Located in the southwestern corner of the state, Hinsdale was chartered in 1753. It was named for Colonel Ebenezer Hinsdale. Col. Hinsdale served as chaplain at Fort Dummer, an important trading post on the Connecticut River, later enlisting as an officer in the army. Then, in 1742, he established Fort Hinsdale. Settlers came from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut to homestead. A number of farms grew up along the Connecticut River near the confluence of the Ashuelot River. The area had been a favorite of the Native Tribes that inhabited the region.

This statement is being issued by the Hinsdale Select Board related to the Town’s prospective purchase of the property located at 59 Plain Road in light of the fact that the Select Board will be asking for the Town Meeting to vote on the matter again at the regularly scheduled March Town Meeting. 

On August 27, 2024, the Cheshire County Superior Court issued a decision authorizing the Town to hold a special town meeting to discuss the acquisition of the property located at 59 Plain Road.  The purpose of the Superior Court’s hearing was to determine whether an “emergency” existed to justify holding a special town meeting.  When the Town sought authorization to hold the special town meeting, the article presented was as follows: “To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $408,000.00 (Four hundred eight thousand dollars) for the purpose of purchasing the property at 59 Plain Road in Hinsdale for the purpose of utilizing this property to construct the Town’s proposed new Fire Department facility.”  The Superior Court’s Order found that an emergency existed and authorized the Town to hold a special town meeting “for the purpose of acting upon the article set forth” in the petition. 

When preparing for the special town meeting, the Department of Revenue Administration (“DRA”) required the Town to more specifically identify the funding sources for the proposed acquisition.  Taking that advise, the ultimate article that was submitted to the special town meeting was:  “To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $399,000.00 (three hundred ninety-nine thousand dollars) for the purpose of purchasing the property at 59 Plain Road in Hinsdale for the purpose of utilizing this property to construct the Town’s proposed new Fire Department facility, such sum of $230,000 (two hundred thirty thousand dollars) to come from the Fire Station Building Expendable Trust and $169,000 (one hundred sixty-nine thousand dollars) from the Unassigned Fund Balance.”  The article passed by a secret ballot vote of 155 yes to 78 no. 

On December 5, 2024, the DRA informed the Town that it was going to disallow the warrant article, meaning it was not going to authorize the use of the town funds to purchase the property.  The DRA’s position is that the Superior Court’s order only allowed for the special town meeting to act on the originally submitted article, and the article that was submitted to the voters (that (a) reduced the needed funding and (b) clarified the funding sources) was contrary to article submitted to the Superior Court.  The DRA, therefore, concluded that the vote was not effective and that the Town would have to consider the matter again at the March 2025 Town Meeting. 

 While the Town and the Town’s legal counsel strongly disagree with the DRA’s position, particularly where the Superior Court was only determining whether an emergency existed and where the article voted on at the special town meeting simply clarified that no additional revenues would be raised through taxation, the Select Board is seeking to obtain an extension from the seller of 59 Plain Road to delay any sale until after the March 2025 Town Meeting.  If the seller agrees to the extension, the Select Board will do as directed and place the matter on the warrant for the Town’s 2025 Annual Meeting and will adhere to the vote from that town meeting. 

The Town appreciates the time and participation of the voters at the special town meeting, and the Select Board hopes for the same level of engagement exhibited by the public at the March 2025 Town Meeting and subsequent town meetings.

 

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The 2024 Tax Rate is in and we apologize for the delay. The Board of Selectmen in the past and this year have used a portion of the Unretained Fund Balance to buy down the Town portion of Tax Rate. The Tax Rate was estimated at $30.07 per thousand dollars of assessed value. The Unretained Fund Balance was $514,108. The Board of Selectmen chose to use $300,000 to reduce the Tax Rate by $0.68 establishing the 2024 Tax Rate of $29.39.

Sincerely, Julie Seymour, Tax Collector