New Vineyard Selectman Jeff Allen, center, addresses voters at the Saturday morning town meeting. Moderator Rupert Pratt, left, Selectman Seth Webber, seated right, and Selectman Frank Forster guided citizens through the 32 articles to set the 2019-20 municipal budget, which starts July 1. Valerie Tucker photo Picasa
NEW VINEYARD — Voters at town meeting Saturday approved a budget that, together with county and school assessments, will increase the tax burden by more than $75,000.
The $529,902 raised and appropriated for the municipal budget is an increase of $33,229 over last year.
The recently approved Regional School Unit 9 and Franklin County budgets will raise the total tax commitment to $1.41 million, which is $75,683 more than last year, according to Selectman Jeff Allen’s calculations.
Nominations for municipal officials were taken from the floor. Five incumbents were re-elected without challengers: Allen, Planning Board members Adrienne Rollo and Hannah Webber, Regional School Unit 9 Director Lisa Laflin and Road Commissioner Robert Sillanpaa. The Planning Board has three more vacancies, Rollo said.
Voters approved a correction to the proposed $914,801 for municipal services. The corrected total of $35,437 is a $545 increase over last year, according to selectmen. Services include the town’s share of funding for the Franklin County Animal Shelter and NorthStar Ambulance.
Voters unanimously approved a food sovereignty ordinance, which would allow small food producers in town to sell directly to customers.
Resident Earl “Duffer” Luce requested that a $25,000 appropriation for emergencies and unanticipated expenses come from the town’s overlay account, rather than the town’s savings reserve.
“I’d like to be able to know how it’s spent,” he said.
Voters approved the change. They also appropriated $100,000 to reduce this year’s tax commitment.
In a 19-15 vote, taxpayers narrowly approved borrowing $100,000 and taking $70,000 from the savings reserve account for the purchase of a new Fire Department squad truck.
The town’s Comprehensive Plan Committee has disbanded because voters have not supported its efforts. Selectman Frank Forster reminded voters that residents were throwing out hundreds of hours of work, which could deprive the town of grant opportunities. Several protested that the proposed changes would restrict their land use and that grant money was simply giving back taxes they had already paid to the government.
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