Note that the following message was printed in the Hardwick Gazette on 3/17/21 and was also posted to Front Porch Forum on 3/14/21.
At our March meeting, Greensboro’s Selectboard signed a one-year contract for police services with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department. We arrived at this decision after four months of careful deliberation over the contract terms and conditions. It is in no way a condemnation of the quality of service we received from the Hardwick Police Department and we thank them for their work over the years.
Contract negotiations with Hardwick stalled in November, primarily over how to fairly determine Greensboro’s cost for police services. Both our current contract and the proposed renewal contract put Greensboro in a highly disadvantageous position. Therefore, the Selectboard was obligated to investigate other options. A few weeks ago, Hardwick’s negotiators finally decided to take Greensboro’s point of view seriously. However, by that point, we had found an alternative that we believe will be more responsive to our concerns and requests.
After many meetings and interviews, we determined that the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department was the best candidate to provide police services for the town. There was no disagreement among the current and previous Selectboard members in the final decision. We are confident that Greensboro will receive as much, or more, patrol presence as the town presently receives, as well as increased accountability and improved reporting, and at a lower cost. The new contract begins July 1, 2021.
Sheriff Jennifer Harlow and her deputies look forward to meeting and serving the people of Greensboro, and it is with enthusiasm that we welcome them into our community. We invite your questions and comments at any time. We will continue to solicit input and monitor the quality of police services during and after the transition.