The Village Plan
Although there had been discussions surrounding municipal services since 2019, the understanding that Westbury neighborhood is somewhat of a "municipal desert" similar to a "food desert" did not become apparent until 2021. Although we have been researching, asking questions and learning for almost 5 years, the first official public request to explore this idea was in January of 2022 when the idea for trying to provide Westbury residents with municipal services was brought to the Town.
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Since then, we have been speaking with other Vermonters, small government officials, advisors and professionals and are grateful for the knowledge, time (and patience!) they have shared with us in helping us get to this point.
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In August of 2022, the Colchester Selectboard issued an opinion letter (see: The Town tab) stating: "The Town of Colchester is not interested in providing services under contract to a village at Westbury or any other village in the Town of Colchester."
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By respecting their opinion, we have removed the Town from the equation and been able to focus our model in a very simple way on the creation of a village to provide municipal water to the 250 homes in Westbury. Below is an outline of our Village Plan:
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WESTBURY VILLAGE PLAN
PROPOSAL TO CREATE A VILLAGE
For the purpose of owning and operating a municipal water system
For 50 years, Westbury has paid money for repairs and upkeep to the VT-0005060 water system (Colchester FD3) although Westbury is not connected to the Colchester FD3 water system. This is because Westbury’s water system (VT-0020466) is within the geographical area of the Colchester FD3 system.
In May of 2022, Westbury asked for clarification on this from the Champlain Water District’s General Manager who indicated that as Westbury’s system is privately owned, it has been and will continue to be charged retail rate and that wholesale rate is reserved for municipalities.
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If Westbury’s water system was owned by a village (or fire-district) the wholesale rate given to municipalities is an amount $54,000 less than retail when calculated at the current rates ($42,000 vs $96,000).
The net savings could stay in the community and be reinvested in our water system instead of paying to repair a water system we are not connected to.
In Vermont there are more than a dozen villages that are roughly the size of Westbury. They are all simple, no frills, no nonsense entities that get specific things done. Many own and operate their own municipal water systems.
Westbury Village Plan: Staffing
Based on a review of other successful villages in Vermont that deal with only a water system and a few other public services, we propose the following staffing and compensation. It will be up to the Trustees and the voters to propose and accept the actual staffing and compensation. If the Trustees and voters accept this model, they would need to propose it in a Charter request to the Vermont Legislature.
If the Village moved forward with adding other services that lie dormant, similar cost and expense evaluations would need to be done to show how the residents of Westbury would benefit by having the village take on those services.
For our village providing only water services, we recommend the following:
Trustees: 3
Compensation: Volunteer Position
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Moderator: 1
Compensation: Volunteer Position
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Clerk: 1
5 hrs.
Compensation: $100 / month
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Treasurer: 1
Compensation: $60 / month
These positions and compensation are typical of what we have found in the villages and fire districts throughout Vermont that have similar requirements and obligations. Any specific knowledge needed to be learned for the ownership and operation of the water system could be provided by the Co-op to the Village as part of the transition.
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