HARDWICK – Whether for or against the horse track proposal – residents are anxious to move away from the topic that has weighed heavily on the small town of Hardwick.

For months, the proposal of a potential agritourism location at 228 Barre Rd. has dominated most conversations and town meetings. With strong support from each side, the Select Board decided to bring the matter to a special election on Jan. 7, which ultimately led to the location failing.

The official results were 313 people voting yes, 831 voting no, along with four blank ballots returned.

Hardwick resident Cara Wilczynski was one of the designated petitioners who spoke at various Select Board meetings, representing those opposed.

Following the polls’ closure, Wilczynski was there when Town Clerk Ryan Witkos announced the unofficial results. As she stood there, Wilczynski said, she reflected on the days, hours and months spent trying to fight this proposal. Despite those efforts, she was “still surprised” with the outcome, she said.

Wilczynski serves as the president of the Hardwick Villages for Responsible Growth. Between her and the 40 to 50 members within the group, she shared that they canvased over 1,000 residences in town to speak with individuals about the proposal. “We spent a lot of time and effort,” she said. “We definitely shared a lot of information on social media, in mailers and on the website.”

Although the town hosted several meetings on the topic, Wilczynski noted that not everyone is able to attend those meetings, so this was an alternative way for people to obtain information.

“It’s been a busy last couple of months,” she said. While she would like to say she is relieved with the outcome, Wilczynski shared that she has already heard talk from John Stefanini, a proponent of Great Meadowbrook Farm, saying “they are not done here.”

“Yes, we got over this hurdle, but the fixing and healing [in the] town is not over. There is a lot of work to do,” said Wilczynski. When the special election numbers were announced, she shared, “I kept thinking this is just the beginning.”

During the Jan. 9 Board of Selectmen meeting, Wilczynski said the members did not mention the special election. She believes this is “disconcerting” on behalf of the board – not only to avoid the topic but also to not acknowledge the overwhelming “no.”

“The 831 no [votes] is a defining number in comparison [to the 313 yes votes], especially with the amount of money it cost the town,” said Wilczynski.
As this has been ongoing, she noted that the proposal has “cost people the holiday season with their families and the town money that they [Board of Selectmen] say we don’t have.”

Moving forward, Wilczynski hopes that the Board of Selectmen handles these important matters in a different way. “From a leadership perspective, they need to step up,” she added.

One resident in favor of the horse track is Devon Ruud. Ruud also spoke at various meetings to represent those with a similar perspective.

Following the special election, Ruud said, “I wasn’t very surprised” with the outcome. “I would’ve been more surprised if it did pass” based on “Hardwick’s “track record” and “lack of change,” she shared.

Ruud noted, “It was nice to see [a large] voter turnout and how many people showed up.”

Although she knew the chances of the proposal passing were slim, Ruud said it was a good way to bring light to other issues in town. “We are in a very bleak financial state right now,” she shared. “Every year, we are trying to decide where the money goes.” Some of the existing issues in town, as mentioned by Ruud, include the Police and Highway department budget cuts and lack of an ambulance service, to name a few. When it comes time to make those necessary updates, the town will not have the money to do so, she said.

As a resident, Ruud shared that the people proposing the horse track could have gone about it differently. She noted that she and those in favor of the proposal could not have done any better trying to promote this, more so than the individuals proposing it.

“The opposing side was definitely highly motivated,” said Ruud. She noted that they did not necessarily share misinformation, but they “twisted” information for their own benefit.

“I wasn’t going to harass people for a vote. I’m not going to bang on doors three times a day” to get people to vote the way she wants them too, said Ruud. “Everyone forms their own opinions.”

Now that the special election and countless meetings are in the past, Ruud shared, “A part of me is happy this is over. A part of me is happy this didn’t go through because [if it passed, there would be] more work to be done.”

She went on to say, “I like my small little town. It’s quiet.” While Ruud believes Hardwick does need some sort of development, she predicts that it will be a challenge to find a way to do so, for everyone’s liking.

“Some things got to change sooner or later so the town can stay as we like it,” she said. “There’s a lot to it… We’ll see what happens next.”

Reminder Publishing reached out to John Stefanini for comment but did not hear back as of press time.