Town Meeting Day 2013 - FOX44 - Burlington / Plattsburgh News, Weather & Sports

Middlebury, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 5.9%
School Budget Proposal: 2.9%

Key Issues:

• Article 5 - Town wants to collect taxes on real and personal property in 3 equal installments on Aug 15, 2013, November 2013, and March 14, 2014.
• Article 8 - Opposition to the transport of tars sand oil. Would like environmental reviews from the Vermont Legislature and U.S. Congress. PASSED (Yes: 493, No: 212)

Addison, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 9.5%
School Budget Proposal: 4.0%

Key Issues:

• Article 4 - Asking for $195,00 to buy a new truck. It would be financed through the Vermont Heavy Equipment fund, or a bank, or using funds from the town equipment depreciation fund. PASSED (Yes: 191, No: 99)
• Article 5 - Wants to removed financial support to the Bixby Memorial Free Library. Voters passed support for the library in 2011. PASSED (Yes: 151, No: 131)
• School district wants to borrow money by raising taxes. PASSED (Yes: 151, No: 131)

Vergennes, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
Vergennes High School Budget Proposal: 5.9%
Vergennes Elementary School District #44 Budget Proposal: 4.5%


Key Issues:

• City is asking for bond purchases not exceeding $1,850,000 for real estate and the construction of a police station. FAILED (Yes: 292, No: 302)

New Haven, VT

Town Budget Proposal: <1% PASSED (Yes: 224, No: 62)
School Budget Proposal: 3.7% PASSED (Yes: 212, No: 100)


Key Issues:

• Article 1 - Should delinquent taxes be subject to interest charges of 1% per month and 8% penalty charged against them on October 1, 2013.
• Article 3 - Eliminate the office of Town Auditor with future audits provided by a certified public accountant.
• Article 8 - Asking to spend $150,000 on a new truck that includes a plow, dump body, and sander. PASSED (Yes: 219, No: 85)
• Article 29 - Appropriate $1,000 to WomenSafe, Inc. to support the elimination of physical, sexual, and emotional violence against women. Money would come out of the general fund. PASSED (Yes: 230, No: 76)

Bennington, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 8.2% PASSED (Yes: 1,572, No: 655)
North Bennington Graded School District Budget Proposal: 9.8% FAILED (Yes: 915, No: 1,095)
Mount Anthony Union School District #14 Budget Proposal: 5.9% FAILED (Yes: 899, No: 1,693)
SW VT Regional Tech School Budget Proposal: $3,530,993 PASSED (Yes: 3,219, No: 1,608)


Key Issues:

• Article E - Tuition ($12,938) approval for students attending the North Bennington Graded School. Back in October residents voted to replace the school with an independent one. State Board has to approve the changes.

Pownal, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 4.0% PASSED (Yes: 397, No: 148)
School Budget Proposal: 11.6% PASSED (Yes: 374, No: 169)


Key Issues:

• Article 13 - Voters appropriate for the operation and maintenance of the Pownal Valley Fire Department amounting to $52,000. PASSED (Yes: 419, No: 120)
• Article 27 - Vote to eliminate town auditor and allow the selectboard to contract with a certified public accountant. FAILED (Yes: 233, No: 289)

Burke, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 5% PASSED
Elementary School Budget Proposal: 8.9% PASSED
Secondary School Budget Proposal: 13.7% PASSED


Key Issues:

• There are 15 additional students this year because don't have a high school.

Lyndon, VT

Town Budget Proposal: Stayed the same.

Danville, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 0.01% PASSED (Yes: 173, No: 26)
School Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes: 139, No: 60)


Key Issues:

• Petition for animal shelter funding.

St. Johnsbury, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 1%
School Budget Proposal: Stayed the same.

Burlington, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
School Budget Proposal: 5.3% PASSED (Yes:411, No:146)


Key Issues:

• Looking to cut a few positions in the school district.
• Petition to oppose Tar Sands. PASSED (Yes:418, No:133)
• 5 Contested City Council races
  • Sharon Foley Bushor (I): 381 vs. Tom Derenthal (D): 165. Write-ins: 7
  • Jane Knodell (P): 269 vs. Emily Lee (D): 243. Write-ins: 3
  • Vince Brennan (P): 329 vs. Ronald C. Ruloff (I): 72. Write-ins: 5
  • Dave Hartnett (D): 913 vs. Loyal Ploff (L) 90. Write-ins: 17
  • Larkin Forney (G): 113 vs. Joan Shannon (D): 570. Write-ins: 6

South Burlington, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 8.6% PASSED (Yes: 1,914, No: 1,430)
School Budget Proposal: 2.1% PASSED (Yes: 2,128, No: 1,289)


Key Issues:

• City Council race: 3-year-term: Incumbent Sandy Dooley (1,115) vs. Chris Shaw (2,268).
• City Council race: 2-year-term: Incumbent Paul Engels (1,124) vs. Pat Nowak (2,243).

Colchester, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 2.3% PASSED (Yes: 1,602, No: 1,256)
School Budget Proposal: 6.7% FAILED (Yes: 1,307, No: 1,570)


Key Issues:

• $5 million bond for improvements to the Colchester High School. They want to renovate the science labs. PASSED (Yes: 1,504, No: 1,364)

Milton, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 7.5% PASSED (Yes: 805, No: 708)
School Budget Proposal: 4.5% FAILED (Yes:641, No:880)


Key Issues:

• Bond for $240,000 for waste water collection system improvements. PASSED (Yes: 974, No: 525)
• Short-term borrowing loan: $435,456 to reimburse the general fund for FY2012 deficit spending.
• Bond: $9,770,000 for capital building improvements to Milton High School. FAILED (Yes: 627, No: 897)

Williston, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 6.4% PASSED (Yes: 831, No: 392)
School Budget Proposal: 5.1% FAILED (Yes: 602, No: 629)


Key Issues:

• Bond: $5,900,000 for a new public works facility. PASSED (Yes: 631, No: 577)
• Looking to borrow $218,000 to purchase two school buses. PASSED (Yes: 711, No: 522)

Winooski, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 0.84% PASSED(Yes: 504, No: 254)
School Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes: 502, No: 255).


Key Issues:

• The mayor is running unopposed.
• Two 2-year seats for city council. Incumbent Sally (Laferriere) Tipson (543) vs. Tom Buckley (346) and Seth Leonard (401).

Jericho, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• Asking voters if there should be more regulation of wind turbine ridgeline projects. PASSED

Guildhall, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• Asks voters to allow auditors to print the names of delinquent tax payers in the town's report.

Swanton, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 3% PASSED (Yes=694, No=185)
School Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes=549, No=338)


Key Issues:

• Asks voters to allow auditors to print the names of delinquent tax payers in the town's report.

Enosburg Falls, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• 9 or 10 towns voting on whether the Missisquoi River should be considered for federal status as wild and scenic.

Fairfax, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $1,866,140 PASSED (Yes=481, No=267)
School Budget Proposal: $12,121,197 PASSED (Yes=400, No=346)


Key Issues:

• Article 3 - Asks voters if they wanted to borrow $75,000 plus interest for a year to purchase a new town truck. PASSED (Yes=499, No=241)

Georgia, VT

Town Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes=110, No=18)
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• Article 3 - Asks voters if they wanted to borrow $75,000 plus interest for a year to purchase a new town truck. PASSED (Yes=114, No=19)

St. Albans (TOWN), VT

Town Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes=380, No=40)
Town Education Center Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes=467, No=455)
BFA Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes=1,025, No=757)

St. Albans (CITY), VT

Town Budget Proposal: PASSED
School Budget Proposal: ALL PASSED

Georgia, VT

Town Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes=110, No=18)
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• Article 3 - Asks voters if they wanted to borrow $75,000 plus interest for a year to purchase a new town truck. PASSED (Yes=114, No=19)

Highgate, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• A proposal for a non-binding ordinance that would regulate backyard firing and ban them in certain residential neighborhoods and less than 1,000 ft. from local schools. FAILED (Yes=38,No=65).

South Hero, VT

Town Budget Proposal: FAILED (Yes=145, No=256) Will be re-voting.
School Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes=250, No=152)


Key Issues:

• Asking for $50,000 to repair and replace the cupola at Granny's Attic. PASSED (Yes=206, No=192)

North Hero, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $861,574 PASSED (Yes=161, No=44)
School Budget Proposal: $1,694,999 4.9% PASSED (Yes=95, No=90)

Alburgh, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $605,889.17 PASSED (Yes: 248, No: 172)
School Budget Proposal: 9.9% FAILED (Yes: 152, No: 210)

Grand Isle, VT

Town Budget Proposal: PASSED
School Budget Proposal: 2.2% PASSED

Isle La Motte, VT

Town Budget Proposal: N/A
School Budget Proposal: $5,603

Stowe, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
School Budget Proposal: 5.8% PASSED (Yes: 534, No: 257)


Key Issues:

• School budget increases are due to raise in health insurance premiums and more staff needed for increased enrollment.
• New school staff would include: 5th grade teacher, part-time technology teacher, and part-time nurse's aide.

Wolcott, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $1,230,869 10% PASSED
School Budget Proposal: $4,725,804 8.5% PASSED


Key Issues:

• Main increase in the budget due to increase in Highway Department and Park & Recreation. Went from 0 to $4,500. PASSED

Morristown/Morrisville, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $5,187,031 PASSED
School Budget Proposal: $13,451,250 9.1% PASSED (Yes: 387, No: 207)


Key Issues:

• Bond: $375,000 to make improvements to Maple Street (in conjunction with Water & Light Department). If it doesn't pass, not sure if those departments would pick up the cost. PASSED (Yes: 436, No: 156)
• Asking for $1,500,000 for financing the cost of recreational field improvements at Peoples Academy. The estimated cost for those improvements amounting to $1,725,000. PASSED (Yes: 251, No: 345)

Bradford, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $923,517 PASSED
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• Asking voters to allow the selectboard to approve the hire of a third police officer to serve as a school resources officer. This is provided that Bradford receives grant funding to cover 75% of the salary cost for at least 3 years. FAILED (Yes: 43, No: 107)
• Article 17: Asking voters to ban assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines. *PASSED (Yes:57, No:43)

*FOX44 and ABC22 received updated voting totals for this article on the town warning Wednesday.

Williamstown, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $20,000
School Budget Proposal: $326872


Key Issues:

• Budget going up to support a line item for the sheriff's department.
• Special bond vote for a new public safety building of $2,507,640.

Randolph, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $2,461,615 PASSED (Yes: 451, No: 128)
School Budget Proposal: $4,475,371 PASSED (Yes: 422, No: 148)


Key Issues:

• Asking voter to approve the transfer of $50,000 in surplus funds from the 2011-2012 school year to the bus replacement fund beginning July 1, 2013. FAILED (Yes: 463, No: 108)

Newbury, VT

Town Budget Proposal: Stayed the same
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• Asking voters to approve $10,000 to the woman's club in Newbury, Vt. to partially cover the cost of repainting the Old Village Church. PASSED

Thetford, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• Asking voters to allow the town to urge federal and state legislatures to ban assault weapons & high capacity ammunition magazines, require a criminal background check for every gun sold in America, and make gun trafficking a federal crime with real penalties for those who arm criminals.

Fairlee, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 15.9% PASSED
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• Asking voters if they want to spend $108,000 to repair the Lake Fairlee Dam. PASSED

Glover, VT

Town Budget Proposal: Amended to $782,726.57 PASSED
School Budget Proposal: $2,030.91 PASSED


Key Issues:

• Approve town appropriations amounting to $18,692. PASSED
• Capital Reserve Fund amounting to $10,000. PASSED

Derby, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
School Budget Proposal: $5,200,632 PASSED (Yes: 784, No: 375)


Key Issues:

• Asking voters to appropriate the sum of $15,659,289 to defray regular expenses and liabilities for the North Country Union High School and the North Country Career Center for the ensuing year to pay any balance left unpaid from the previous year. PASSED (Yes: 690, No: 459)

Castleton, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $77,000 PASSED (Yes: 521, No: 449)
High School Union Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes: 1,149, No: 755)
Castleton-Hubbardton Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes: 806, No: 364)


Key Issues:

• Bond: $1,050,000 on another option for a new town office building. FAILED (Yes: 362, No: 649)

Rutland City, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $18,666,507 PASSED (Yes: 2,215, No: 1,379)
School Budget Proposal: $47,277,683 4.7% PASSED (Yes: 2,174, No: 1,485)


Key Issues:

• Mayor Race: Christopher Louras won (Yes: 2,032, No: 1,611).
• Non-binding Article: Approve the use of chloramine as secondary disinfectant in the water. FAILED (Yes: 1,150, No: 2,402)

Barre, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 5.5% FAILED (Yes: 386, No: 752)
Spaulding High School Budget Proposal: 1.6% FAILED (Yes: 483, No: 642)
Barre City Elementary & Middle School Budget Proposal: 9.5% FAILED (Yes: 483, No: 652)


Key Issues:

• Barre Town is voting on school budget (Spaulding High School) with the city of Barre.

Montpelier, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 3.5% PASSED (Yes: 1,693, No: 572)
School Budget Proposal: 7.5% PASSED


Key Issues:

• $2.3 million bond for school repairs and projects. PASSED (Yes: 1,401, No: 875)
• Looking to add $54,669 to fire department budget. PASSED (Yes: 1,198, No: 1,098)
• Asks voters if the City Council should enact a resolution protecting citizen health and safety, water bodies and other natural resources in relation to tar sands oil transport through Vermont. PASSED (Yes: 1,650, No: 643)

Cabot, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• Article 5 - Shall the Cabot High School Board be directed to close the Cabot High School. FAILED
• Article 6 - Approval of the School Budget for the amount of $3,637,061. PASSED

Brattleboro, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• Asking voters to approve local control over school consolidation.

Every town in the county will vote on whether to repair the courthouse in Woodstock, Vt. PASSED (Yes: 5,412, No: 3,828)

Norwich, VT

Town Budget Proposal: PASSED (Voice Vote)
School Budget Proposal: PASSED (Voice Vote)


Key Issues:

• Article 34: Bond vote for communication tower & radio communication system. PASSED (Yes: 689, No: 341)

Windsor, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $4,540,266 PASSED (Yes:354, No:195)
School Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes: 279, No: 277)

Hartford, VT

Town Budget Proposal: 4,540,266 PASSED (Yes: 1,106, No: 444)
School Budget Proposal: PASSED (Yes: 1083, No: 425)

Springfield, VT

Town Budget Proposal: n/a
School Budget Proposal: n/a


Key Issues:

• Asking voters to approve the purchase of a piece of property for the town school.

Bethel, VT

Town Budget Proposal: $1,268,109 PASSED
School Budget Proposal: $5,032,535 PASSED (Vocal Vote)


Key Issues:

• Article 14: To see if the town will appropriate $117,881 (2012: $112,302) to continue service provided by the White River Valley Ambulance, Inc. PASSED
• Article 17: To see if the town will collect town taxes and school district taxes in 4 equal installments being due August 15, 2013; November 15, 2013; February 14, 2014; May 15, 2014. PASSED