NEW VINEYARD — Townspeople will revisit Saturday a proposed five-member board of assessment review ordinance, which would stop tax abatement appeals from going to Franklin County commissioners.
Last December, about 80 people voted in a special town meeting against a proposal to allow selectmen to appoint three members and two alternates to a new board of assessment review. The board would have heard future abatement appeals when selectmen chose not to grant them. Currently, taxpayers appeal abatement cases with the commissioners before going to county or state courts.
“I still think we should do it, and it will be a warrant article, so I hope people come to the meeting to vote,” Adams said.
The 9:30 a.m. town meeting Saturday will start with the election of one selectman and two Planning Board members and one alternate, from the floor. After elections, voters will decide whether to spend $35,000 to purchase land adjacent to the Fire Department’s garage. The plan is to eventually construct a multi-purpose center for town offices and meetings. The current building is not suitable for municipal meetings, which should be open to the public.
“Smith Hall goes right to the sidewalk, and it’s not handicapped accessible,” Board Chairman Fay Adams said. “We have to have a place for absentee voting, and last year, we had to move the town meeting to the first floor to accommodate one of our citizens.”
The hall does not meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards. Some citizens can’t climb the stairs to the second floor and are not able to attend town meetings or functions.
“We’ve got to start somewhere to deal with this,” she said.
The proposed budget, excluding a $200,000 request for the fire truck reserve appropriation, is $412,000. Taxpayers will be asked to approve $72,000 from surplus to reduce the tax commitment.
Selectman Douglas Withey’s three-year term has expired, and nominations for that seat will be taken from the floor. Two Planning Board seats, currently filled by Brent Laflin and Ann Sullivan, will be elected from the floor. Citizens need to elect a Planning Board alternate, also.
Plumbing inspector Tom Marcotte, bookkeeper and Deputy Town Clerk and Registrar Jill Bates will continue as employees, but only two hourly positions will receive a wage increase.
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