Hardwick Select Board Approves Jackson Dam Design Study, Sets Up Community Task Force

Other Committee · Meeting of June 4, 2026

Hardwick Select Board unanimously backs Jackson Dam design study and launches Australian ballot review task force. At its June 4 meeting, the four-member board approved a letter authorizing the Central Vermont Conservation District to proceed with a roughly $200,000 design-scope study of Jackson Dam — with no town match requested — and endorsed formation of a community steering committee, with details to come at the June 18 meeting. The board also agreed to create a task force to evaluate shifting some or all future votes to Australian ballot after a resident presented data showing only 239 of the town's 2,333 registered voters — about 10 percent — cast ballots on this year's town budget at town meeting, compared to 778 votes, or 33 percent, cast on the school budget under Australian ballot.

The board approved FY27 water and sewer expense budgets at increases of 2.27 percent and 3.86 percent respectively, the latter driven largely by the need to build reserves for the town's local share of anticipated wastewater plant repairs. Zoning and Flood Plane Administrator Kristen Leahy announced she received a national floodplain manager award from the Association of State Floodplain Managers — the first such award given to a New England recipient.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,954 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of June 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.