Hardwick Select Board Approves EMS Deal, Police Appointments Amid Internal Dispute

HARDWICK — July 28, 2025 — Hardwick Select Board approves EMS agreement, police appointments, and liquor license before adjourning over internal dispute. The board unanimously ratified a $35,000 memorandum of agreement with the town of Barre for ambulance service through fiscal year 2026, down $5,000 from last year's contract, and confirmed three police department appointments — Sergeant Brian Gentile, Lieutenant Rob Tupin, and Detective Patrick Armstrong — along with a contract addendum setting phased pay increases of 3.5 percent for the lieutenant position in fiscal years 2027 and 2028. A healthcare task force representative delivered a forceful presentation accusing Ware of excluding Hardwick from discussions over the Gilbert Trust, a fund she described as worth more than $7 million generating roughly $500,000 annually, saying "this is our trust — it's our money, not their money," and adding that she had already contacted the state attorney general's office. The meeting ended when Vice Chair William F. Tinker moved to adjourn rather than proceed with a disputed executive session stemming from a personnel conflict with the acting town administrator; Chair Jeffrey S. Schaaf said he would seek a vote on hiring a professional mediator at a future meeting.