Town updates reappraisal schedule, Hourglass project and downtown RFP plans

Chris Taylor updated the Selectboard on property reappraisal and local development. He said the Selectboard authorized a contract with NEMRC in 2025 for a town-wide reappraisal to be completed by 2030; door-to-door inspections are scheduled to begin in 2028 and are expected to take two years. Board members discussed the potential for a shifting tax burden onto homeowners if commercial and utility property values do not rise at comparable rates.

Taylor also reported that the Hourglass development is on track for substantial completion in October 2026 and final details in December. The Town will issue an RFP for proposals to develop a 4-acre Town-owned parcel in the downtown core for mixed-use development. Chair Darren Adams noted the wastewater treatment plant is underutilized and said the Town is planning a new water tank or an expansion of the existing tank to support future development.