Page 13 - 2025 Brighton VT Annual Report

the spring with planned removal during the summer. If contamination is found, the town will be
applying for a grant to help pay for the cleanup costs.

The last known big project is one that none of the town staff were aware was still available. The town was
awarded $196,000 to make improvements to the pavilion side of the park including adding a stamped
concrete patio area around the pavilion to eliminate the “mud and dust patch” that occurs if we hold
concerts in the pavilion; adding a walk path from Cross Street through the park connecting to a new
cement base upon which the town dock will sit; lighting upgrades, a new park sign at the corner of Mill
and Cross Streets and some minor landscaping upgrades. The grant was awarded in 2023 and when it
wasn’t completed under the previous town manager, everyone thought it had been closed out. I was
recently contacted by the state inquiring about its status and learned that we have until April of 2027
for completion. The grant does have a $48,000 match requirement but upon further investigation, we
have already paid out a third of that in engineering fees with no chance of getting reimbursed if we don’t
complete the project. I will be working with the selectboard to decide on the best path forward. It is a
very large sum of money that would benefit our park, and I would hate to simply let it slip away if we have
the capacity to get the project finished.

I would like to end this very long report discussing a couple of the
articles to be addressed at the Monday night Town Meeting. First
is the article concerning the cost of fireworks. The Town has long
partnered with the Chamber of Commerce, initially, and more
recently with the Brighton Community Forum (known as Visit Island
Pond), to produce the annual Independence Day celebration.
In the early years, the display cost about $5,000 and the town
contributed $1,000 and the rest was raised from donations by the
local businesses. In 2017 the Forum began obtaining grants that
covered the costs for this and the other town events. Over the last
8 years, more than a million dollars has been raised and spent to
promote the town and create all the events for residents and visitors
alike. Unfortunately, the current administration in Washington
specifically targeted the Northeast Kingdom stating that the funding
mechanism was promoting equity for rural economically depressed
areas and therefore not a priority and the money for our region
was pulled back. The Forum, along with neighboring organizations
also dependent on this funding, have been working with our
congressional delegation and the Governor to try and get the funding restored. This abrupt end of funding
has sent shockwaves through our area. Brighton is one of the hardest hit as we don’t have the number
of large businesses that places like Newport or St. Johnsbury do that could help to fill the void. This lack
of funding couldn’t come at a worse time as costs have escalated out of control. Increased insurance
costs along with tariffs on the fireworks themselves have driven the cost of our annual display to $20,000,
a $5,000 increase over last year. I asked the selectboard to add this article so the voters can weigh in on
whether the town should cover the cost of the display at least for this year.

Second is the voter-backed petition to return the selectboard to a three-member board as it was two
years ago. I personally have no vested interest whichever way this vote goes. The current selectboard
and I have a great working relationship and if I could just keep them for the next 10 years or so, we’d
be good. Jeanne Gervais, after serving on the selectboard for many years and on the school board for
many before that, has decided not to run this time. As much as I hate to see her go, I am thankful to
have had her dedication and knowledge on the board for as long as we did. Bruce Webster attended
almost every board meeting of every board for more than three years which is why the board appointed

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