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Selectboard adopts Parks and Recreation needs assessment and impact fees analysis. * reed nye * jul 14, 2026 * 0. ESSEX TOWN - With 47% of town residents living within a 10-minute walk to outdoor recreation, Essex Parks and Recreation's 12 parks enable the town to surpass its peers in outdoor activity and natural resources. "We are generally headed in the right direction," Adriane Martin, director of parks and recreation, told the Essex Selectboard July 13. "Certainly much more brainstorming, creativity, thinking outside-the-box and using the information that we are hearing here on what our community is interested in that helps guide us in what is going to be successful. What is going to guide us to generate revenue?" Over the past year, Parks and Recreation partnered with consulting firm BerryDunn to conduct a recreation needs assessment and impact fee analysis. The recreation needs assessment studied four types of parks: neighborhood, community, destination and natural area. Essex Town has 96.8 acres of available parks per 1,000 residents and 1,066 total acres of parkland, a standard that compares to 250 acres nationally and 593 acres regionally in New England, according to the study. The study also collected data from Oct. 2025 to Jan. 2026 at Parks and Recreation events, the Parks and Recreation website and various online surveys. These results determined that adult fitness, community special events and outdoor adventure activities are residents' greatest priorities, followed by programs for seniors, cultural enrichment, waterfitness and performing and visual arts. One of the weaker areas of Parks and Recreation was the amount of indoor space available for year-round activities, limiting certain arts and indoor-based activity offerings. "As the budget allows, additional investment in maintaining what you already have will go a long way," Ryan Hegreness, BerryDunn manager, said. "The town and staff are doing a remarkable job in maintaining the parks system especially with the resources available." While the Parks and Recreation department's spending per capita is in line with the regional average, their operating resource revenue per capita is lower than the regional and national averages, comparing $29 to $47 and $54 respectively. BerryDunn worked with Parks and Recreation to develop an impact fee analysis to assess an additional method of raising revenue. An impact fee is a one-time charge levied by municipalities on new developments to cover growth-related infrastructure and public service needs. If implemented, this new source of revenue could fund capital improvements, like some of the parks and recreation department's deficits defined by the needs assessment. BerryDunn and the Parks and Recreation department outlined minimal, moderate and maximum growth scenarios, but recommended using a moderate growth scenario in which the town acquired an additional 1,700 residents and 740 new residential units over the next 10 years. The town would see a recreation impact fee revenue of $50,000-65,000 annually if the moderate growth targets are met. The selectboard unanimously adopted the recreational needs assessment and the impact fee analysis July 13. The selectboard did not set any fees with this decision. The adoption of the assessment and analysis allows the town to use the studies for future decision-making. Also at the meeting, the selectboard added an article to the November ballot asking constituents to approve a local options tax. LOT is an additional 1% tax on all sales in a municipality. Towns receive 75% of revenue and can use the money to fund a variety of projects. The City of Essex Junction deployed a LOT in 2022. Other nearby towns with such a tax include Colchester, St. Albans City and Town, Williston, Winooski and Swanton. The board also denied a citizen request to add an article to the November ballot to amend the town charter to prohibit individuals from serving on both the Planning Commission and the Development Review Board. The selectboard discussed upcoming tax rates which will be set in August. Deputy Town Manager Karen Adams said residents filed around 400 formal grievances against their assessed property values. She noted residents had many concerns about the appraisal project and how assessed values would impact their taxes.

BerryDunn's 30th annual EMPOWER Summit tackles issues facing nonprofits. BerryDunn will host its annual Nonprofit Summit, EMPOWER, on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. Continuing a 30-year history of providing education for nonprofit leaders, the half-day virtual summit will focus on current industry trends and practical guidance to help leaders in the nonprofit sector confidently navigate an increasingly complex environment. Presenters at this year's summit will address funding pressures and resource constraints, increased federal and state scrutiny, audit readiness and process improvement, better board reporting, and other challenges impacting nonprofits today. "EMPOWER is an opportunity for our team to share insights and best practices with nonprofit leaders - and a chance for them to connect with our team," said Emily Parker, a Principal in the firm's Nonprofit Audit, Tax, and Consulting Services Practice Group. "Because we partner with nonprofits around the country, we have a unique perspective on the issues they face, what's on the horizon, and how to grow and thrive going forward." What started 30 years ago as local educational workshops in Portland and Bangor, Maine, grew into a prominent regional conference in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Today, this premier thought-leadership summit has transitioned into a national virtual event. Led by BerryDunn's audit and consulting experts, the summit equips diverse nonprofit organizations with the practical insights and strategies needed to successfully fulfill their missions. This year's summit kicks off with a Nonprofit Industry Outlook focused on trends shaping the coming year, presented by BerryDunn Principals Emily Parker and Danielle Bedard. * Principals Joseph Byrne, Grant Ballantyne, and Mark LaPrade will provide insights on compliance and better board reporting. * Principal Katharine Balukas and Manager Kristen West will discuss tools for audit readiness, organizational transition, and process improvement. * Principals Bill Enck and Kristin Courtemanche will explore ways to optimize nonprofit impact while managing costs. "The EMPOWER Summit reflects a collaborative, 'better together' approach that is one of the firm's core strengths," said Ryan Gough, a leader in BerryDunn's Nonprofit Practice Group. "We are uniquely positioned to offer a fresh, national perspective to nonprofit leaders, with insights on emerging issues that our audience values, year after year." BerryDunn's comprehensive, cross-functional nonprofit team brings together a wide range of services tailored to the needs of each client, including audit, tax, management and IT consulting, grant consulting, executive coaching, and other advisory services.

BerryDunn named Maine's top accounting firm for fourth year running. BerryDunn has been ranked number one on the list of Maine's Largest Accounting Firms for the fourth consecutive year. The list, published annually by Mainebiz, recognizes leading firms based on Maine revenue. Tammy Brunetti, BerryDunn's Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, Assurance, Tax, and Advisory Services, added, "Our strong commitment to earning client trust and investing in our people has helped us become an award-winning leader in our industry. The close partnerships we build - with clients, employees, and communities - have been at the heart of our success for more than 50 years." "This recognition reflects our strong client relationships and deep industry expertise, driven by professionals who bring real-world experience to their work," said BerryDunn Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, Consulting Services, Chad Snow. "Our focus on sustained, strategic growth in accounting and consulting services has continued to deepen our client base and strengthen connections with companies and organizations here in Maine and across the country." BerryDunn has consistently ranked among the top 50 accounting firms by both INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA) and Accounting Today. For the past three years, Accounting Today has also listed BerryDunn in the Leaders in Consulting category, reflecting the breadth of the firm's consulting and accounting services and expertise.