2006 Annual Town Meeting Minutes
Leicester Town Meeting Minutes
March 6, 2006
The legal voters of the Town of Leicester, Vermont are hereby warned and notified to meet at the Leicester Meeting House in said Town on Monday, March 6, 2006 at 7:30 PM to transact the following business:
Jeffrey Wallin, Moderator, called the Leicester Town Meeting to order at 8:25 PM and introduced the Selectboard to the 98 voters in attendance at the 245th Annual Town Meeting.
The meeting will be run according to Roberts Rule of Order, all motions, remarks and questions should be directed to the Moderator. Articles must be moved, seconded and restated by the Chair before debate can begin. Voters should stand up, give their name and please speak loudly.
The reading of the warning was dispensed without objection; each article was done separately.
Article 1. To act on the Auditor’s Report.
A motion was made and seconded to approve Article 1.
With no discussion, Article 1 was approved by unanimous voice vote.
Article 2. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the selectmen to borrow money in anticipation of taxes to defray the necessary expenses and obligations of the Town.
A motion was made and seconded to approve Article 2.
With no discussion, Article 2 was approved by unanimous voice vote.
At this time, with no objections from the voters, Representative Willem Jewett spoke briefly.
Article 3. Shall the voters of the Town of Leicester instruct our State Representatives and Senators to oppose:
· any use of the State Education Fund for purposes that are outside the law's original intent to "make payments to school districts and supervisory unions for the support of education";
· the shifting of existing State General Fund expense obligations to the Education Fund; and
· the reduction of any existing State General Fund revenue support to the Education Fund?
A motion was made and seconded to approve Article 3.
Article 3 passed by unanimous voice vote.
Article 4. To see if the Town will vote to rescind their instruction to conduct a professional audit of the Leicester Town books every third year?
A motion was made and seconded to approve Article 4.
Virginia Wolf said the audit was not a good audit.
Town Auditor, Dot D'Avignon wanted to continue the audit to confirm that the town Auditors and town Treasurer were in fact doing a good job. Diane Benware said the Board has created a line item in the budget of $2500 for the audit and will budget an amount annually to cover the cost of the audit. R.F. Levigne & Co. will no longer do municipal audits. The cost for future audits will be $8,000-$10,000. Most accounting firms are not doing municipal audits for small towns. Town Treasurer, Donna Pidgeon said the audit should be done, it is good business practice.
With no further discussion, Article 4 was defeated by a majority voice vote.
Article 5. To see if the Town will vote to approve a sum of $441,232.72 to defray the necessary expenses and liabilities of the Town for the ensuing year, to be divided as follows:
General Town expenses | $191,332.72 | Amount to be raised by taxes: $184,291.21 |
Highway expenses | $249,900.00 | Amount to be raised by taxes: $185,700.00 |
Note: The amount to be raised will have to be increased by the total amount voted on Australian ballot. The Selectmen will set the tax rate at a later date.
A motion was made and seconded to approve Article 5.
Discussion on the budget:
Don Felion asked why Cecile Todd and John McDonough did not sign the warning. Cecile Todd said she had perceived a conflict of interest with another selectboard member, but it has since been resolved. There were two other items in the budget that she did not agree with, one was the on the job training for a clerk/treasurer and the other was the $50,000 for equipment rental in the highway budget. John McDonough stated that he did not agree with pay raises in the budget. He felt any pay raises should be on the ballot. He remembered at a previous Town Meeting it was voted to have pay increases on the ballot. He also felt he was not given ample opportunity at the budget meetings to change any items in the budget. He said figures were thrown at him and he was hurried.
Virginia Wolf made a motion to amend the budget to delete the Clerk/Treasurer on the Job Training $5000 line item. That motion was seconded.
Discussion on the Amendment to the budget: Diane Benware said the present Clerk/Treasurer had indicated last year that she was considering leaving the position. Last year we advertised for someone interested in training for the position. There were several who showed interest but there was no money to pay anyone to be trained. Diane felt preparing a resident for the job was pro-active to aid in an easy transition for the Town without spending a lot of money. Sid Glassner said the person assuming the position had to be a resident and had to run on the ballot to be elected.
Virginia Wolf made a motion to amend the amendment to the budget to put the $5000 for on the job training into an escrow account to be utilized only after the present Clerk/Treasurer submitted her resignation. The motion was seconded.
Discussion on the amendment to the amendment:
Several voters continued to voice their opinions in favor of and against $5000 for the on the job training of the Clerk/Treasurer.
The question: To amend the amendment to the budget to put the $5000 for on the job training into an escrow account to be utilized only after the present Clerk/Treasurer submitted her resignation.
The amendment to the amendment was defeated by a majority voice vote.
With no further discussion;
The question: To amend the budget to delete the Clerk/Treasurer on the Job Training $5000 line item.
After a voice vote of yeas and nays, a division was called. The Moderator asked the voters to stand a be counted. Those voting yes to delete $5000 from the budget, those voting no to keep $5000 in the budget.
YES - 15 NO - 48
The amendment to the budget was defeated.
Further discussion on the budget as presented: Deb Miner said the 2005-2006 budget comparison handout that Diane Benware had prepared was very helpful. Lynda Rheaume, speaking on behalf of the Lake Dunmore/Fern Lake Association, explained the cost request for the milfoil control.
There was no further discussion on the budget.
The Question:
Article 5. To see if the Town will vote to approve a sum of $441,232.72 to defray the necessary expenses and liabilities of the Town for the ensuing year, to be divided as follows:
General Town expenses | $191,332.72 | Amount to be raised by taxes: $184,291.21 |
Highway expenses | $249,900.00 | Amount to be raised by taxes: $185,700.00 |
Note: The amount to be raised will have to be increased by the total amount voted on Australian ballot. The Selectmen will set the tax rate at a later date.
Article 5 was approved by a majority voice vote.
Article 6. Discussion of articles to be voted by Australian ballot.
Article 2. Additional $20,000 for road paving.
There is $20,000 in the budget, this, if approved would allow $40,000 for shim
and repair of the paved roads. The Town will also apply for the State 2 for 1paving grant.
Article 3. Sand Shed Fund of $45,000 plus interest to be put into land/building acquisition fund.
Article 4. Charitable fund request of $ 9,378.50
Leon Adkins spoke in favor of ACCAG.
Donna Wykes spoke about Home Health Care.
Diane Benware addressed the ACTR.
Virginia Wolf spoke in favor of Elderly Services.
Carol Leno spoke in favor of the Open Door Clinic.
Tom Drew spoke in favor of RSVP.
Green Up was included in the Selectboard's budget this year and will not be on the ballot.
Article 7. To do any further business that is proper to be done when met.
Diane Benware asked the voters to take a moment of silence in memory of 3 residents who passed away, who had held town positions; Gary Pfenning, Alan Monroe and Carleton Adams.
Each candidate present, who was running for a town office, stood to be acknowledged.
A motion was made and seconded to adjourn Town Meeting.
The motion to adjourn was approved by unanimous voice vote.
Town Meeting adjourned at 10:00 PM.
Results of those elected by Australian Ballot Voting: (Ballots attached showing blanks and spoiled votes).
March 7, 2006 – Polls opened at 10 AM and closed at 7 PM at the Leicester Town Hall.
of the 742 registered voters – 356 cast votes.
Article 1. To elect Town Officers for the ensuing year.
OFFICE CANDIDATES TERM VOTES
Moderator Jeffrey Wallin 1 year 320
Select board Mark A. Stacey 2 year 195
Select board Robert Oliver 3 years 199
Lister Charles H. Makovec 3 years 292
Auditor Deb Miner 3 years 319
Tax Collector Beth S Ripley 1 year 330
First Constable Greg C. Moore, Jr. 1 year 307
Second Constable Thomas Barker (Write In) 1 year 10 Town Agent John Quelch (Write In) 1 year 22 Town Grand Juror John Quelch (Write In) 1 year 21
Article 2. Will the Town vote an additional $20,000.00 for road paving? Yes – 236 No –111.
Article 3. Will the Town vote to put the Sand Shed Fund ($45,000.00 plus interest) into a
land/building acquisition fund for future town garage construction?
Yes – 238 No – 109.
Article 4. To approve or disapprove the following allocations from the General Fund. The total amount to be allocated is $9,378.50.
Addison County Community Action Group 1150.00 Yes – 243 No – 100
Addison County Home Health Care 1110.50 Yes – 291 No – 57
Addison County Parent/Child Center 1200.00 Yes – 253 No – 86
Addison County Transit Resources (ACRT) 350.00 Yes – 235 No – 104
Champlain Valley Agency on Aging 1100.00 Yes – 282 No – 64
Counseling Service of Addison County 1000.00 Yes – 239 No – 101
Elderly Services, Inc. 500.00 Yes – 301 No – 48
Hospice Volunteer Services 250.00 Yes – 293 No – 50
John W. Graham Emergency Shelter 725.00 Yes – 259 No – 82
Open Door Clinic 300.00 Yes – 264 No – 78
Otter Creek Natural Resources 113.00 Yes – 226 No – 112
RSVP of Addison County 285.00 Yes – 236 No – 96
Vermont Adult Learning 300.00 Yes – 241 No – 97
VT Cares 350.00 Yes – 223 No – 108
VT Center for Independent Living 145.00 Yes – 267 No – 74
Women in Crisis - WomenSafe 500.00 Yes – 274 No – 67
Respectfully Submitted,
.
Recorded, March 10, 2006