Weathersfield Weekly Blog, A Guide to FY20 Town And School Budgets

Register to Vote

Beginning January 1, 2017, eligible persons may register to vote on any day up to and including the day of the election.

Registration is available during all normal business hours of your town or city clerk's office on days preceding the election and during polling hours on Election Day. 17 V.S.A. § 2144

You may also register to vote online.

A Guide to Weathersfield Town Meeting

In an effort to help the taxpayers of Weathersfield understand the upcoming March Town Meeting, I've created an analysis of the Ballot and the Budget items for the taxpayers consideration.

Town Reports are available online, if you haven't received one in the mail yet.
http://www.weathersfieldvt.org/  ->Government->Document Center->Town Reports
Town Report 2018

Australian Ballot

Voting by Australian ballot will be conducted in Martin Memorial Hall, at 5259 U.S. Route 5 in Ascutney, on Tuesday, the 5th day of March, 2019.  

[The polls will open at 10:00 A.M. and close at 7:00 P.M. on that date], to act on the following articles:

Article 5:        To elect all Town officers as required by law. 

Moderator - One Year

                                    Select Person - Three Years

                                    Select Person - Two Years

                                    Lister – Three Years

                                    Trustee of Public Funds - Three Years

                                    Town Agent - One Year

                                    Town Grand Juror - One Year

                                    Cemetery Commissioner - Five Years

                                    Library Trustee - Three Years

                                    Library Trustee - Three Years

General Information

The grand list went from $3,015,951 to $3,254,134 in spring of 2018, an increase of 7.31%. 
The current tax rate for the town is 0.6375. 

On your tax bill it lists: 

General Fund, Highway Fund, County Tax Local Ed, Homestead Education and Waste Management Fee.

The tax rate is set against the grand list so that each penny on the grand list equals about $32,541.34.

The current FY2019 tax rate: July 2018-June 2019

General Fund tax rate is 0.3268 (includes funding for fire commission and two NPO fire departments)

Highway Fund tax rate is 0.2987

County tax rate is 0.0075

Local Ed tax rate is 0.0045

Homestead Education is 1.5978

Waste Management is $50 per parcel

Proposed FY2020-2021 Budget

Assuming no increase in the grand list $3,254,134 and all articles pass the tax rate for FY20 will be 0.6515, an increase of 2.15%.

Articles to be Voted on By Australian Ballot on March 5, 2019 at Martin Memorial Hall (or now by absentee ballot.)

Article 6: 

 Shall the voters of the Town of Weathersfield approve the expenditure of $1,261,799 for the support and operation of the Town’s General Fund? $912,461 shall be raised by property taxation, allowing the Select Board to set the appropriate tax rate.

If Article 6 passes General Fund tax rate will be: 0.2804. It's hard to compare to FY2019 because line items were moved from the general fund into more appropriate departments. 

FY2019 General Fund also includes Fire Service funding which is now a separate article (see Article 9)

Article 7: 

Shall the voters of the Town of Weathersfield approve the expenditure of $1,224,522 for the support and operation of the Town’s Highway Fund? $947,777 shall be raised by property taxation, allowing the Select Board to set the appropriate tax rate.

If Article 7 passes Highway Fund tax rate will be: 0.2913.

Public Works, formerly Town Highway, FY19 budget was $1,111,653. FY20 proposed expenditure is $1,224,522 an increase of 9.22%. 

FY20 revenues are reported as: $142,000 State Highway Aid, $300 Permit revenue, $36,600 Service to other departments and a fund balance of $9,845; total revenue $276,745.

This leave $947,777 to be raised by taxes.

Article 8: 

Shall the voters of the Town of Weathersfield approve the expenditure of $261,512 for the support and operation of the Town’s Solid Waste Management Facility? These monies shall be raised by non-tax revenues.

Waste Management will be $50 per parcel assessment and punch card disposal fees. 

Article 9: 

Shall the voters of the Town of Weathersfield approve the expenditure of $265,070 for the support and operation of a new municipal fire department? $245,070 shall be raised by property taxation, allowing the Select Board to set the appropriate tax rate.

If Article 9 passes the tax rate added to the General Fund assessment will be 0.0753

Fire Service Funding by taxpayers in the last two years:

The Town Report of 2015-2016 shows
$46,950 for AVFD
$40,187 for Fire Commission
$96,775 for WWVFD (of which $45,800 was truck payment)
Total fire service: $183,912

The Town report of 2016-2017 (FY19 Budget) says the taxpayers supported the two stations with
$42,250 to AVFA
$91,430 to WWVFD (of which $45,500 was a truck payment)
$42,233 for the Fire Commission (insurance, workmen's comp. etc.)
Total fire services: $175,913


Line Item Comparison FY19 to FY20

Fire Revenue
FY19 $29,666
proposed FY20 $20,000 from HazMat reimbursed (not guaranteed)
a decrease of 48.33%

Expenditures
Fire personnel expense FY19 $6,144; proposed FY20 $109,458.
Office expense for FY19 $500, proposed FY20 $4,000.
Utilities expense FY19 $1,000; proposed FY20 $11,000.
Insurance expense FY19 $11,335; proposed FY20 $10,861
Communications expense FY19 $16,455; proposed FY20 $19,300
Fire scene expense FY19 $0; proposed FY20 $900
Equipment and maintenance FY19 $14,500; proposed FY20 $38,000
Debt Service FY19 $50,380; proposed FY20 $55,541
Buildings and Grounds FY19 $0; proposed FY20 $4,000
Highway and fuel service FY19 $12,300; proposed FY20 $6,600
HazMat FY19 $0; proposed FY20 $2000
Reserve Transfers FY19 $88,000; proposed FY20 $3,500

Total Expenses: FY19 $200,614; proposed FY20 $265,070 an increase of 33.64%

Monies raised by taxes FY19-$175,913; proposed FY20 $245,070 an increase of 28%.

Article 10: 

Shall the voters of the Town of Weathersfield authorize the Select Board to borrow funds not to exceed $250,000 for a period not to exceed five years for the purpose of resurfacing Center Road?

This amount will be borrowed against the reserve funds and paid back to the town with interest over a five year period. 
The first payment will be due FY2020-FY2021; payments will continue out four more years.

Article 11: 

Shall the voters of the Town of Weathersfield authorize the Select Board to borrow funds not to exceed $160,000 for a period not to exceed five years for the purpose of purchasing a new grader?
The amount will be borrowed over a five year period. 
The first payment will be due in FY2020/FY2021; payments will continue out four more years.

Non-profit and Social Services Articles

Article 12: 

Shall the voters of the Town of Weathersfield appropriate the sum of $1,000, to support the efforts of the Friends of the Meeting House (a 501c3 non-profit for the continued maintenance of the Weathersfield Center Meeting House)? [Not in Budget]

If Article 12 passes 0.0003 will be added to the tax rate.

Article 13: 

Shall the voters of the Town of Weathersfield appropriate the sum of $12,100 to support the activities of the Visiting Nurses and Hospice of VT and NH? [Not in Budget]

If Article 13 passes 0.0037 will be added to the tax rate.

Article 14: 

Shall the voters of the Town of Weathersfield appropriate the sum of $1,500 to support the activities of Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA? [Not in Budget]

If Article 14 passes 0.0005 will be added to the tax rate

Voters will also be asked to VOICE VOTE on Saturday, March 2 at the school.

Weathersfield School, 135 Schoolhouse Road in Ascutney, in the Town of Weathersfield, Vermont, on Saturday, the 2nd day of March, 2019, at 12:30 P.M., to act on the following articles:

Article 1:        Shall the voters of the Town of Weathersfield accept the reports of the Town’s officers for the period from July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018

Article 2:        Shall the voters of the Town of Weathersfield, in accordance with 17 VSA 2664 and 22VSA 142, authorize the Proctor Library Trustees to expend such grant monies, gifts, or bequests which may be received by the Proctor Library, in accordance with the terms of said grants, gifts, or bequests?

Article 3:        To see if the Town of Weathersfield will vote to direct that the annual Town and School Reports be available to the public at the Town Clerk’s Office and other locations around Town, in lieu of mailing, and mailed to those who request that a copy be mailed to them, and that a “Notice of Availability” be published in the designated newspaper of record for the Town no less than 30 days prior to the Annual Meetings, as required by Title 24, Section 1682, of the Vermont Statutes Annotated?

Article 4:        To transact any other business deemed proper when met.

According to the auditors report dated June 30, 2018 the town has restricted fund balances of:
Major Funds Restricted total $270,835
Highway $97,844
Reserve Fund $172,991

Major Funds committed by voters total: $570,216
Non-Major Funds committed by voters: $66,042
Total committed fund balances: $636,258

The General Fund balance June 30, 2018 $98,952 (this was added as revenue in the budget for FY2020)

The Highway Fund balance June 30, 2018 $97,844 (this was added as revenue in the budget for FY2020)

If you have further questions about the ballot or articles, you should contact Ed Morris, the Town manager [802] 674-2626.

You can also watch the informational video on SAPA-TV: http://216.66.96.153/CablecastPublicSite/show/15863?channel=2

Weathersfield School District Meeting

Saturday, March 2 and Tuesday, March 5, 2019

The legal voters of the Weathersfield School District, Weathersfield, Vermont, are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Weathersfield School in Ascutney, Town of Weathersfield, Vermont, on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at 10:00 am in the morning to transact any business not involving voting by Australian ballot or any voting required by law to be by ballot, such meeting so started shall be adjourned to Tuesday, March 5, 2019.

The legal voters of the Weathersfield School District, are further notified and warned to meet at the Martin Memorial Hall in Ascutney, Vermont, on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at 10:00 in the forenoon to act on any business involving voting by Australian ballot or any voting required by law to be by ballot. Polls open at 10:00 am and close at 7:00 pm.

Article 1: To act on the reports of the School District Officers for the period from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.

Article 2: To see if the School District will vote to authorize the School Board to borrow money in anticipation of taxes to meet the requirements of the School District for the ensuing year and to authorize the execution and delivery of notes or orders to the School District.

Article 3: To elect all School District Officers as required by law. (By Australian Ballot)

Article 4: Shall the voters of the Weathersfield School District approve the school board to expend $5,930,409, which is the amount the school board has determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year? It is estimated that this proposed budget, if approved, will result in education spending of $16,760.75 per equalized pupil. This projected spending per equalized pupil is 6.42% higher than the spending for the current year. (By Australian Ballot)

FY20 budget $5,930,409 a 5.32% increase over the current year budget of $5,601,601.

FY20 tax rate 1.6460 a 3.02% increase over the current year rate of 1.5978.

Article 5: Shall the voters of the Weathersfield School District authorize the transfer of the balance in the Weathersfield Bus Fund ($193,000.66) to the Weathersfield School District Capital Reserve Fund. (Voted by Australian Ballot)

Article 6: To transact any other business which may properly come before the meeting.