BETHEL – Putting their personal opinions aside, selectmen on Monday decided to leave an article on the warrant that would allow voters to appropriate money from the town’s undesignated fund balance to keep taxes down.
The issue was raised as the board reviewed a second draft of articles being considered for the June annual town meeting warrant.
Last year voters approved $400,000 for that purpose. And last week, selectmen discussed removing Article 6 from the warrant because the appropriation has caused the town to borrow money to cover some of its operating costs.
Selectmen and the Budget Committee have recommended that no money be appropriated from the undesignated fund balance.
“We’ll put it on there and fight like the dickens to make sure it comes out the way it ought to,” Chairman “Dutch” Dresser said.
Selectman Don Bennett said that a conversation with voters over Article 6 could not be avoided.
“We’re going to have to address this one way or another,” he said, and selectmen should “do our best to educate voters.”
Stan Howe suggested that, by its very nature, the democratic process of Bethel’s town meeting was not tidy and predictable, but “we take chances with democracy,” he said.
Dresser said he had had a “substantial change of heart” on removing Article 6 from the warrant. “I know how I think it ought to go,” he said, “but I guess I do believe people ought to have a say and we’ll do our best to persuade them” to vote against Article 6.
The board also voted to keep an article on the warrant that would fix the dates when property taxes are due, along with a recommendation by selectmen that residents pay in two equal payments, Oct. 1, 2005, and April 1, 2006.
A public hearing on all the articles will be held at 7 p.m. May 25 in the town office building. Selectmen have until June 6 to produce a final draft of the articles.
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