In the quiet corners of Berlin, Vermont, a clash of priorities is unfolding over a few strips of roadside brush. What the town road crew views as routine maintenance, a dedicated community of birdwatchers sees as a threat to one of the region’s most critical wildlife habitats.
The dispute over Berlin board brush hogging reached a boiling point during a recent Monday night select board meeting, where members found themselves mediating between the practical needs of municipal equipment and the ecological urgency of nesting seasons. The board ultimately deferred action on several major town projects, but the timeline for the brush hogging is far more compressed, forcing a rapid-response site visit to determine the fate of the vegetation around Berlin Pond.
The tension centers on Mirror Lake Road. While work has already been completed on the pond’s north finish and along Brookfield Road—where a wider buffer of land exists between the pavement and the water—the road crew is now poised to enter a more sensitive stretch. For the birding community, the stakes are high. they argue that the timing and location of the clearing could devastate local nesting areas.
Conservation vs. Maintenance on Mirror Lake Road
The push to halt the machinery is led by Nat Shambaugh, an ornithologist and member of the Berlin Pond Watershed Association. Shambaugh and other advocates have urged the board to implement a formal policy to protect the area, noting that the National Audubon Society has identified the site as an “important bird area.”
The argument for the brush hogging, however, is rooted in the daily realities of town operations. Road Foreman Tim Davis noted that overgrown brush doesn’t just obstruct views; it poses a physical risk to expensive town trucks, which can be scratched by branches encroaching on the narrow roadway. Davis as well contended that clearing the brush provides a safer off-road alternative for pedestrians and runners who currently navigate the pond’s perimeter.
Shambaugh countered that the brush is not the primary deterrent for walkers. “The brush is not what’s keeping people off the edge of the road,” Shambaugh said. “They just like walking in the middle of the road. It’s a better place to walk.”
Adding professional weight to the conservation side, Sean Beckett, program director at the North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier, emphasized that Berlin Pond is not a typical roadside. “This is not an ordinary place,” Beckett said, describing the pond as the “premier bird-watching destination of all of central Vermont” due to its exceptional bird diversity.
A Growing ‘To-Do’ List for a Latest Board
The brush hogging dispute is only one of several complex issues facing a “new-look” select board. Chair Jared Felch, along with members Brian Divelbliss and Kris Hayward, have expressed skepticism regarding previous plans and expenditures, leading to a series of deferred decisions.
Among the most contentious is a proposed sidewalk project running from the intersection of Route 62 and Paine Turnpike North to the Fisher Road intersection. While the project aligns with a vision for a walkable town center and has secured significant funding, some board members have dubbed it a “sidewalk to nowhere.”
The financial breakdown of the sidewalk project highlights the board’s dilemma:
| Funding Source | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Congressional Earmark | $1.6 million | Federal funding secured |
| State Grant | $900,000 | Separate state award |
| Town Contribution | $400,000 – $580,000 | Required to leverage grants |
Beyond the initial construction, the board is weighing the long-term burden of winter maintenance. Member Karla Nuissl suggested contracting the snow removal to avoid purchasing new equipment, warning that the town risks losing the grant money if the project is stalled. “If we don’t use it, we’re going to lose it,” Nuissl cautioned.
Infrastructure and Local Opposition in Riverton
The board is also navigating the “Riverton Community Wastewater Project,” a municipal septic system described by Town Administrator Vince Conti as a “septic system on steroids.” The project, supported by a $1.1 million congressional earmark, was designed to facilitate new housing development in Riverton after the area received village center designation in 2019.
However, the project has met with stiff local resistance. Jared Felch indicated that several Riverton residents are strongly opposed to the system, particularly a plan to convert a local church and its meeting house into residential housing. Due to this opposition, the board has tabled further discussion on the wastewater project until its next regular meeting.
In addition to these infrastructure battles, the board deferred the approval of a new five-year ambulance contract with Barre Town Emergency Medical Services, signaling a period of intense scrutiny for all town contracts and projects.
The immediate focus now shifts to the soil and the nests of Berlin Pond. The select board has scheduled a special meeting and a site visit to Mirror Lake Road to determine if the road crew should be halted or if a compromise can be reached to protect the habitat without compromising town equipment.
The next formal checkpoint for the board’s broader agenda is the regular meeting scheduled for April 27, where the Riverton wastewater project and other deferred items will be revisited. Zoning Administrator Tom Badowski and members of the planning commission are expected to provide further briefings on the sidewalk and septic initiatives.
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