All Entries in the "Chester" Category
Auditor tells Chester board the town tax is ‘artificially low’ 'You're lean and mean, but you've got no money'
By Shawn Cunningham ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC You’re lean and mean but you’ve got no money,” said auditor Ron Smith at the June 17 Chester Select Board meeting. “But we’re not in the hole,” replied Town Manager Julie Hance. Smith agreed, but reiterated that the town does not have enough money sufficient for cash flow […]
Green Mountain graduates 47 as thunderstorms avoid Chester Photo gallery of an evening to remember
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC The possibility of rain passed by mid-afternoon Friday and the sun was shining through high clouds as 44 members of the Class of 2026 marched out to Pomp and Circumstance and took their seats set up on the lawn of the high school. A little over an […]
Chester Dems to meet June 25 to nominate JPs
The Chester Town Democratic Committee will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 25 in the conference room of the Chester Town Hall, 556 Elm St. The meeting will include nominating for six candidates for justices of the peace from the Chester Town Democratic Committee. This caucus meeting is open to all. For more […]
Chester board hears that audits will show no deficits, reservoir dam recommendations
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC At last Wednesday’s meeting, the Chester Select Board got a bit of good news when Town Manager Julie Hance announced that there was no negative fund balance or deficit for 2024 or 2025. Back in January, Hance said that although the town received a clean audit for […]
Chester board OKs federal grant application, solar field purchase
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC In one of the most unusual agendas in recent memory, the Chester Select Board held two meetings last Wednesday with three executive sessions and a legal tutorial on the roles of the board and town manager in Vermont statutes from town attorney Jim Carroll. While the remainder […]
Chester Select Board agenda for March 18
The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday March 18 at Town Hall, 556 Elm Street and remotely via Zoom. Belwo is the board’s agenda: 1. Approval of Minutes of March 4, 2026 Select board Meeting 2. Citizen’s Comments 3. Old Business 4. Sharon Baker; Permission to Use Green […]
Class 4 roads continue to generate dust-ups for Chester board Road salt shortage limits use to main highways
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Chester Select Board is having quite a moment with Class 4 roads, a subject that heats up from time to time like a dormant volcano. While the board has been working on a policy for the use of those ancient rights of way — which the […]
Chester clerk reminds owners to renew their pooch’s license Rabies clinic and registration event scheduled for March 7
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC There’s Stellas and Ellas and Bellas and Belles, Lunas and Triggers and Bears. Oh my. Contrary to the popular Florence and The Machine song, the dog days are not over. In fact, it’s time to get ready to have your furry friends registered with Chester Town Hall […]
Chester board approves budget and Town Meeting warning Hance explains response to questions of deficits
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC At last Wednesday’s meeting, the Chester Select Board finalized the March Town Meeting warning and the budget it will put before the voters on Monday, March 2. The board also heard from Town Manager Julie Hance regarding the question of budget deficits for the years 2024 and […]
Gravity + water + frigid temps = winter art
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC One of the joys of driving on Popple Dungeon Road every day in the winter is watching the evolution of self-creating ice sculpture at Peter Delaney’s place, where the blacktop ends and the gravel road begins. Each fall, Delaney brings out a wooden structure he’s created that […]
Chester Select Board, Water Commission agendas for Jan. 21
The Chester Select Board will hold a meeting as the Water and Sewer Commission at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday Jan. 21 at Town Hall, 556 Elm Street and remotely via Zoom. The Select Board will hold a meeting directly after the Water and Sewer meeting. Below are the meeting agendas. Water and Sewer Commission 1. […]
Chester Board adds vote on local option tax to Town Meeting warning
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC More than a year after it was originally brought up and after several months of discussion with the public, the Chester Select Board decided at its Jan. 7 meeting to put the question of adding 1 percent to the current sales tax on rooms, meals and alcohol […]
Candlelight vigils held in Chester for Minnesota ICE shooting victim
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Over the weekend, about 150 people gathered on Chester’s Green to hold two candlelight vigils for Renee Nicole Good, the 37-year-old Minneapolis mother of three who was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent last Thursday morning. Both vigils started at 5 p.m. and […]
Afternoon fire destroys garage on Cummings Rd. No one injured in two-alarm blaze
UPDATE: At 4:41 a.m. on Monday, firefighters from Chester, Proctorsville and Weathersfield were called back to the scene for the reported re-ignition of the remains of the building. By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Seven area fire companies with 35 firefighters responded to Cummings Road in Chester Sunday afternoon to quell a fire […]
Chester mulls a local option tax; neighboring towns already have them and like them
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Chester Select Board is nearing its deadline to decide whether to put before the voters in March a 1 percent local tax that would be in addition to the current state sales taxes charged on rooms and meals and served alcohol. We thought it would be […]
Chester board hears objections to local option tax, appoints development panel members
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Chester Select Board last Wednesday looked at 2026 budgets for Public Works as well as the Water and Sewer departments and appointed four volunteers for a new economic development commission. But the continuing discussion of a 1 percent local option tax on rooms (hotel, inn and […]
Agendas for Dec. 17 Chester Select Board and Water/Sewer Commission meetings
The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting following their meeting as the Town’s Water and Sewer Commission meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025 at Town Hall, 556 Elm Street and via Zoom. Below are their agendas. Water and Sewer Commissioners Meeting 1. Citizen’s Comments 2. 2026 Budget Discussion – Water Department […]
Santa lights up the Chester Green
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Carolers, bundled up against the chill, gathered around a blazing firepit on the Chester Green last Saturday afternoon singing songs of Christmas while across Main Street, Laurie and Samantha Vertefeuille were putting the finishing touches on Santa’s house. Cookies, candy canes and hot chocolate were ready. All […]
Chester Board hears local option tax concerns, picks new moderator Frank Kelley to replace longtime Moderator Bill Dakin at 2026 Town Meeting
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC For several meetings, the Chester Select Board has discussed putting on the Town Meeting Day ballot a 1 percent local option sales tax on rooms and meals, which would include short-term rentals and alcohol served at restaurants. The tax, which would be paid for by each establishment’s […]
Snowy morning crash blocks Rt. 103N in Chester Car-tractor trailer collision sends two to hospital
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Tuesday’s snow storm was four hours old when it caused a two-vehicle crash that shut down Route 103 north in Chester into mid-afternoon. Both drivers suffered injuries and were transported to Springfield Hospital. There were no passengers in either vehicle. At just before 11 a.m. Chester Police […]