Greensboro Association Position on Caspian Beach Potential Sale
The Greensboro Association has sent a letter to the Greensboro Select Board supporting their efforts to come up with an equitable, community based solution which maintains local control of the Caspian Public Beach and importantly, does not change the use of the beach to all area residents. Copies of this letter, which was drafted in response to a request from the Select Board and to rapidly developing events regarding the Beach, were distributed at a meeting on Monday night in Greensboro. A letter has also been sent to the editor at the Hardwick Gazette stating our position.
The GA position has been developed by a subgroup of GA members chaired by Andy Dales.
Hardwick has owned the public beach for several decades, and Greensboro has viewed the property as not subject to state tax assessment since it is recreational and for the public good. For many years, both Hardwick and Greensboro, plus the GA, have contributed to the upkeep and maintenance of the beach, and to the important task of detecting incoming boats for Invasive Species like Milfoil. Last year, the State of Vermont found the property was not tax exempt, and forced Greensboro to assess Hardwick approximately $10,000 in property Tax. Hardwick is contesting this judgement in the courts, but is also understandably searching for other ways to mitigate the tax burden while keeping the property open and usable to all community residents. The Greensboro Association fully understands and sympathises with the Hardwick Select Boards tax situation, and has committed to working with the Greensboro Select Board and the Hardwick Select Board to develop a solution.