree of local input, Scott is calling for creation of local school advisory councils, to “promote high levels of community engagement.”
Engineers’ recommendations revolve largely around the construction of two new bridges on Main Street across tributaries of the Winooski River.
The Burlington City Council January 13 covered police department concerns, proposed changes to impact fees, and a land use agreement with UVMMC.
Ufford-Chase also serves as executive director of Newport Downtown Development. Current Mayor, Linda Joy Sullivan, will not be seeking a second term.
VT legislators propose local zoning Board of Appeals
While we have no voice in the operation of the town government, nor should we, the functioning of the town is so critical to those of us who frequent it.
Woodstock residents are not being permitted to read the investigative report they are paying for concerning management concerns within the village PD.
It’s been a year since the Westbury mobile home park in Colchester became the Village of Westbury, the first village established in Vermont in nearly a century.
The Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District Board (SVUESD) voted shortly before Christmas to have the Pledge of Allegiance recited every day.
They will have to focus on student academic achievement by setting specific measurable goals and focusing district resources on meeting those goals.
After offering a reward leading to arrest, the selectboard learned the FBI recommends offering rewards leading to the conviction of the apprehended suspect.
According to the contract with the town, the investigator has been asked to investigate employee concerns based on town policies and procedures.
As with many of Vermont’s urban centers, Montpelier is struggling with problems caused by street people.
Citizens question how Municipal Manager Eric Duffy has handled the paid administrative leave he ordered for Police Chief Joseph Swanson in October.
Deputy Mayor Thomas Renner emphasized three goals city leaders are looking at: affordability, multi-bedroom units and putting units up for sale.
In the last legislative session, lawmakers approved a $1.1 million budget for the Commission.
South Burlington School District’s middle and high schools have had to play the waiting game for their planned stormwater project.
By banning guns in bars Burlington has broken State law, namely 24 VSA 2295, better known as the “pre-emption statute.”
Strong support voiced for the draft Master Plan, despite many remaining questions.
If the city voters approve this initiative in March, Vermont’s new ‘purple’ legislature, with more Republican representation in both the House and Senate, will ultimately decide along with the governor if this will become law.
“Colby said he would likely call immigration authorities after a traffic stop if he thought the people in the car were undocumented….Colby estimated his department had relayed about 20 cases to immigration authorities in the last year, not a particularly high figure in his mind,” the news story said.
“What I’ve heard and documented are fairly consistent experiences of girls, aged 11–16, being sexually harassed by men gathered on the bike path. In several cases, girls have been followed and pursued.”
Does Vermont need a thicker layer of county government between state and municipal?
