TOWN OF SWANTON
SELECTBOARD
P.O. BOX 711
1 ACADEMY STREET
SWANTON, VT 05488
802-868-7418
December 18, 2023
Dear voters, residents and business owners located outside of the Village of Swanton:
Your Selectboard is circulating this letter in an effort to have as many people made aware of the proposal to have the Town enter in a long-term contract for policing services with the Village of Swanton. This proposal would be to provide for mirror coverage, the same as the Village now has for 24 hour a day coverage, seven days per week. The target date that this would start would be in 2025 and the actual cost for such coverage would be voted on at Town Meeting on March 4, 2025.
We have heard from many people asking for additional coverage from the present 56 hours of coverage per week. We have also heard from many that they do not feel such coverage is needed at this time. We are simply wanting to get a “good read” on the position of the voters so that we will know how to proceed and what to advise the Village Trustees.
In this effort, there will be a public hearing to be held on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at 7:00 pm at the Swanton Central School Cafeteria, 24 Fourth Street to have this discussion.
This discussion will focus on the operation and costs of the police department to provide this expanded coverage to the town. It will not be a forum to discuss the proposed new public safety facility that the Village is considering for the police and fire departments. There are ongoing public open house meetings being hosted by the Village for that discussion as it is a Village project.
Your Selectboard will sending out a postcard mailer prior to the meeting on January 10th to remind you of it. We are also planning to have Zoom access for the meeting for your convenience. If you have any questions regarding this public hearing, please feel free to contact the Town Administrator, Brian Savage at 802-868-7418 or his Administrative Assistant, Christina Candels at 802-466-7142.
Wishing you all a happy and joyous Holiday Season,
Sincerely,
The Selectboard of the Town of Swanton