Weathersfield Town Meeting, Voters Reject Fire and Grader Funding

Weathersfield voters met at the Weathersfield School on Saturday, March 2. About 200 people attended the town portion of the meeting.

Following a report from Vermont State Representative Annmarie Christensen and Windsor County Senator Dick McCormick, select board chair Kelly Murphy presented a plant to outgoing select board member Peter Cole. Cole will remain as town moderator, however.

The meeting opened and Article 1, to accept the town report passed by voice vote. As did Article 2, to authorize the Weathersfield Proctor library to expend grant monies, gifts or bequest.

Article 3 was defeated. This article would have had the town reports available at the town office and mailed out only by request.

Town moderator, Peter Cole directed the meeting to move to discussion of Article 9 without objection. And a nearly 2.5 hours discussion of the pros and cons of a municipal fire department with a full-time fire chief ensued.

Select Board chair, Kelly Murphy presented a time line of fire services issues over the years.

Ascutney Volunteer Fire Association Chief Darrin Spaulding spoke to some statements made by the select board.

Town manager Ed Morris directed the audience to read his report Weathersfield Municipal Fire Study 2018 that is published on the town website and available at the town office.

West Weathersfield Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Josh Dauphin read some statistics about fire services in the country and the difficulty of retaining volunteers.

More photos from Town Meeting: CLICK HERE

On Tuesday, March 5 at Martin Memorial Hall basement 720 voters (1 spoiled ballot) took to the polls to vote by Australian Ballot.

Australian Ballot Results

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.

425 YES
280 NO

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.

458 YES
250 NO

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.

552 YES
157 NO

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.

316 YES
400 NO

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?

424 YES
289 NO

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?

335 YES
359 NO

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]

496 YES
211 NO

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]

530 YES
173 NO

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]

427 YES
250 NO

Town Officers

Town Moderator
C.Peter Cole 629

Selectboard 3 year  (the only contested race)
Thomas Leach 212
David Fuller 473

Selectboard 1 year
Michael Todd 550

Lister
Carolyn Hier 641

Trustee of Public Funds
Beverly Howe-Fluette 625

Town Agent
Flo-Ann Dango 663

Town Grand Juror
Carolyn Hier 628

Cemetery Commissioner
Michael Stankevich 648

Library Trustee 3 year
Roderick G. Bates 622

Library Trustee 3 year
Cindy Osgood 627

School Officers and Budget

School Moderator
C. Peter Cole 610

School Director 3 year
No candidate ran

School Director 1 yr
Jacqueline Antonivich 601

School Director 1 year
Kristen A. Bruso 579

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 that the spending for the current year (By Australian Ballot)

361 YES

344 NO

Article 5

Shall the voters of 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. (Vote by Australian Ballot)

468 YES
233 NO