[0:10] Uh it's called meeting order town
[0:13] meeting for 2026.
[0:15] Uh I'm Todd Davidson of select board
[0:19] here.
[0:20] Article one uh in your book is voting
[0:23] which is taking place in the back. Uh
[0:25] they'll be going on all day long. also
[0:27] agree before or after. Anything else,
[0:29] please vote.
[0:32] Article two,
[0:35] I move that we affirm the election of
[0:37] city Jerome to serve as town moderator
[0:39] today despite her no longer being a
[0:41] resident.
[0:42] Is there a motion?
[0:44] >> I move.
[0:45] >> Moved by Jody Morido.
[0:48] >> Seconded by Alex Wilson.
[0:53] It has been moved and seconded to affirm
[0:54] the election of Sydney Jerome to serve
[0:56] as town moderator today despite her no
[0:58] longer being a resident. Is there any
[1:00] discussion?
[1:26] All right, we're going to back up a
[1:27] little bit here for our two. Shall
[1:28] voters affirm their election of city
[1:30] Jerome to serve as town moderator today
[1:33] despite her no longer being a resident?
[1:38] Is there a motion?
[1:41] One motion by Judge Rondo, second by
[1:44] Alex Wilson.
[1:47] Is there any
[1:49] It has been moved and seconded to affirm
[1:51] the election of City Jerome to serve as
[1:52] moderator today despite her no longer
[1:54] being a resident. Is there any
[1:57] discussion?
[2:04] There is no discussion. It has been
[2:06] moved and seconded to affirm the
[2:07] election of Sydney Jerome to serve as
[2:09] moderator today despite her no longer
[2:11] being a resident.
[2:13] All in favor say I.
[2:18] All those opposed say no.
[2:21] >> The eyes have appear to have it. The
[2:24] eyes have
[2:28] come up. We want to take a quick moment
[2:30] to thank her for 12 12 years
[2:34] >> 15 years of being our town moderator and
[2:37] has been superb job and has been very
[2:40] helpful for all of us up here and
[2:41] certainly for the 10.
[2:53] » Thank you everybody.
[3:01] Good morning. I'm Cindy Jerome and it's
[3:03] my privilege to serve as your town
[3:06] moderator one last time and to welcome
[3:08] you to town meeting.
[3:10] Please rise if you are able for the
[3:13] salute to the flag.
[3:21] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[3:24] United States of America and to the
[3:27] republic for which it stands, one nation
[3:31] under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[3:35] justice for all.
[3:44] Seated to your right
[3:46] are Todd Davidson, the select board
[3:48] chair, Paul Adler, Tom Nolan, Skip
[3:52] Fletcher, and Maria Glach, your select
[3:55] board. And seated to your left is town
[3:58] clerk, Lorie Fchett, and town treasurer
[4:01] Chris Brown. I'd like to begin again
[4:04] this year with an invocation that
[4:06] originated in Danville, Vermont. We are
[4:09] gathered together in civil assembly as a
[4:12] community in a tradition that is older
[4:15] than our state itself.
[4:17] We come together to make decisions about
[4:20] our community. As we deliberate, let us
[4:24] advocate for our positions but not the
[4:27] expense of others. Let us remember that
[4:30] our neighbors with whom we disagree are
[4:33] good people with hopes and dreams as
[4:35] try, true, and as high as ours. And let
[4:40] us always remember that in the end,
[4:42] caring for each other in this community
[4:45] is of much greater importance than every
[4:47] any difference we may have.
[4:50] We've lost community members since last
[4:53] town meeting. I'd like to take the time
[4:55] to read their names and then we'll
[4:57] remember them. A brief moment of
[4:59] silence.
[5:01] Janice Mikkeles,
[5:03] John Reed,
[5:06] Peter Fluelling,
[5:08] Stuart Stman,
[5:10] Eric Kohler,
[5:13] Elizabeth Burnham,
[5:16] Steve Beas,
[5:18] Charlie Dunn,
[5:20] John Barker,
[5:22] Luke Sorenson,
[5:24] Peter Ks,
[5:26] Bernie Morris,
[5:29] Charles White,
[5:31] Derek Wisma,
[5:34] Steuart Hunt,
[5:36] Ruth Barton,
[5:38] Larry Crockett,
[5:40] Elanor Emory,
[5:42] Elanor Tol,
[5:45] Michelle Grand,
[5:47] Drew Banker,
[5:49] Robertlair,
[5:52] Meredith Hendrickson, and Connie Kimble.
[6:02] Thank you.
[6:04] Let's acknowledge and thank the scores
[6:06] of people who work to make our town as
[6:08] special as it is. On pages two and three
[6:11] of your town report, you will find all
[6:13] our elected and appointed officials. If
[6:17] your name is listed or if you serve on
[6:19] our road crew, fire department, or
[6:22] rescue squad, please stand and be
[6:25] recognized.
[6:41] Thank you.
[6:43] This meeting is being recorded by
[6:45] Bradford Community Television, BCTV. You
[6:48] can watch it later this week on Comcast
[6:51] channel 1079. And you correct me if I'm
[6:54] wrong, right? Okay. And stream it on
[6:58] demand at battleetv.org
[7:00] or on YouTube at battleboro community
[7:03] TV. For anyone speaking at the meeting
[7:06] today, please stand and state your name
[7:09] and hold the microphone right in front
[7:12] of your mouth so those in the room can
[7:14] hear and later at home can hear you as
[7:17] well. Thank you. Please put your cell
[7:20] phones on vibrate so they don't
[7:21] embarrass you. later on. Today
[7:25] we have able assistants today, our micr
[7:28] runners, and I want to introduce them,
[7:30] but we do have something new. You see a a microphone in the middle of the
[7:35] floor.
[7:37] It is there because the switch doesn't
[7:39] work anymore, but it's also great for
[7:44] anybody who wants to stand up and ask
[7:46] their question at that mic instead of
[7:49] counting on a mic runner, even though
[7:50] they do a fabulous job. But they we've
[7:53] got four people and if you can't or just
[7:56] don't want to stand up and walk over
[7:57] there, just raise your hand and they'll
[8:00] come and give you a mic. our able
[8:02] assistants today. Do you guys want to
[8:04] stand up so we can see you? And thank
[8:05] you Parker Pal, Eliza Clark Nelson, Lena
[8:11] Wampler, and Rowan Brickley. Thank you.
[8:21] And my special thanks to Dan Bailey, the
[8:23] school's facility manager, and our tech
[8:27] guy who's trying to pretend he's not
[8:29] Dan, for handling speaker microphone
[8:32] problems. Thanks a lot.
[8:39] So, we usually have our legislators come
[8:41] speak to us later on, but Mike Murwiki
[8:44] is here now, and he's got some
[8:46] obligations up in me shortly. So, he's
[8:50] going to share his thoughts and hopes
[8:54] and dreams with us and um then we'll get
[8:57] back to our regularly scheduled program.
[9:00] Right.
[9:19] » Thank you. Good morning.
[9:23] » It's quite a treat to be here to be out
[9:27] in Montpillar.
[9:29] Uh, I appreciate the opportunity to work
[9:31] and there's lots of good things to that,
[9:33] but the downside of it is I'm away five
[9:35] months of the year pretty much. So,
[9:38] getting home and seeing some familiar
[9:39] faces here is really true. So, thanks
[9:42] for the chance to come and talk. Um,
[9:49] we have been pretty busy. We try and
[9:51] cram a year's worth of work into five
[9:53] months in Monty. And for the most part
[9:57] when I come here I just talk about our
[9:59] state business. But the reality is um
[10:03] what's happening in Washington DC has
[10:05] been leaking all over the rest of the
[10:08] country and states. So I have to make
[10:10] mention of some of the things. Um before
[10:13] I get there though I just want to uh
[10:15] celebrate Vermont right now. uh
[10:18] celebrate Vermont and um all of the
[10:21] Olympians from Vermont that did amazing
[10:25] over the Winter Olympics in Italy. Um
[10:27] someone pointed out that Vermont
[10:30] won more gold medals than China
[10:35] and and the other notable thing is US
[10:38] Olympians won 12 gold medals and eight
[10:41] of them were won by women. So,
[10:51] um,
[10:54] I wish I could just focus solely, but
[10:57] uh, on on state business, but the
[10:59] reality is we are dealing with things
[11:02] that are coming down the pipe from from
[11:05] DC. For instance, the Canadian tariffs
[11:09] are hurting Vermont. They're hurting our
[11:11] business. They're hurting tourism.
[11:14] They're hurting our tax revenues because
[11:18] Canadians are staying home. Who could
[11:20] blame?
[11:21] That's just a reality we're facing right
[11:23] now. Um, another reality we're facing is
[11:29] for the last three years, northern
[11:30] Vermont saw severe flood damage.
[11:34] And this year,
[11:37] apparently,
[11:38] uh, FEMA aid is being weaponized by this
[11:41] White House. And for the first time that
[11:43] anyone can remember, Vermont was denied
[11:46] repairs for storm damage. That that
[11:49] those funds were essential for for for
[11:52] states. And and it appears we are in a
[11:56] new era now where just about everything
[11:58] is being politicized and weaponized. And
[12:00] that's why I want to talk about the
[12:02] climate super fund. The climate super
[12:04] fund is something Vermont passed several
[12:06] years ago and it's similar to what
[12:08] states did in regards to the tobacco
[12:11] companies, what they did to the opioid
[12:14] drug companies. Um they held them
[12:17] responsible for the damage they did. And
[12:20] several years ago, two years ago now,
[12:22] Vermont passed the climate super fund to
[12:24] hold fossil fuel companies liable for
[12:26] the damage they did, the damage that
[12:28] Vermont taxpayers were having to pay.
[12:32] and sometimes FEMA would or for the most
[12:34] part would come in and help. Um,
[12:38] if that's going to be the case that the
[12:41] federal government's not going to step
[12:42] up, we especially need this to go
[12:45] forward. We're in the process now of
[12:47] assessing damages,
[12:49] gathering other states together because
[12:50] the way those other suits worked was
[12:53] that we got a critical mass of states.
[12:56] the companies settled and made these big
[12:58] settlements and New York State just
[13:00] passed something similar uh and other
[13:02] states are coming on to work. So, we're
[13:04] hoping that eventually we will get funds
[13:07] coming to the states so we can address
[13:10] some of the effects of climate change.
[13:13] The other thing that I want to note and
[13:17] this is something we're going to be
[13:18] talking about in Putney. Um
[13:21] we all want secure borders.
[13:24] I think we all want water at the border,
[13:28] but what we're seeing right now, having
[13:31] hordes of masked armed men roaming our
[13:35] streets, grabbing Americans, even
[13:37] killing Americans is not something we
[13:40] can tolerate.
[13:42] in in cutting world.
[13:49] I can't think of anything that's that's
[13:52] more unamerican.
[13:54] I used to think that people with masks
[13:56] and guns were bank robbers or terrorists
[13:59] and now they're working for the White
[14:01] House. And I think it's important for
[14:03] verters to stand up and and there are
[14:07] towns I think maybe in this town
[14:08] there'll be a resolution later. But
[14:10] we're going to pass a resolution. It's
[14:12] important to stand up and say that is
[14:14] not us.
[14:16] One thing elected public officials can
[14:19] do is count.
[14:22] And the more of us that stand up, the
[14:24] more of us that show up at rallies, at
[14:26] town meetings, at elections,
[14:30] your voices are being heard, your
[14:32] numbers are being noticed. So, let's
[14:34] keep that up.
[14:36] Um, I had the experience twice now uh of
[14:40] being requested as an elected official
[14:43] to accompany some asylum seekers to ICE
[14:46] headquarters in St. Albins.
[14:49] It was felt that having me there, there
[14:51] was some clergy who came with us would
[14:53] help have a good outcome for them. Um,
[14:57] and thankfully it did.
[15:01] The last time it happened though, when
[15:02] we got out of the of the ICE
[15:05] headquarters and and going in, it's like
[15:07] going into a prison. I've done visits to
[15:09] prisons in Burlington and Springfield
[15:12] and that's what it felt like. You go in,
[15:14] the door slams behind you and you hear
[15:16] that lock and it's like, wow, we're
[15:19] going to get out. Then you have to go
[15:21] through security and get wandered down.
[15:25] But anyway, we did that.
[15:28] The asylum seekers had their check-in,
[15:30] which took about an hour. And when we
[15:33] got out, one of them rolled up their
[15:34] sleeve
[15:36] and they had a paper
[15:39] and on the paper taped to their arm was
[15:42] this person's name of their 7-year-old
[15:46] daughter.
[15:48] And that morning,
[15:51] their daughter gave it to them and said,
[15:52] "Mama,
[15:54] if they take you, don't forget me.
[15:59] What are we doing when sevenyear-olds
[16:02] have to worry about their mothers being
[16:03] taken like that? Don't forget.
[16:10] Well, on to our state business and I've
[16:12] been working on the
[16:15] House Appropriations Committee and the
[16:16] first thing we're working to do is of
[16:18] course provide a balanced budget. just
[16:21] like you, we have to live within our
[16:23] means. And at the start of the year, um,
[16:26] we got an economic report that said,
[16:28] well, our economy is kind of flat, kind
[16:31] of like the rest of the country, except
[16:33] if you're up here, you're doing really
[16:36] well. And I think nationally, we've come
[16:38] to see that we have an economy that can
[16:39] be described as have knots and have
[16:42] yachts.
[16:46] And it's getting harder and harder down
[16:48] here in the ground for the have not
[16:49] knots because that's most of us right
[16:51] now. So we want to make sure that we're
[16:54] making investments though that will help
[16:55] Vermont. Um
[16:58] housing is a really vital piece. We we
[17:01] started a couple years ago the VHIP
[17:03] program u Vermont housing improvement
[17:06] program which helps pay for people to
[17:08] add apartments into their house. We've
[17:11] created now 1,500
[17:13] of these apartments and it's a popular
[17:16] thing. We need a lot of housing though
[17:18] in Vermont and this is one way we can do
[17:21] it. We also passed a CHIP program what
[17:24] we call this is community uh
[17:26] infrastructure program which will help
[17:28] communities that want to build
[17:29] infrastructure that can support more
[17:31] housing. And what we're talking about is
[17:33] clustered smart growth housing. They're
[17:36] pretty much like the European models
[17:39] where villages are clustered and the
[17:41] outer areas are are kept open. And
[17:44] that's what we're trying to promote in
[17:46] Vermont is smart growth. So if there's
[17:49] there are towns that want to build some
[17:51] infrastructure to do that, we have some
[17:53] money to do that. Another investment we
[17:56] made uh was in child care. uh during
[17:59] COVID the need for child care was really
[18:02] amplified uh and what a vital piece of
[18:05] the workforce that is. So we passed a
[18:08] very small payroll tax. Now uh it's a
[18:13] smaller than 1% and rather than getting
[18:16] into what that entails I would tell you
[18:18] that out of my paycheck it cost 41 cents
[18:22] a week.
[18:24] Now, I think our kids are worth 41 cents
[18:26] a week. Over the course of a month,
[18:28] that's barely a cup of coffee to Dunkin
[18:30] Donuts. And here's what it's done,
[18:32] though. In the last year, we have added
[18:35] 1,300
[18:36] child care slots in Vermont. We have
[18:39] been able to help more parents
[18:42] gain subsidies to help pay for that. And
[18:45] we've been able to pay more of our child
[18:48] care workers enough so they don't leave
[18:51] to go work at a fast food restaurant
[18:53] because they get paid better there. So
[18:55] this is something that we feel investing
[18:57] in our children is a big piece of what
[19:00] we want to do. Investing in our
[19:01] families. We certainly want to attract
[19:03] more young people, young families or
[19:05] keep them here in Vermont. And that's
[19:07] one of the things that we want to keep
[19:09] doing.
[19:16] One of the other big lifts we're doing
[19:18] here, and I know it's important here in
[19:20] Vermont City, as well as other places,
[19:23] is looking at school governance and
[19:25] funding reform.
[19:28] Now, last year, uh, the governor
[19:32] made this a huge issue and it was
[19:34] amplified by the large increase we saw
[19:36] in property taxes.
[19:39] One of the things that the governor is
[19:42] keen on is that we should consolidate
[19:44] more than we did a few years ago with
[19:46] act 46. The governor suggested that we
[19:50] should go from 119 school districts to
[19:54] five.
[19:56] Well, um we don't agree and there was a
[20:00] summer study group where Senator
[20:02] Harrison was part of that basically said
[20:06] there are not savings in that kind of
[20:07] consolidation. So why do we do this?
[20:11] It's important if we want to maintain
[20:13] quality education. It's important if we
[20:15] want to balance quality with
[20:18] affordability.
[20:20] And that's what I'm looking for. So this
[20:23] process is continuing to unfold. But I'm
[20:26] going to say right here, I will not vote
[20:30] for a bill that doesn't balance those
[20:32] two pieces. We need to maintain our
[20:35] schools. We need to protect our schools
[20:37] like Dustin and we need to make sure
[20:40] that we do that at an affordable cost.
[20:42] But unless we can meet those goals, I'm
[20:44] not ready to vote for anything that
[20:46] comes down. So, please pay attention to
[20:49] this. Be in touch with me. But that's
[20:52] the criteria that I'm bringing into
[20:54] this. We want to keep our quality, our
[20:56] schools quality, and we want to make
[20:58] sure we can afford it. And I know right
[21:00] here, uh, I see our principal back
[21:04] there, Julianne, somewhere. But there's
[21:07] a lot of great things going on in
[21:09] Dunston in our local schools here. We
[21:11] don't want to miss that. SO, if you if you if you haven't been in
[21:20] the school and you want to see what a
[21:21] little bit of what's going on, I did an
[21:24] interview uh in the in January with your
[21:28] principal here with John Sessions, the
[21:31] principal from from Putney, where they
[21:34] talked wonderfully
[21:37] in a in and articulated what's happening
[21:40] in our schools and that our schools are
[21:42] performing Well, and and our schools are
[21:45] making sure kids have the social
[21:48] emotional learning opportunities that
[21:50] get them ready for the world. So, if you
[21:52] go to BCTV, you can find that interview.
[21:55] Uh it's there's a link to it on my
[21:57] website, too, which is women.net.
[22:00] But this I know this is important for
[22:02] Dunston. This is important for Vermont.
[22:04] and we want to make sure before we make
[22:06] any big changes that we cover those
[22:09] criteria, affordability, but quality as
[22:12] well. Um, I just want to finish up by
[22:15] saying despite all we see in the news,
[22:19] despite how easy and hard it's been this
[22:22] winter, this has been a real
[22:24] oldfashioned winter that doesn't seem to
[22:26] want to quit. Uh, I'm optimistic though.
[22:30] I feel there's better days ahead. I'm
[22:33] really encouraged how people have been
[22:35] stepping up. We saw what happened in
[22:37] Minnesota, in Chicago, in Los Angeles,
[22:40] and we see what's happening in Vermont
[22:42] with people coming together and stepping
[22:44] up and wanting to be heard. And I'm
[22:47] optimistic by that. I'm optimistic
[22:49] meeting with our school kids. I
[22:51] regularly meet with school kids and I
[22:53] was just uh meeting with a bunch of kids
[22:55] uh kids, young adults at our high
[22:58] school. um they are working hard to try
[23:01] and understand the world that they're
[23:04] coming into and they're so dedicated.
[23:06] They want to make this a better world.
[23:08] When I see that, it's hard not to be
[23:10] optimistic about the future. Um please
[23:13] know that I want to hear from you. Uh I
[23:17] want to bring your voices to my billard.
[23:19] Um,
[23:21] you can contact me by looking on the
[23:24] legislative website or I have a town a
[23:28] town meeting report in the back there
[23:30] that has my contact information. I want
[23:32] to hear from you and please allow me to
[23:35] take bring your voice to to my pillar
[23:39] for you and I'm going to keep working
[23:41] hard and trying to stay in touch with
[23:44] you and um glad to take any questions
[23:48] now.
[23:57] Before I I I say anything more though, I
[24:00] want to talk about your the chair of
[24:03] your select board here because we we had
[24:06] what some might call a small issue come
[24:08] up last year and a couple of years ago
[24:10] the small issue was let's keep the DMV
[24:12] open in Dston and and we did we were
[24:15] able to push back but we had some issues
[24:17] around Route 5 in Gston where there were
[24:20] cars being abandoned, trucks being
[24:22] abandoned and Todd stepped up and and
[24:26] we worked together. I think VR really
[24:30] stepped up as well too and were we're
[24:31] really receptive. But you got somebody
[24:34] here that's working hard for you. So I
[24:36] just want to recognize what Todd does
[24:38] and is
[24:46] Jody. You have a question for Mike.
[24:52] Everyone has to use a mic so that people
[24:55] who watch on BCTV can hear.
[25:00] >> Thank you. Um thank you Mike for saying
[25:03] part of what I wanted to say today. I
[25:05] I'm glad to hear that. Um cause what everybody needs to realize
[25:13] is that the state is is going to
[25:16] consolidate us one way or another.
[25:18] They're not going to stop. They started
[25:20] with Act 46 and we fought that and um
[25:23] and Mike fought that with us. Um you
[25:26] know um if we are forced to consolidate
[25:30] in any way, we will have no say in a
[25:34] budget school budget. We will have no
[25:37] votes on a school budget. This is not
[25:40] just Scott that's saying we need to do
[25:43] this. This is our friends, our
[25:45] Democratic friends up there in
[25:48] Montpillar and they are really the ones
[25:51] who are leading this charge and it
[25:53] frustrates frustrates me tremendously
[25:57] because the Democrats
[25:59] they're supposed to believe in democracy
[26:01] and this is not democracy.
[26:04] Um, you know, um,
[26:07] I I want, you know, we have so many
[26:11] unfunded mandates put on the school
[26:13] system, healthc care and social work and
[26:16] all these other things that our students
[26:18] need. The state says, "You shall do
[26:21] this, but you will have to pay for it."
[26:24] They are not paying for their mandates
[26:26] that they're putting on us.
[26:28] We have a um a a group in Vermont called
[26:32] the Rural Community Alliance who has
[26:35] been working their butts off to stand up
[26:38] for us. They're testifying every day in
[26:41] financial committees and education
[26:43] committees and they're doing a fantastic
[26:45] job, but I'm not sure they can do it
[26:48] alone with our our voices. We need to
[26:51] write to our legislators. We need to
[26:53] write to we need to call them. We need
[26:55] to go to meetings. So, um, what I want
[26:59] to say to Mike, and I'm glad to hear him
[27:02] say he wouldn't vote for anything that
[27:05] he gave two things, and I can't remember
[27:06] what it was, but I want you to please
[27:10] stand up for Putney and for Dumbston and
[27:13] say no to any kind of consolidation. We
[27:18] already are consolidated. It took us a
[27:20] long time to get used to it. I think
[27:23] that we've kindly sort of got used to
[27:25] it, but we do miss our local schools and
[27:28] our local school boards. So, please, and
[27:31] if you need a vote of your community,
[27:34] either Putney or Dumbon, as to what you
[27:36] should do, I will call for one because I
[27:40] think everybody wants the best thing.
[27:42] And the best thing right now is that we
[27:44] keep our schools. Thank you.
[27:53] Jody, what can I say? I agree with you.
[27:56] >> You can say we'll do it.
[27:57] >> We'll do it. So, I I want to acknowledge
[28:00] what Jod's doing and with the group that
[28:02] she mentioned and and Cheryl Charles
[28:03] from Westminster who has been a real
[28:05] leader and and really my go-to person.
[28:10] Cheryl lives in Westminster. She's a
[28:11] retired educator. Uh she has been
[28:14] spending a lot of time on this, a lot of
[28:16] time up in Montville. She's been a great
[28:18] advocate and um there's some good people
[28:22] who are trying that and um right now I
[28:26] don't know where it's going to go. I
[28:27] don't think there's as much support as
[28:29] you're as you're mentioning there Joey
[28:32] and and there's a big rift between the
[28:34] House and Senate right now and with the
[28:36] governor and uh we're going to have to
[28:38] try and figure that out. But I know
[28:41] where I'm coming from. And like I said,
[28:43] those are my values of our schools, of
[28:46] our children, uh that we want a quality
[28:49] education at an affordable price. We
[28:51] have to be able to do both.
[28:59] » Joyce, Joyce, you have a question.
[29:02] >> Yeah.
[29:11] Thanks. Hi, Joyce Marcel Gmerston. Mike,
[29:14] how long have you been serving us as a
[29:16] representative now?
[29:18] >> This is my 20th year.
[29:19] >> Your what?
[29:24] My hair is a different color then, but I
[29:28] can tell you when you look out on the
[29:30] street at who's demonstrating, when you
[29:32] look at who's pushing things right now,
[29:35] I heard this phrase that I want to use.
[29:38] We're putting our gray hair to good use.
[29:59] Okay,
[30:02] back to the preamble.
[30:05] In order to speak at town meeting, you
[30:07] must be a registered Dmerston voter.
[30:10] It's our tradition to make an exception
[30:12] for those who represent Dmerston at the
[30:14] state house and for our school
[30:16] principal. Accordingly, if there's no
[30:18] objective, I will give the privilege of
[30:21] speaking to our principal, our
[30:22] legislators, and any other elected state
[30:25] officials who stop by so that they may
[30:27] present their reports and answer your
[30:29] questions. Principal Julian Egan will be
[30:32] giving an interesting presentation
[30:34] toward the end of our lunch break. So, I
[30:37] encourage you to pull up a chair and
[30:40] watch that. We have much to be proud of
[30:41] in our school.
[30:43] You must be a registered Dersonson voter
[30:45] to vote on any issue today. Please raise
[30:48] your hand if you are not a registered
[30:52] Vermont voter.
[30:55] Am I the only one?
[30:58] Thank you. Thank you.
[31:01] If you have difficulty standing, you
[31:04] have the option
[31:07] of holding up a card when a division of
[31:10] the house is called when we vote by
[31:12] standing up for yes or no. Please raise
[31:15] your hand now if you'd like a card and
[31:18] haven't received one yet. Could I get
[31:21] one of you guys to come
[31:24] and that too? There's a woman who raised
[31:26] her hand in the back. Anybody else?
[31:30] Okay,
[31:32] if there's no objection, we'll break for
[31:33] lunch around noon as provided by the
[31:35] good folks at the Graange by Lynch Jr.
[31:38] and Sally May.
[31:41] Today's menu is sandwiches, soup, and
[31:43] dessert. The cost is $7 for adults. That
[31:46] is a dollar less than last year.
[31:51] And do you see the gas went up like 30
[31:53] cents a gallon over at the market just
[31:56] in the last two days or something?
[31:59] and $4 for children.
[32:02] No errors have been found on the town
[32:04] report. Thanks to those who put the town
[32:07] report together, including auditor and
[32:09] editor Ruth Hoffman. Thank you. AND
[32:12] THANKS to the views of Dunston led
[32:21] by Roger Turner. They do.
[32:28] a great job preparing us for
[32:31] town meeting and we have a lot of
[32:35] talented and dedicated people creating
[32:37] those pieces for us and we thank them. I
[32:40] need to get my papers organized here.
[32:45] Lori Fchett, our town clerk, has
[32:47] prepared a helpful summary of the rules
[32:49] of town meeting. Copies are on the table
[32:52] in the back if you'd like to familiarize
[32:54] yourself with it. A few highlights.
[32:57] Robert's rules of order, our govern town
[33:00] meeting. To speak, raise your hand. When
[33:03] I call on you, wait for the microphone
[33:05] or you can go up to this microphone.
[33:07] That's just fine. Um, but you got to use
[33:10] the microphone so that people watching
[33:12] this later online or um will be able to
[33:14] hear you know what you're saying.
[33:17] Um, and hold it right in front of your
[33:19] mouth. It doesn't matter when it goes
[33:21] down here or over to the side. See that?
[33:26] Each voter may speak twice to each
[33:28] motion. I will not call on you a second
[33:31] time unless everyone else who wishes to
[33:33] speak has spoken once. Town officials
[33:36] and
[33:38] others with direct expertise on a
[33:40] question may impartially provide
[33:42] information without it counting as a
[33:44] term. Speeches from the floor are
[33:47] limited to 10 minutes. Although your
[33:49] audience will grow restless after five
[33:51] minutes,
[33:53] I ask the members of our board of civil
[33:55] authority to be ready to count if a
[33:57] division of the house is requested or a
[34:00] paper ballot is called. Please remember
[34:03] under Robert's rules, there are no
[34:05] questions and answers between members of
[34:07] the body. That's you, the body. All
[34:10] motions and remarks must be addressed to
[34:12] the moderator. That's me. This includes
[34:14] when you are asking or answering a
[34:17] question. My job is to help you, the
[34:19] voters, accomplish your will. If you're
[34:22] not sure how to do it, just ask me.
[34:26] And again, please remember to state your
[34:27] name every time you stand as speaker. I
[34:29] will have to interrupt you to remind
[34:31] you, even if you've spoken before. And
[34:34] now we begin. You'll find the warning on
[34:36] page 90 of your town report.
[34:43] Page 86 shows the minutes from last
[34:45] year. on page 89 has the minutes from
[34:49] our May 27th special town meeting. So
[34:53] with a bow to tradition, we'll bring
[34:55] your himnels to page 90.
[35:06] » Article two has already been voted on
[35:08] and I thank you very much.
[35:11] Article three.
[35:13] Shall the voters accept the auditor's
[35:16] report of the town accounts? Is there a
[35:19] motion?
[35:20] >> I move that we accept the auditor's
[35:22] report of the town accounts.
[35:24] >> Is there a second?
[35:28] >> Second from Jody and
[35:31] uh it has been moved and seconded that
[35:33] we accept the auditor's report of the
[35:35] towns. Is there any discussion?
[35:41] Seeing none,
[35:43] it has been moved and seconded that we
[35:45] accept the auditor's report of the town
[35:47] of accounts. All in favor say I.
[35:50] All
[35:51] >> oppose say no. The eyes appear to have
[35:54] it. The eyes do have it.
[35:58] Article four. Shall the voters authorize
[36:00] the select board to appoint the receiver
[36:02] of delinquent taxes?
[36:05] >> Is there a motion?
[36:07] I move that we authorize the select
[36:09] board to appoint a receiver of
[36:11] delinquent taxes.
[36:13] >> I forgot to ask you guys to pass the mic
[36:16] down the table so you can be heard. You
[36:19] want to just say that again, Paul?
[36:23] >> I move that we authorize the select
[36:25] board to appoint a receiver delinquent
[36:28] taxes.
[36:29] >> You want to get a lot closer to the to
[36:31] the mic poll and just see if it works. I
[36:33] bet everybody's heard you by now, but is
[36:36] that on?
[36:37] >> Okay. Thanks.
[36:39] >> I move that we authorize the select
[36:41] board to appoint a receiver of
[36:44] delinquent taxes.
[36:46] >> It has been moved and seconded that we
[36:48] authorize the select board to appoint a
[36:50] receiver of delinquent taxes. Is there
[36:52] any discussion?
[36:57] » Oh, I'm sorry.
[36:59] We have the motion series several times,
[37:02] but Tom will second it. Thank you. It
[37:05] hasn't been moved and seconded now.
[37:07] Thank you, Lori. Um, any discussion on
[37:10] this article on a motion on the floor?
[37:13] No. Okay. It has been moved and seconded
[37:16] that we authorize the select board to
[37:18] account account appoint a receiver like
[37:20] accounts. All in favor say I.
[37:24] >> All oppose say nay.
[37:27] The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[37:30] have it.
[37:33] Article five. Sheld the voters
[37:35] authorized raising the sum of $235,000
[37:39] through taxes and appropriate set amount
[37:42] to the capital fund for future capital
[37:44] needs.
[37:46] I move that I move that uh we authorize
[37:50] raising the sum of $245,000
[37:52] through taxes and appropriate set amount
[37:54] to the capital fund for future capital
[37:57] needs.
[37:58] >> Is there a second?
[38:02] » Second, Paul. Thank you. It has been
[38:05] moved and seconded that the voters
[38:07] authorize raising the amount of $245,000
[38:12] through taxes and appropriate set
[38:14] amounts to the capital fund for future
[38:16] capital needs. You will see the capital
[38:19] fund on page 32 of your town report.
[38:22] We'll be talking in the next article
[38:24] about expending some money, but does
[38:26] anyone have any questions or is there a
[38:29] discussion around raising and setting
[38:31] aside money for capital means? Jody,
[38:36] we got a mic over there.
[38:44] Um, am I missing this? I don't see what
[38:48] it's for. And so I'm just asking what
[38:50] it's for. And it's going into the
[38:56] 26 27 year.
[38:58] >> Yes. You want to state your name, Jody?
[39:00] >> Oh, Jodie Normando Dmerston.
[39:02] >> Thank you.
[39:05] So, your question is what it's for.
[39:09] It's just going into the fund and our
[39:11] next article will tell us what we're
[39:13] spending money on this year.
[39:17] I mean, I don't want to steal your
[39:18] thunder, but I know that Todd has talked
[39:21] about putting a level amount into the
[39:25] capital fund every year. And you can see
[39:27] that it's 245,000
[39:30] on page 32
[39:32] um all the way across the board. And
[39:34] that will keep us a balance sufficient
[39:37] to buy whatever we need every year, even
[39:39] though the amount may vary quite a bit.
[39:46] You're not finding what I'm talking
[39:47] about. You're on page 32.
[39:50] And at the bottom of the table, it says
[39:52] estimated yearly spending. And under
[39:55] that, it says taxes raised. That's where
[39:58] you find the 245,000
[40:01] across the page.
[40:03] All right.
[40:06] Any other questions or discussion? Ruth. And it's just a point of
[40:13] information from the auditor. If you
[40:15] look at page seven shows what we have
[40:18] spent in our capital fund in this year
[40:22] and when the money is spent it it will
[40:28] it shows up in our summary of the
[40:31] capital fund expenses. So page seven
[40:34] shows what we have spent. Page 32 shows
[40:38] our plan for the future.
[40:43] Thank you, Ruth.
[40:46] Anyone else?
[40:48] All right. It has been moved and
[40:49] seconded that the voters authorize
[40:51] raising the amount of $245,000
[40:55] through taxes and appropriate set amount
[40:58] of the capital fund for future capital
[41:00] needs. All in favor, please say I.
[41:04] >> I.
[41:05] >> Any opposed? Say no.
[41:08] The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[41:11] have it and you have funded your capital
[41:13] budget.
[41:16] Article six, shall the voters authorize
[41:18] the purchase of a backhoe at a price not
[41:21] to exceed $192,000
[41:25] and to pay for said purchase from the
[41:27] capital fund. Is there a motion?
[41:30] >> I move that we authorize the purchase of
[41:32] a backhoe at a price not to exceed
[41:35] 192,000 and to pay for said purchase
[41:37] from the capital fund.
[41:39] Is there a second?
[41:41] >> Second. Copy in the front row. It has
[41:44] been moved and seconded that we
[41:45] authorize the purchase of a backhoe at a
[41:48] price not to exceed $192,000
[41:51] and to pay for said purchase from the
[41:53] capital fund. Do any of you want to
[41:56] speak to the capital fund or just wait
[41:59] for questions?
[42:02] » Is Lee here
[42:04] in choirs? He was
[42:06] >> He was He's probably busy working. Oh,
[42:10] you are here. He just didn't want us to
[42:12] know. So, do you have a question you'd
[42:15] like Lee to answer, Tom?
[42:16] >> If there's a question on the back of Lee
[42:18] to discuss that.
[42:19] >> Okay. So, Lee has the best answers to
[42:22] questions about the backhoe if anybody
[42:24] has any. Are there any questions? Any
[42:26] discussion? Jody.
[42:33] Normando. Um, we do have it back
[42:36] home now, right Lee?
[42:40] >> And how old is it?
[42:47] » Lee Chamberlain.
[42:50] >> Yes, the back is a 2012.
[42:54] It's just uh 15 years old. That's our
[42:56] schedule.
[43:04] I it was difficult to hear you. Could
[43:06] you say that again right into the mic?
[43:08] >> All right. It was a 2012
[43:11] um and it's 15 years old and it's a
[43:13] scheduled replacement.
[43:19] » Any other questions, discussion? Guess
[43:22] up front. Molly.
[43:27] » Hi, I'm Molly Stoner. Um, I really
[43:30] support saving money for um, future
[43:33] needs and I also really support having
[43:36] that money work for us while it's in the
[43:38] bank. And I just did a quick little
[43:41] number of the balance and then the
[43:44] interest and it looks like we're earning
[43:45] about 1.2% and I'm wondering if the
[43:48] select board has um, thought about
[43:50] investing in a high yield savings
[43:52] account so that we could get four to 5%
[43:55] on that money.
[43:58] That word is interrogated. Do you want
[44:00] to pass the mic down?
[44:11] » We have looked into that. Uh in fact it
[44:13] came up last year uh and we talked about
[44:15] it at length for both the general fund
[44:18] money. uh
[44:20] we didn't come to a conclusion there's
[44:22] some change in the interest rate that
[44:26] we're getting now than we were getting
[44:28] last year but we don't want to commit a
[44:30] lot of money to
[44:32] uh obviously anything where there's any
[44:33] risk uh but a high yield savings account
[44:36] money markets and CDs are something
[44:38] we've been not money markets but CDs is
[44:40] something we've been talking about uh we
[44:42] just want to make sure we have access to
[44:43] the money uh so it's a very good
[44:45] question to have it work for us uh it
[44:47] it's a little dependent on how much we
[44:50] may need in a given year. Something
[44:51] could move forward or backwards. Uh but
[44:53] we'll look into it again because it's
[44:55] definitely an idea that has been talked
[44:57] about.
[44:59] >> Chris Brown, our treasur, do you want to
[45:01] speak to this?
[45:15] » Capital fund is making 2%.
[45:26] » All right. Anything else? Yes.
[45:31] Kim
[45:32] >> Mike,
[45:39] » maybe a technical question, but please
[45:43] >> William McKim or Bill McKim. Um I I I
[45:46] see all these you know very very
[45:49] expensive uh purchases and uh we are uh
[45:53] we've been looking at funds to to
[45:56] purchase those things. Uh I guess my big
[45:59] question will be what happens to the
[46:02] ones that we have that are still
[46:03] functioning? Are they you are they break
[46:06] them up for parts or do we uh sell them
[46:08] to some maybe smaller town? What happens
[46:11] to those funds that have already been
[46:13] spent for the use of equipment that
[46:15] we're abandoning?
[46:19] >> I know that normally we trade things in,
[46:21] but Lee, why don't you come up to the
[46:23] microphone and give us a little more of
[46:26] an answer that
[46:27] >> Yeah, Lee Chamberlain again. Um, yes, we
[46:31] take the best offer we can get. So, it's
[46:34] either traded in or sold outright.
[46:38] Um this price of 192,000
[46:43] was just a quote. So hopefully it's a
[46:45] little less than that. And then um
[46:48] they'll offer us say 30,000 for trade in
[46:51] and we have to decide whether we want to
[46:53] try to sell it outright and get more
[46:55] money than that.
[46:58] >> Thank you.
[47:01] Sure.
[47:05] » Yeah. So I'm Tom Nolan. I I wanted to
[47:07] clarify uh with Lee because of the issue
[47:09] we had last year with the truck. Will
[47:11] the price of the vehicle be 192,000 or
[47:15] is that including what we expect to get
[47:16] back as as a trade in? And so is the
[47:19] purchase price so we don't have to do
[47:21] another vote. Is the purchase price
[47:23] supposed to be 192 or less?
[47:25] >> Correct.
[47:26] >> Okay. Perfect.
[47:30] » Are you ready for the question?
[47:35] Ruth, did you have a something else to
[47:37] say?
[47:39] >> Another point of information.
[47:51] » Okay.
[47:52] >> Yes.
[47:52] >> If you look on page seven
[47:55] for the capital fund.
[47:57] >> Oh, Ruth Hoffman. I'm one of the town
[48:00] auditors. So point of information, if
[48:03] you look on page seven of the capital
[48:05] fund, it shows the answers, how much to
[48:09] all the questions, how much interest we
[48:11] earned, what taxes were voted, what we
[48:14] made in the sale
[48:16] of the used equipment, and what we paid
[48:19] for the new equipment, and show you
[48:22] what's in the fund. So we we try hard to
[48:25] report to the town all the information
[48:30] that they need in all these boring
[48:32] pages.
[48:34] >> Thank you.
[48:35] >> I find that fascinating.
[48:40] » Are you ready for the question?
[48:43] It has been moved and seconded that we
[48:45] authorize the purchase of a backhoe at a
[48:48] price not to exceed $192,000
[48:51] and to pay for said purchase from the
[48:54] capital fund. All in favor say I.
[48:58] >> Any opposed say no.
[49:01] The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[49:04] have it.
[49:08] Article seven.
[49:11] Shall the voters authorize the first
[49:13] five payments on a fire truck at a
[49:16] payment not to exceed $18,000
[49:20] and to make said payment from the
[49:22] capital fund? Is there a motion?
[49:25] >> I move that we authorize the first of
[49:28] five payments on the fire truck and a
[49:31] payment not to exceed
[49:33] 18,000 and to make said payments from
[49:35] the capital fund.
[49:38] >> Is there a second?
[49:41] from Alex Wilson. It has been
[49:43] moved and seconded to authorize the
[49:46] first of five payments on a firet truck
[49:48] payment not to exceed $18,000
[49:51] and to make make said payment from the
[49:54] capital fund.
[49:56] Does anybody want to say anything about
[49:57] this? Dan.
[50:06] Uh hello Dan Rhooper. I'm on the fire
[50:08] department resident. Uh just some
[50:10] context for your vote as we head that
[50:12] way. It looks like uh sort of two two
[50:14] primary points. Uh the first is that we
[50:16] did receive the fire truck several weeks
[50:18] ago. Uh it's going by nine tanker one.
[50:22] Uh as a process of having received it,
[50:24] we sent several members up to uh St.
[50:27] Albins's who sort of worked with our
[50:29] distributor for some day of delivery
[50:31] items and you know quality control check
[50:33] items. We then drove it down to our
[50:36] station and as a department we've been
[50:38] doing some of the last minute upfitting
[50:41] uh things that sort of customize it for
[50:43] its use for the types of plumbing and
[50:45] fitting and adapters and tools and the
[50:47] shelves and the drawers and things that
[50:48] slide up. Uh we've been working on that
[50:50] and then some of the initial
[50:52] commissioning and training that we've
[50:53] been doing with the truck. Um one of the
[50:56] sort of unfortunate realities is that we
[50:58] got it and as part of that uh onboarding
[51:00] of the of the new truck, we found some
[51:02] warranty items. the largest of which is
[51:05] was a leak in the in the tank. So, you
[51:07] know, we filled it right up and
[51:11] >> there it comes right out the bottom. So,
[51:12] it's u been been back with the
[51:15] manufacturer's authorized repair center.
[51:18] Um the tank has a lifetime warranty on
[51:20] it. It's a polyropylene tank. So, we are
[51:23] awaiting that and expect to have the
[51:24] truck back in ser or back back to us uh
[51:27] this week. and we're still sort of going
[51:30] through getting everybody who is a
[51:32] signed off driver of the fire apparatus
[51:34] uh the training they need to be able to
[51:35] safely operate it and use all the things
[51:37] on it. So that that sort of is the
[51:40] status of the new truck. Uh we have been
[51:42] hoping to have sort of a public public
[51:44] invite pushin ceremony where we're all
[51:46] going to put the truck in reverse
[51:49] probably maybe neutral and see if we can
[51:51] push it back into the station call and turn it on and have the truck be
[51:55] live and active for service. Uh the
[51:57] second piece sort of answers the
[51:59] question we just had about what are we
[52:00] doing with the old truck. Um those of
[52:03] you who came to the select board budget
[52:06] workshop sessions in the fall which is
[52:08] about three of you um may remember that
[52:10] we talked about this for a little while.
[52:12] Um we the town own the fire department's
[52:15] fire trucks. So the fire department does
[52:17] not own the fire trucks. The town owns
[52:19] the fire trucks. The fire department
[52:21] maintains the fire trucks. And when it
[52:23] gets to the end of the life of these
[52:24] fire trucks, because they're purchased
[52:26] out of the capital fund, the sale and
[52:28] the proceeds of those funds go back to
[52:30] the town and back to the capital fund.
[52:32] And so we had been exploring what do you
[52:34] do with a multi-deade old firet truck?
[52:38] What's the value of it? You know, there
[52:39] not too many places that are in the
[52:41] market for a 27y old truck, 30-y old
[52:43] truck. And so we had some options about
[52:46] what to do. And we consulted with the
[52:48] select board on their preference for how
[52:50] we would deal with that. Uh the first
[52:52] was that it it to be more marketable to
[52:54] potentially fetch a higher sale price
[52:56] would have required um I think it was
[52:59] seven or $8,000 worth of additional
[53:00] repairs uh to sort of bring it up up to
[53:04] being able to be in service and
[53:05] salailable. Um we think that that
[53:08] investment had an ROI and that we would
[53:11] garner more from the sale of that by
[53:13] having and a faster sale by doing those
[53:15] repairs. So that was our proposition
[53:17] which we brought to the select board.
[53:19] They sort of nodded heads and said that
[53:21] seems reasonable. So the fire department
[53:23] out of its operating budget funded those
[53:26] repairs for $78,000. So next year when
[53:29] you see our actuals, the repairs budget
[53:31] will be higher and it is related to the sort of refurbishing of that truck
[53:36] for resale. Um the benefit there to us
[53:40] as a town, those of us who all own the
[53:42] truck together, is that we hope to
[53:44] recoup all that money plus more. the
[53:46] fire department paid for repairs and
[53:48] hopefully the town uh receives a a
[53:50] greater value than that. It's currently
[53:52] listed on the firetruck brokerage
[53:54] website which has a national reach for
[53:57] $30,000. Uh if it sells for that price,
[53:59] we'll pay a 10% commission fee to the
[54:01] web broker for for commissioning for
[54:04] brokering that deal and the the balance
[54:06] will go back to back to the town.
[54:11] >> Thank you.
[54:11] Dan. Any questions?
[54:14] >> Yes.
[54:16] Chris,
[54:21] » thank you. Uh, Chris Olsen,
[54:24] I noticed that article,
[54:28] pardon me, article six last year um, was
[54:33] nearly the same thing but for $5,000
[54:35] more. My question is just, is this a
[54:37] different firet truck or did something
[54:39] happen last year that we did not
[54:41] actually buy a different fire truck?
[54:43] Thank you.
[54:46] Dan, is that a question that you want to
[54:48] answer or is there somebody else?
[54:51] Mike.
[55:03] So, several years ago, we discussed the
[55:04] merits of reserving funds to purchase
[55:07] fire trucks versus financing them and
[55:09] paying them after purchase. I believe
[55:12] I'm I'm speculating that the difference
[55:14] is the actual interest on the loan that
[55:17] the town has to pay that firetruck. Um
[55:20] until we receive it, we don't pay for
[55:22] it. So the town had been carrying some
[55:24] placeholder interest rate for what we
[55:26] would pay for the financing portion of
[55:28] the payment. And now that it's actually
[55:30] arrived, interest rates are have changed
[55:33] from whatever the assumption was a year
[55:35] ago.
[55:46] Paul Newmano. Uh, I was looking at the
[55:49] Vermont bond back bond bank this past
[55:53] week and I noticed that there was a town
[55:56] up in northern Vermont. I believe it was
[55:58] Greensboro that has uh just purchased a
[56:02] new fire truck to the tune of about a
[56:04] half million dollars. and uh they were
[56:07] bonding it over the course of 20 years.
[56:11] And I was wondering whether the select
[56:13] board has ever considered um I don't
[56:16] know what the interest rates would was
[56:18] on that. And I was wondering whether the
[56:20] select board had ever considered doing a
[56:23] longer term uh financing
[56:26] for an asset that has a 25 or 30 year
[56:30] lifespan
[56:31] rather than uh
[56:34] having the larger impact on taxes
[56:39] uh to fund the uh payments over five
[56:43] years. Now, I don't know what the
[56:45] long-term uh um interest rate
[56:49] differences are between what you're
[56:51] paying and what the Vermont Bond Bank uh
[56:55] would charge. I generally the Vermont
[56:58] Bond Bank has pretty uh favorable
[57:01] interest rates for major capital items.
[57:04] So, I was I would urge the select board
[57:07] to consider if this article comes up
[57:09] again in the future. I think the tide
[57:11] has been cast here. I could urge the
[57:14] board to maybe investigate that
[57:16] possibility. Thank you.
[57:20] >> Any response? A thumbs up.
[57:23] >> I will do the math and we'll have a
[57:25] little worksheet and look at it.
[57:28] >> I'll do the math and we'll compare
[57:31] for this one and moving forward. Thank
[57:33] you.
[57:34] >> Everybody catch that. Paul will do the
[57:36] math and figure out if a longer loan
[57:38] term is going to cost more or not.
[57:42] >> Yeah, probably more interest over a
[57:44] longer period of time.
[57:49] Okay,
[57:51] seeing no further people raising their
[57:54] hands for discussion or questions,
[57:58] you have moved and seconded that we
[58:00] authorize the first of five payments on
[58:02] a fire truck at a payment not to exceed
[58:05] $18,000
[58:06] and to make set payment from the capital
[58:08] fund. All in favor, please say I.
[58:13] >> Any opposed say no.
[58:16] The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[58:19] have it.
[58:21] Article 80. Shall the voters approve
[58:24] total general fund expenditures of
[58:26] $768,37
[58:31] of which $600,624
[58:35] shall be raised by taxes and $167,413
[58:41] by non-ax revenues for the period of
[58:44] July 1st, 2026 to June 30th, 2027.
[58:50] Is there a motion?
[58:52] Uh, this is on page 27 to 30 in your
[58:55] books. I move that we approve total
[58:58] general fund expenditures of $768,37
[59:04] of which $600,624
[59:06] shall be raised by taxes, $167,413
[59:12] by non-ax revenues for the period of
[59:14] July 1st, 2026
[59:16] to June 30th, 2027.
[59:19] Is there a second?
[59:22] >> Second from Paul Smith.
[59:26] It has been moved and seconded that we
[59:28] approve total general fund expenditures
[59:30] of $768,47
[59:34] of which $600,624
[59:37] shall be raised by taxes and $167,413
[59:42] by non- tax revenues for the period July
[59:45] 1, 2026 to June 30th, 2027.
[59:49] Want to come up and present?
[1:00:01] still Todd Davidson the slide board.
[1:00:05] So, uh, really the breakdown of of this
[1:00:09] year's budget, which was covered in
[1:00:11] reviews, a few numbers are a little bit
[1:00:12] different than what you saw in the
[1:00:13] reviews, but for the general fund
[1:00:14] specifically,
[1:00:16] there's about $86,000
[1:00:18] increase from last year. Those are
[1:00:21] driven by about eight items, which I'll
[1:00:23] just cover really quickly if you're
[1:00:25] looking at line items and want to know
[1:00:26] where that increase is coming from and
[1:00:28] why we're doing those specific items.
[1:00:31] the um actually the number is 93,000
[1:00:34] increase but these ones I'm going to
[1:00:36] tell you are driving 86,000 the 93,000
[1:00:39] increase so we've increased um
[1:00:44] pay obviously 2.7% it's not a huge
[1:00:47] amount but that's the social security
[1:00:49] administration's cost of living increase
[1:00:51] for the year so that went to all the
[1:00:52] employees uh and all the employees are
[1:00:55] included in the general fund well not
[1:00:57] all the taxes are included in the
[1:00:59] general fund
[1:01:00] But employee salaries all broken out by
[1:01:02] town clerk, listers, treasurer,
[1:01:07] who else? Basically, town office
[1:01:09] functions. Your highway department is in
[1:01:11] the highway fund, which we'll talk about
[1:01:13] in a minute.
[1:01:15] So, the increases to the town of the
[1:01:18] treasur um if you look at it from last
[1:01:20] year isn't a straight increase in
[1:01:22] salary. 2.7% is, but we added total
[1:01:25] hours for Lori and Chris because we have
[1:01:27] elections coming up during this time
[1:01:28] period. And that's going to take
[1:01:29] additional time to set up the polling
[1:01:31] stations, set up the machines, and we we
[1:01:34] need more hours for them to do that. So
[1:01:36] all of that increase is not just pay
[1:01:38] increase, it's hours increase for those
[1:01:40] two particular slots. And those are both
[1:01:42] about a little under $7,000.
[1:01:45] We increase the assistant clerk hours
[1:01:48] also uh because Lori and Chris are both
[1:01:53] going to be in the final year. here. So,
[1:01:55] we already have a new town clerk and a
[1:01:57] new treasurer a year from now. We've put
[1:02:00] in some hours under the assistant clerk
[1:02:02] to allow Chris and Lori to come in and
[1:02:04] help the new town clerk and the new
[1:02:06] treasurer learn the job. Obviously, a
[1:02:08] lot of experience with leaving the
[1:02:09] office. And so, we want to plan ahead
[1:02:11] and have some time, some money for them
[1:02:14] to come in and train their replacements.
[1:02:16] So, the assistant clerk increase you see
[1:02:18] on that line item is a 2.7 plus
[1:02:21] additional hours for training and
[1:02:23] replacements.
[1:02:27] Reappraisal fund. There's additional
[1:02:28] $5,000 in there. That's a new line item.
[1:02:31] Uh we have to do a new reappraisal
[1:02:33] directed by the state uh for the grand
[1:02:35] list. Uh the listers will be doing that
[1:02:38] under contract with another agency. Uh
[1:02:41] that's directed by the state. It's
[1:02:43] probably not going to start till 2029.
[1:02:46] It's a little hard to find companies to
[1:02:47] come in and do a full appraisal for the
[1:02:49] grand list, but there's an amount of
[1:02:51] money we're going to need in about five
[1:02:53] years in order to do the appraisal. So,
[1:02:55] that $5,000 is going to happen every
[1:02:57] year for the next five years to build up
[1:02:59] the fund to do the appraisals.
[1:03:02] The sheriff's department, we've added
[1:03:04] some hours uh to patrolling the roads.
[1:03:08] Uh and that's the that's the increase on
[1:03:10] the sheriff's line item. The fire
[1:03:12] department has some increases to
[1:03:13] operating expenses. Some was talked
[1:03:15] about by Dan. Uh and then there's
[1:03:18] increase to the capital fund. So they
[1:03:19] have some uh breathing apparatus they
[1:03:22] need to replace that are end of life and
[1:03:24] some radios uh to keep everybody safe in
[1:03:27] town. Those items that I just covered
[1:03:29] make up about 86,000 of the 93,000
[1:03:32] increase. Uh the rest of that is going
[1:03:34] to be a little bit of a 2.7% increase in
[1:03:38] salaries for everybody in the town
[1:03:39] office. Any
[1:03:42] qu
[1:03:49] are there questions?
[1:03:51] Yes, Terry.
[1:04:00] Chapman. I've got a question under
[1:04:04] page 27 under the health reimbursement
[1:04:07] account.
[1:04:09] Um, I looked through the minutes of last
[1:04:11] year and I didn't see any changes. So,
[1:04:14] the budget for FY25
[1:04:17] was 5,000, but the actual was 10. So, is
[1:04:22] that a typo or did we actually put 10 in
[1:04:26] the account? And if we did so, where did
[1:04:29] we get the money from?
[1:04:46] I'll ponder the answer. Chris may have
[1:04:48] also be able to assist. So what the h
[1:04:50] are for which we cover really quick.
[1:04:55] >> I had 10 in my notes. So, I'm not sure
[1:04:58] where the five is,
[1:05:01] but yeah, we did put 10 in the H.
[1:05:05] >> I see you're talking about So, 25 is
[1:05:07] 5,000,
[1:05:08] >> right?
[1:05:08] >> And the actual is 10.
[1:05:12] I'll I'll check that. Um,
[1:05:17] it's a good question.
[1:05:20] So, I think 10 is the number.
[1:05:28] All set.
[1:05:30] >> Okay. Gabby.
[1:05:37] » Hello. Gabby Kesler. Um I'm right below
[1:05:41] that. I'm just curious uh the the
[1:05:43] payment in lu health of health insurance
[1:05:45] going from 4,000 to 8,500. Is that a
[1:05:47] change in price or is someone else
[1:05:49] taking that option?
[1:05:55] » Right. Right. We're going from one to
[1:05:57] two people
[1:05:59] >> who aren't taking the time.
[1:06:05] » I see Dan Morando's hand
[1:06:08] against the wall. Dan, can you stand so
[1:06:11] they can find you? Thank you.
[1:06:19] » Hi, I'm Dan Normando. A question for
[1:06:21] Todd. um next year, uh when you're
[1:06:24] formulating the budget, uh would it be
[1:06:26] fair to assume that you will be reducing
[1:06:29] it by something near 86,000? Because
[1:06:31] those sound like they're not ongoing
[1:06:34] costs. They're just for the issues you
[1:06:37] described.
[1:06:44] » I make no promises today.
[1:06:48] the uh I can't say it's going to reduce
[1:06:51] by 86,000. The goal over the last three
[1:06:53] years which I think is to address
[1:06:55] theformational meeting was to get three
[1:06:57] things in order. One was the salary for
[1:06:59] the town employees that had been
[1:07:00] increased. That was I guess three years
[1:07:03] ago, two years ago. Last year was get
[1:07:06] the capital fund in order which we did
[1:07:08] and this year is get structures funding
[1:07:10] order. Once all those are leveled you
[1:07:12] saw the 245 245,000 for the capital
[1:07:15] fund. The goal of that was to not have
[1:07:17] the capital fund contribution go up down every year. So we balanced it
[1:07:21] out over a 10-year period. We're now
[1:07:24] doing the same thing with structure
[1:07:25] funds and we've got everybody's pay in
[1:07:28] order. So my hope is that next year we
[1:07:31] don't see any big ticket items that
[1:07:32] suddenly show up that require additional
[1:07:34] funding, but I can't make any
[1:07:36] guarantees.
[1:07:37] >> Follow.
[1:07:41] Um, Dan, I'm gonna see if anybody else
[1:07:44] has a question or a comment for the
[1:07:47] first round. Yes, Eric.
[1:07:53] Krueger. I'm noticing under health
[1:07:55] and welfare on page 29, the VNA was not
[1:07:59] funded for 27. And I'm curious if that's
[1:08:01] because they did not submit a request or
[1:08:04] if there was some conscious choice to
[1:08:06] not fund them this year.
[1:08:09] Is anyone here from the social services
[1:08:11] advisory committee?
[1:08:16] » The question was, "Why are we no longer
[1:08:20] funding the VNA?"
[1:08:24] » Can we get a microphone? Oh, there you
[1:08:26] go.
[1:08:27] >> There we go.
[1:08:28] >> Sandra Campbell. Sandra Campbell. They
[1:08:30] did not request any funding this year.
[1:08:32] >> All right. Thank you.
[1:08:35] >> Thanks for inaugurating me tonight.
[1:08:37] That's very exciting.
[1:08:41] Anyone else who hasn't spoken yet?
[1:08:43] Otherwise, we'll go with guests.
[1:08:49] Hello, I'm Jessica Everlith from
[1:08:50] Dmerston. Um, I make a motion to add
[1:08:53] $12,000 to the Lydia Tat Pratt Lydia
[1:08:57] Taft Pratt Library budget to continue
[1:08:59] the current level of staffing for the
[1:09:00] children's library.
[1:09:04] It has been moved to add $12,000 to the
[1:09:08] budget. I'm sorry, Jessica, do you have
[1:09:11] a copy of your motion that one of us
[1:09:14] could use?
[1:09:20] » I only have it digitally, but I can say
[1:09:22] it again.
[1:09:23] >> Okay, let's do it.
[1:09:28] Jeez.
[1:09:33] » Okay. Um, I make a motion to add $12,000
[1:09:38] to the Lydia Taft Pratt Library budget
[1:09:42] to continue the current level of
[1:09:44] staffing for the children's library.
[1:09:52] » Is there a second?
[1:09:57] Did you see?
[1:10:01] » Yes. Point of order.
[1:10:03] >> Motion on the floor.
[1:10:05] >> Yes. And this is an amendment to the
[1:10:07] motion on the floor.
[1:10:15] Okay.
[1:10:17] We now have an amendment on the floor to
[1:10:19] discuss. This is an amendment to the
[1:10:21] main motion. This amendment would
[1:10:23] increase by $12,000 the library budget
[1:10:27] to continue the current level of
[1:10:29] staffing. It has been moved and
[1:10:31] seconded.
[1:10:33] Any comments, questions about this? Is
[1:10:38] there someone from the library who would
[1:10:39] like to speak to this? The question of
[1:10:42] staffing
[1:10:46] in the back. Are you Lynn?
[1:10:50] >> Linda. Linda. Yes.
[1:10:56] » Hi, I'm Linda D. Carlo Burns, library
[1:10:58] trustee. Uh when we proposed our budget
[1:11:00] to the select board, um we wanted to
[1:11:03] continue the um staffing for the
[1:11:06] children's library, they had cut the
[1:11:08] budget by exactly the dollar amount that
[1:11:11] would need be needed to do. So um at
[1:11:14] this point in time the uh children's
[1:11:16] programming has proved to be very very
[1:11:18] popular in the library and um also we're
[1:11:22] in the process now of hiring a new
[1:11:25] library director and the children's
[1:11:27] librarian is providing the continuity
[1:11:30] that we need um to keep the library
[1:11:32] open.
[1:11:36] Thank you Jody. You had your hand up.
[1:11:49] Um, I think before you had a very expens
[1:11:53] expensive librarian.
[1:11:55] >> Who are you?
[1:11:56] >> Oh, Jodie Normando. Chuck Fish. Thank
[1:11:58] you.
[1:12:01] I've known you for how many years,
[1:12:03] Chuck.
[1:12:05] Um, very expensive librarian. I see by
[1:12:08] your advertisements that you're you're
[1:12:10] looking for somebody for a lot less
[1:12:12] money than what you had before. So, is
[1:12:15] that included in this $12,000, Linda?
[1:12:26] » Um, the previous library director was
[1:12:29] making $20 an hour and the range that we
[1:12:32] advertised was from
[1:12:35] 17 to 20. Uh the feedback that we got
[1:12:38] from a lot of applicants is that our um
[1:12:41] proposed salary is kind of on the low
[1:12:43] side even at 20 because of the
[1:12:46] credentials that are required. So
[1:12:49] although we thought we were hoping that
[1:12:50] we would have some kind of savings
[1:12:52] opportunity with a new library director
[1:12:54] um it doesn't seem to be the case.
[1:12:57] So the motion on the floor is to amend
[1:13:00] the general fund budget
[1:13:03] and Jody you've already spoken. Let's
[1:13:06] see if there's anyone else who has not
[1:13:09] spoken to this. Yes.
[1:13:18] » Hi, I'm Ally Wilder. Um, I just want to
[1:13:21] speak in support of the children's
[1:13:23] program at the library. Um, I have a
[1:13:25] toddler who's been walking back and
[1:13:27] forth. I don't know where she is right
[1:13:28] now. Um, but it they've been really
[1:13:31] helpful. It's really nice to have some
[1:13:32] programs in Dmerston and I know there's
[1:13:34] a lot of people who talk a lot about
[1:13:36] wanting to get younger people here and
[1:13:38] new families here. Um, and it's very
[1:13:40] important I think to have these programs
[1:13:42] already in existence so that people who
[1:13:45] want to come here are looking around and
[1:13:46] say, "Hey, this is a great place to have
[1:13:49] kids."
[1:13:57] Paul
[1:14:02] Uh Paul never go. Um
[1:14:07] I'm going to vote against um this uh
[1:14:12] amendment because
[1:14:15] the taxes are already going up close
[1:14:18] over 14%.
[1:14:20] Uh no, I'm sorry, going up over 13% this
[1:14:23] year. Even though the book says 2.84, 4.
[1:14:25] That doesn't account for another article
[1:14:27] that's in the uh budget for funding the
[1:14:31] Vermont food uh Vermont food bank.
[1:14:35] Um
[1:14:37] over the last four years,
[1:14:40] our town um of impact on taxes has
[1:14:45] increased or our budget has increased
[1:14:48] over 55%.
[1:14:51] And that is an unsustainable
[1:14:56] rate of growth. We can't, you know, I
[1:14:59] don't understand why people can continue
[1:15:01] to do this. But necessity is the mother
[1:15:05] of invention and uh I would hope that
[1:15:08] somebody would come up with some
[1:15:09] inventions on how we can have stabilize
[1:15:12] this. inflation has been at the rate of
[1:15:14] 2 and 1/2 to three 3 and 1/2% tops and
[1:15:19] we're increasing our budgets at at a at
[1:15:22] a much higher rate. Um, as much as the
[1:15:26] libraries program is very good, I'm
[1:15:29] assuming that the select board and the
[1:15:33] library have had a consultation in terms
[1:15:36] of what they were going to budget for in
[1:15:39] this budget. So, this seems like uh
[1:15:43] working in the back door after you've
[1:15:45] already agreed on a budget with a select
[1:15:47] ward to come in and ask for another
[1:15:50] $12,000,
[1:15:51] particularly in light of the increases
[1:15:54] that we've had to sustain in the last
[1:15:55] few years. Thank you very much.
[1:15:59] >> Anyone who hasn't spoken first to this
[1:16:02] motion to the amendment, and that would
[1:16:04] be Eric. Start with come to you.
[1:16:13] Eric Krueger. I'm trying to find where
[1:16:15] the general fund, the library expenses
[1:16:17] are. Could somebody
[1:16:19] write that out? Thank you.
[1:16:30] » In the general fund budget, it's on page
[1:16:32] 30, but I think there's a whole separate
[1:16:34] I would welcome anyone who wants to
[1:16:36] shout out the page number.
[1:16:39] 50 51 50
[1:16:45] » and Gobby
[1:16:49] Gabby Kesler. Um I think my
[1:16:52] understanding is that the library did
[1:16:53] ask for this money. It seems like the
[1:16:54] select board is trying to be
[1:16:56] conservative so that we have a starting
[1:16:58] point that is conservative, but that we
[1:17:00] get to come here um and get amendments
[1:17:03] so that um we get a direct say. Um, and
[1:17:06] so we don't really view it as a backdoor
[1:17:09] um, way to get this in. I think it just
[1:17:10] is a moment where we get to decide um,
[1:17:12] where the select board has kind of put
[1:17:14] it to us instead of them making the
[1:17:15] decision to fund it more.
[1:17:21] » Is there anyone who hasn't spoken to
[1:17:23] this for the first time yet? Bill McKim.
[1:17:33] Well, this is brief. Bill William
[1:17:35] McCamp. Uh, in in a a national climate
[1:17:40] of literacy declining, let's keep in
[1:17:43] mind that the average uh literacy rate
[1:17:46] is I think third grade in this country.
[1:17:49] I think we need to promote any time in
[1:17:52] any way we can the uh literacy and uh in
[1:17:56] our town and I think if we look at the
[1:17:59] actual amount of funds out of our taxes
[1:18:03] which this $12,000
[1:18:06] um will mean it'll probably just be
[1:18:08] several cents. I you might be able to
[1:18:12] give me some feedback on that. Thank
[1:18:14] you.
[1:18:20] Charles Fish over here.
[1:18:25] Thanks.
[1:18:29] » Thank you. Uh Chuck Fish, Charles Fish.
[1:18:32] Um I'm not sure I'm going to vote with
[1:18:34] my good friend here on the right. Uh, I
[1:18:36] may not, but I'm curious and and this
[1:18:39] may be partly an old man's bad ears, but
[1:18:42] it wasn't absolutely clear to me why
[1:18:45] this money wasn't included u in the
[1:18:48] original discussion with the select
[1:18:50] board. In other words, why didn't the
[1:18:52] select board include this 12,000 in the
[1:18:55] uh amount proposed?
[1:18:59] The
[1:18:59] >> select board is interrogated.
[1:19:02] >> Todd Davidson, select board again. Good
[1:19:04] question. So, we talked about this and
[1:19:06] went back and forth with the library on
[1:19:08] this on a number of occasions.
[1:19:10] A couple of things just to point out.
[1:19:12] Last year, we sat here and approved
[1:19:15] additional funding for the library based
[1:19:16] on a grant that the library had
[1:19:18] received, which is a great thing, but
[1:19:21] essentially the town voted to take up
[1:19:22] the last three months of the funding for
[1:19:24] that grant for the rest of the year. And
[1:19:26] one of the things that was discussed
[1:19:28] was, are we committing ourselves to
[1:19:30] future funding to support a grant that
[1:19:32] expired a year ago? So that's why that's
[1:19:35] one of the reasons why we went back to
[1:19:37] the previous grant dollar figure.
[1:19:40] Secondly, uh as it's coming up later,
[1:19:43] there's another article on the community
[1:19:44] center in the library that we're going
[1:19:45] to talk about. Uh in the merger of those
[1:19:49] two activities, the library no longer
[1:19:52] has a rent dollar figure in their
[1:19:54] budget. So, if you look at last year's
[1:19:55] budget for them, there's $10,000 removed
[1:19:58] from that because we're no longer giving
[1:20:00] them rent that they are then paying to
[1:20:02] the community center board to maintain
[1:20:04] that building. So, you'll see a line
[1:20:07] item right above library on that same
[1:20:09] page. $16,000 for the community center,
[1:20:12] which is new. So, that $16,000 is made
[1:20:15] up of the $10,000 in rent that we were
[1:20:17] giving the library that they were paying
[1:20:19] the community center. And the remainder
[1:20:21] of that money to get to 16,000 is what
[1:20:23] the community center board used to used
[1:20:25] to fund raise for in order to keep that
[1:20:27] building going. So paying the bills, the
[1:20:29] propane, the heat, the cleaning, the
[1:20:30] lawn mowing, all those kind of things.
[1:20:32] So that $16,000
[1:20:35] in community center is a combo platter
[1:20:37] of the rent we used to give the library,
[1:20:38] which was about 10,000 a year, and the
[1:20:41] additional money is going to keep the
[1:20:43] community center operating for the next
[1:20:46] year. So, however you want to read that,
[1:20:49] I know the 42,000 to 24,000 looks like a
[1:20:52] huge cut, but remember 10,000 of that used to be in the library's budget
[1:20:56] is no longer in their budget, but it's
[1:20:57] still in the town budget. So, we're
[1:20:59] still paying to maintain the community
[1:21:01] center building. We just were doing it
[1:21:03] via a roundabout method with the
[1:21:05] community center board. So, we decided
[1:21:07] in our discussions with the library, and
[1:21:10] they're aware of this, to basically
[1:21:12] bring their funding back to where it
[1:21:14] would be had the grant not occurred and
[1:21:16] then allow, as pointed out, the town to
[1:21:19] decide whether they want to commit that
[1:21:20] additional funding in the budget.
[1:21:24] >> Thank you,
[1:21:26] Molly. you haven't spoken to this yet.
[1:21:29] And just a reminder, our topic is the
[1:21:32] amendment to add 12,000 to maintain
[1:21:35] library staffing. I just have a question
[1:21:38] for I'm always done. Um, I just have a
[1:21:40] question for you, Cindy. Is there any
[1:21:42] kind of mechanism to talk about the
[1:21:46] article that's about the library? Now,
[1:21:48] it seems a little it just seems to me
[1:21:51] like it would benefit the the whole
[1:21:53] discussion about the library could help
[1:21:57] inform people about this motion because
[1:22:02] um I see as someone who's gone to most
[1:22:05] of the meetings about the library and
[1:22:07] community center change, I see a lot of
[1:22:10] potential for return on that investment
[1:22:12] that others might not who haven't gone
[1:22:15] to those meetings might not um be aware
[1:22:17] right now.
[1:22:20] >> There is a way to do that
[1:22:23] and I believe that is called suspend the
[1:22:28] rules.
[1:22:36] Which is why this little guide book for
[1:22:38] us moderators is called ruling the
[1:22:41] unruly.
[1:22:44] Suspended rules is the motion required
[1:22:47] to modify Robert's rules, the order in
[1:22:50] which you take up the articles of
[1:22:52] warning or any other aspect of the
[1:22:55] meeting. This motion requires 2/3 the
[1:22:58] body
[1:22:59] pass. So, we're in the middle of
[1:23:02] considering an amendment
[1:23:07] to the motion for the general fund.
[1:23:10] Molly, is your wish to hear the
[1:23:12] rationale? I mean, do you want to
[1:23:14] actually have us vote on that article
[1:23:17] early or do you want to hear more about
[1:23:20] it now?
[1:23:21] >> Um, certainly hear more about it. I'm not sure. I I don't know whether it
[1:23:27] sounds like the budget has built been
[1:23:29] built around that merger already having
[1:23:34] been approved. And I don't know if
[1:23:35] that's true or if we have to approve it
[1:23:37] today. If they have to prove it today,
[1:23:41] then I think we should do the actual
[1:23:43] voting before we fully.
[1:23:48] >> Shame on me for not making sure you had
[1:23:49] a microphone.
[1:23:51] >> Yeah. Sorry.
[1:23:52] >> Um, do you want microphone if you stand
[1:23:55] vertically alone?
[1:23:59] I want to say that again.
[1:24:02] >> First, I want to say it only took me 61
[1:24:04] years to become a non- rule follower.
[1:24:06] I'm I'm excited about this. Um
[1:24:10] uh so what I was saying that I I
[1:24:12] certainly think the discussion could be
[1:24:14] of benefit now and what I'm unclear
[1:24:16] about is whether it sounds like the
[1:24:19] budget has already been built around the
[1:24:21] fact that the merger is happening. And
[1:24:26] if that is true, it seems like we need
[1:24:28] to vote to approve that merging.
[1:24:32] We I don't know. Do we do we have to
[1:24:34] vote to approve that or has it already
[1:24:36] been approved at a select board level? I
[1:24:38] don't know the answer to that. But I do
[1:24:40] think that the discussion about what the
[1:24:43] community center and library together
[1:24:45] the vision of that could inform this
[1:24:48] body's decision making about that
[1:24:51] additional money being put forth to the
[1:24:53] library. Did that make it as much sense
[1:24:55] as the first time?
[1:24:57] >> Do you have anything to respond?
[1:25:00] >> Sure. Todd Davidson select board again.
[1:25:03] So we haven't approved the merger.
[1:25:06] That's why it's an article. So that
[1:25:07] hasn't happened. The funding is a
[1:25:10] separate issue. The funding for the
[1:25:12] library and what is going to exist in
[1:25:14] the future has to be done. So the
[1:25:16] funding portion is somewhat
[1:25:19] disassociated from the merger. If we
[1:25:22] agree to the merger or don't agree to
[1:25:24] the merger, something else is going to
[1:25:25] have to happen. But we still need the
[1:25:27] money to keep the community center and
[1:25:29] the library operating. So, we looked at
[1:25:31] it from the point of view it's two
[1:25:32] separate items, but I do appreciate the
[1:25:34] idea that we're not going to talk about
[1:25:38] the merger until article 14.
[1:25:41] Uh, but the money still needs to be
[1:25:43] there. So, we budgeted for the existence
[1:25:45] of something. What that's going to be,
[1:25:47] we're going to find out.
[1:25:51] So, Molly, do you want to make a motion
[1:25:55] that first we would need to
[1:25:58] I think maybe
[1:26:01] postpone to a definite time the motion
[1:26:05] that's on the floor so that we could
[1:26:08] then take a a new article. Is that your
[1:26:12] order?
[1:26:14] >> Point of order.
[1:26:15] Microphone please to
[1:26:17] Jody. put your hand up so she can see
[1:26:19] where she's talking.
[1:26:24] » I'm getting a little confused here, but
[1:26:27] I'm one that's waiting to speak the
[1:26:30] second time to this and I'm going to
[1:26:32] forget what I was going to say by the
[1:26:34] time we go to lunch and I think someone
[1:26:36] else is waiting to speak to something be
[1:26:39] for the first time for the second time.
[1:26:41] And so how do we deal with that right
[1:26:44] now? And my question doesn't really I
[1:26:47] just have a question myself and I think
[1:26:49] the other person had a question too but
[1:26:52] >> okay
[1:26:53] we have a new motion on the floor and
[1:26:56] that's what we need to talk about now
[1:26:58] and it looks like we may have yet
[1:27:00] another motion on the floor. Um, Molly,
[1:27:04] do you or does someone else want us to
[1:27:06] try to go through a procedure of setting
[1:27:09] aside the amendment that we're debating
[1:27:12] now so that we can go to article 14
[1:27:19] um and then come back to this? It's
[1:27:22] convoluted, but if someone wants to make
[1:27:24] that motion,
[1:27:27] we have a hand behind Chuck.
[1:27:30] Microphone. use that.
[1:27:33] >> I'm I'm Dave Blocker.
[1:27:36] We're we're referencing article 14 about
[1:27:39] the the the merger, but as I read
[1:27:42] article 14, all we're voting on is a
[1:27:45] name change. So, the merger is complete
[1:27:49] or the merger is waiting on article 14
[1:27:52] and that's poorly worded.
[1:27:55] if if somebody could should because
[1:27:58] there's no point in going to article 14
[1:28:00] if it's just if we're just voting on a
[1:28:02] name change.
[1:28:05] >> It's true. And it says reflecting the
[1:28:07] merger of Has that already happened?
[1:28:12] No.
[1:28:14] And do we need to vote on the merger?
[1:28:21] » I'm sure that's the article. It's
[1:28:23] included in
[1:28:27] The
[1:28:28] wording of article 14 is shall voters
[1:28:32] authorize the Liyot trustees to change
[1:28:35] the name of the library to the DS
[1:28:38] community center and library reflecting
[1:28:41] the merger of the community center and
[1:28:44] the library.
[1:28:46] that
[1:28:49] » yeah that language does not sound like
[1:28:52] you're
[1:28:54] approving the merger. It's reflecting
[1:28:56] something that already
[1:28:59] that that
[1:29:00] and that that has already happened and
[1:29:03] you're saying that's not true. So when
[1:29:05] we get there we may want to change the
[1:29:07] language. So if you want to look at a
[1:29:10] minor language change to that if so it
[1:29:13] accomplishes what you want that would be
[1:29:16] great. So I'm going to ask is there
[1:29:19] anyone in the body who would like to
[1:29:24] lay this motion aside so that we can
[1:29:27] address article 14. Is there a reason
[1:29:30] for that that compels you to make a
[1:29:32] motion? Paul Smith.
[1:29:34] >> Point of order. I believe Paul Smith
[1:29:36] Buckaroo I believe there's a an
[1:29:39] amendment on the floor now. I think we
[1:29:41] would either have either have to have
[1:29:42] that amendment withdrawn or uh also
[1:29:46] suspended to a later date before we go
[1:29:48] to suspending the uh originally our
[1:29:51] morning article. That's right.
[1:29:53] >> The motion on the floor is the amendment
[1:29:56] and that is the motion that I'm saying
[1:29:58] we would set aside
[1:30:01] so that we had a clear table to go to
[1:30:04] article 14 if we wish to
[1:30:07] what was that people all excited suspend
[1:30:09] the rules.
[1:30:12] I'm not seeing a hand it. So I'm getting
[1:30:15] a sense from the body that it's not an
[1:30:17] urgent issue.
[1:30:19] So Ed, you would like to speak to this
[1:30:22] microphone. You see the hand raised in
[1:30:24] the back.
[1:30:31] » Edardella,
[1:30:33] let's
[1:30:35] >> put the mic really close to your mouth
[1:30:36] so we can hear you. Thank you.
[1:30:39] >> Ed Spardella, West Jefferson, please
[1:30:43] suspend the rules.
[1:30:45] So,
[1:30:47] >> you just said please suspend the rules.
[1:30:53] » That was a motion.
[1:30:57] » It was not a motion. I think you just
[1:30:59] said
[1:31:04] » I can't hear you. Okay, if you're done,
[1:31:06] I'm not hearing a motion, so I'm going
[1:31:09] to move on. Um Sam
[1:31:13] for almost economy by your father Sam.
[1:31:16] >> Sam Farwell. I'm going to vote in favor
[1:31:18] of the amendment. I'm um very much in
[1:31:21] favor of the activity the programs that
[1:31:23] are happening at the library. I think
[1:31:24] they're great and um I urge everyone
[1:31:27] else to vote for it too. Let's vote.
[1:31:31] By let's vote. Are you calling the
[1:31:33] question?
[1:31:34] >> No call the question.
[1:31:38] >> Yes.
[1:31:41] Mrs. Tier,
[1:31:45] » Beverly Tier,
[1:31:47] >> I am not liking that we've introduced a
[1:31:54] completely different subject
[1:31:57] to the first to the to the article that
[1:32:01] we were discussing.
[1:32:04] And whether you like the article or the
[1:32:07] amendment, the amendment is not the
[1:32:10] issue. I would like to make these
[1:32:13] decisions in an orderly fashion rather
[1:32:16] than we're doing this article. Well,
[1:32:20] let's add this to the article, but
[1:32:22] that's affected by this article.
[1:32:25] >> I'd really like it if we could do one
[1:32:26] thing at a time, please.
[1:32:29] >> And I will make a motion to that if I
[1:32:31] need to.
[1:32:32] >> Second.
[1:32:34] the motion that we
[1:32:36] um talk about one thing at a time. My
[1:32:40] understanding is that is what we are
[1:32:41] doing. We must take up the amendment
[1:32:44] before we can get back to the main
[1:32:46] motion which is the general fund as a
[1:32:48] whole.
[1:32:51] So
[1:32:52] second time Jody Normando D. I'm just a little
[1:33:09] confused, Linda. Um, do
[1:33:13] it does the state require a uh library
[1:33:18] masters in library science for the
[1:33:22] second room for the children or just for
[1:33:25] the librarian?
[1:33:30] And if so, I mean, if it doesn't, I
[1:33:33] don't think we need more money.
[1:33:37] » Okay. So, um,
[1:33:39] >> your name,
[1:33:40] >> I'm sorry,
[1:33:41] >> your name.
[1:33:41] >> Oh, Linda De Carlos. Um,
[1:33:45] the state requires a library director to
[1:33:49] have Vermont certification or a
[1:33:51] master's. The library assistant is not
[1:33:54] required to have that certification.
[1:33:56] Um,
[1:33:58] could I say anything more or
[1:34:01] >> Sounds like you answered the question.
[1:34:03] >> Thank you.
[1:34:04] >> And Bill, you had your hand up to speak
[1:34:06] a second time.
[1:34:08] >> I just want to call the question.
[1:34:11] >> Bill is calling a question.
[1:34:14] Let me make sure
[1:34:17] that I do this correctly.
[1:34:21] We need a second. Is there anyone else
[1:34:23] who would like to second that? in the
[1:34:24] front and then
[1:34:28] there's no debate and it takes 23 of you
[1:34:34] to call to say yes or call the question
[1:34:36] and then we will vote on the amendment
[1:34:38] on the floor which is to add $12,000 to
[1:34:41] the budget so as to maintain staffing as
[1:34:44] it is now. twothirds requires a division
[1:34:48] of the house and have the word of civil
[1:34:50] authority upfront now so you can count
[1:34:53] as people stand
[1:34:57] » there's more than roof I'm sure so if
[1:35:01] you are in favor of the article
[1:35:06] not the article if you are in favor of
[1:35:08] the amendment which is to add $12,000
[1:35:18] Thank you.
[1:35:21] What's on the floor is calling a
[1:35:22] question. One thing at a time, right?
[1:35:25] And so please stand if you would like to
[1:35:29] call the question, which means to cease
[1:35:31] debate and vote.
[1:35:34] Stand, please. And if you're not a
[1:35:37] registered voter and you're standing,
[1:35:39] make sure you're not counted.
[1:35:44] That looks like more than 2/3. Would you
[1:35:47] folks be seated? And then anyone who
[1:35:50] does not want to call the question, who
[1:35:52] wants to further discussion and vote no
[1:35:55] on calling the question, please stand.
[1:36:00] All right. Looks like the 2/3 eyes have
[1:36:05] 2/3
[1:36:07] and they do. So the question is called
[1:36:10] on the floor now.
[1:36:13] It has been moved and seconded to add
[1:36:15] $12,000
[1:36:18] to the Lydia Taft Pratt Library budget
[1:36:21] to continue the current level of
[1:36:24] staffing. All in favor say I.
[1:36:29] >> All opposed say no.
[1:36:31] >> No.
[1:36:33] >> The eyes appear to have it.
[1:36:36] The eyes do have it. and $12,000 has
[1:36:40] been added to the library budget. Okay,
[1:36:49] so now
[1:36:51] the main motion has been amended.
[1:36:56] It would now read, and Chris, please
[1:36:59] sharpen your pencil and make sure I've
[1:37:01] got it right.
[1:37:04] It has been moved and seconded and
[1:37:06] amended that we approve total general
[1:37:09] fund expenditures
[1:37:11] of 780,37
[1:37:18] of which $612,624
[1:37:25] shall be raised by taxes and 167,413
[1:37:30] by non- tax revenues for the period July
[1:37:33] 1, 2026 to June 30th, 2024.
[1:37:38] Is there further debate on the general
[1:37:40] fund question? Yes, Michelle.
[1:37:45] >> Oh, did I say 24?
[1:37:48] >> Thank you, Michelle. 2027.
[1:37:51] Any other questions or discussion on the
[1:37:54] general fund budget?
[1:37:57] Are you ready to vote? Okay,
[1:38:01] it has been moved and seconded and
[1:38:03] amended to read, we approve total
[1:38:06] general fund expenditures of $780,37
[1:38:11] of which $612,624
[1:38:16] shall be raised by taxes and $167,413
[1:38:21] by non- tax revenues for the period July
[1:38:24] 1, 2026 to June 30th, 2026. 7. All in
[1:38:30] favor indicate by saying I.
[1:38:33] >> I.
[1:38:34] >> All opposed, please say no.
[1:38:38] >> The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[1:38:41] have it. And you have a general
[1:38:43] unbudget.
[1:38:48] Article nine.
[1:39:01] Shall the voters approve total highway
[1:39:03] fund expenditures of $719,575
[1:39:10] of which $5,600
[1:39:14] 5,6
[1:39:16] 567,240
[1:39:20] shall be raised by taxes and 152,335
[1:39:26] by non-tax revenues for the period July
[1:39:29] 1, 2026 to June 30th, 2027.
[1:39:35] I move that we approve total highway
[1:39:37] fund expenditures of $719,575
[1:39:42] of which $567,240
[1:39:46] shall be raised by taxes and $152,335
[1:39:51] by non- tax revenues for the period of
[1:39:53] July 1st, 2026 to June 30th, 2027.
[1:39:59] >> Is there a second?
[1:40:02] Paul Smith seconds time will come up
[1:40:21] Todd Davidson and the select board.
[1:40:23] There's not a lot of increase in the
[1:40:25] highway fund budget this It's 1.7% and
[1:40:27] so it's under the cost of living
[1:40:29] allowance allocation.
[1:40:32] Um
[1:40:34] outside of the 2.7% increase for the
[1:40:36] employees
[1:40:37] uh there's not a lot we kept it working
[1:40:40] chain is he still here? He moves around.
[1:40:43] Oh, there he is. Uh so uh that's the down on the highway. Not a
[1:40:48] lot of changes. There is there are
[1:40:51] little concerns with salt right now.
[1:40:53] Salt prices have gone up 25% and
[1:40:56] produced a lot of salt this winter. Uh
[1:40:58] so that's something that we'll address
[1:41:00] as the year goes on.
[1:41:06] » You have a question.
[1:41:16] » Todd, I didn't quite understand your
[1:41:20] second figure. You gave the property
[1:41:22] taxes of 567240,
[1:41:25] but what was the second figure? The
[1:41:27] state aid from highway fund
[1:41:29] >> $152,335.
[1:41:34] » Why do I have 149078
[1:41:36] on the page 19? On page 19.
[1:41:56] I wonder if the explanation is that it's
[1:41:59] state aid combined with the surplus from
[1:42:03] last year. Those two numbers added
[1:42:06] together equal the non- tax revenue.
[1:42:10] >> Where do you find the surplus?
[1:42:13] >> Right above. It's the first number in
[1:42:15] the column.
[1:42:15] >> Okay. Yeah, thank you.
[1:42:22] » Yes, I see a question in the back row on
[1:42:24] the left.
[1:42:31] » Hi, Sherry Bolster Dumberson. Uh my
[1:42:34] question is if we approve more money to
[1:42:37] the town garage, are they going to clear
[1:42:41] the uh tar roads better? Um, just a
[1:42:45] couple of weeks ago, three accidents.
[1:42:47] Uh, two on East Road, one on Middle
[1:42:49] Road. I I'd rather drive my dirt roads
[1:42:53] than the tar roads in Dumb.
[1:42:56] The Route 30 is clear. Route five is
[1:42:59] clear. Why isn't Dumberson roads clear?
[1:43:03] >> I'm guessing that that has to do with
[1:43:05] salt, but I'd love Lee to tell us for
[1:43:07] sure.
[1:43:09] >> Lee Chamberlain. Yes, we have very
[1:43:12] limited salt. We have very limited salt.
[1:43:15] Um, we're trying to make it last. We
[1:43:17] aren't getting any deliveries.
[1:43:21] » Okay, we'll take care of that then.
[1:43:27] » Salty is quite rare right now. A lot of
[1:43:29] towns are having a hard time keeping the
[1:43:31] roads as clear as we're used to because
[1:43:33] there just isn't salt to be found or as
[1:43:36] Todd mentioned, it's 25% more expensive
[1:43:39] and we want to save money. Any
[1:43:44] other questions?
[1:43:48] Roger. In the front row, mic brothers.
[1:44:01] Roger. Turn. I just have an observation
[1:44:04] too about the roads this winter. We've
[1:44:06] had so much snow and sitting at the
[1:44:09] bottom of the east west road and
[1:44:12] watching how much the town has to be out
[1:44:16] clearing the roads
[1:44:18] um repeatedly on weekends and multiple
[1:44:23] days of the week. I'm kind of amazed
[1:44:26] that they're able to do as well as they
[1:44:28] do. Thank you.
[1:44:40] I heard someone say earlier it was an
[1:44:42] old function winter. I remember these.
[1:44:44] It's nice to have them.
[1:44:48] Any other concerns, questions, comments?
[1:44:54] All right, seeing none, the motion on
[1:44:56] the floor is that we approve total
[1:44:59] highway fund expenditures of $719,575,
[1:45:06] of which $567,240
[1:45:11] shall be raised by taxes and $152,335
[1:45:17] by non-ax revenues for the period of
[1:45:20] July 1st, 2026. 6 to June 30th, 2027.
[1:45:26] All in favor of the motion on the floor,
[1:45:28] please indicate by saying I.
[1:45:32] >> All opposed, say no.
[1:45:36] The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[1:45:39] have it. And you have funded your
[1:45:42] highway
[1:45:44] budget.
[1:45:46] Any politicians in the room who need to
[1:45:49] come up and speak? I wrote myself a
[1:45:51] reminder note this year. Okay, seeing
[1:45:54] none, I'll move on to article 10. Shall
[1:45:56] the voters authorize raising the sum of
[1:45:59] $30,5
[1:46:02] through taxes and appropriate sentiment
[1:46:04] to the highway blasting and ledge
[1:46:07] crushing reserve fund for future
[1:46:10] blasting and crushing?
[1:46:13] >> Is there a motion? I move that we
[1:46:16] authorize raising the sum of $30,05
[1:46:18] through taxes and appropriate set amount
[1:46:21] to the highway blasting and ledge
[1:46:22] crushing reserve fund for future
[1:46:24] blasting and crushing
[1:46:28] to say, isn't it, Tom?
[1:46:29] >> Yes.
[1:46:31] >> You'll find on pages 15 and 19
[1:46:35] information about this.
[1:46:40] Does anyone have a question?
[1:46:43] Second.
[1:46:44] >> Oh, thank you. Second, Alex. Thanks for
[1:46:46] seconding.
[1:46:49] Um, so it has been moved and seconded
[1:46:52] that we raise the sum of $30,5 through
[1:46:54] taxes and appropriate set amount to the
[1:46:56] highway blasting and ledge crushing
[1:46:58] reserve fund for future blasting and
[1:47:00] crushing. Question Jody.
[1:47:07] Normau. Just a quick question for
[1:47:10] Lee. When you're crushing,
[1:47:13] can you crush it finer? There are some
[1:47:16] big stones and that are coming out in
[1:47:18] your trucks.
[1:47:20] I do live on a dirt road. Can you get
[1:47:23] rid of those?
[1:47:28] » Do you want me to answer?
[1:47:29] >> Our brood foreman is interrogated. Yes,
[1:47:32] please.
[1:47:34] >> Can you give an answer? I'm sure there
[1:47:36] is one.
[1:47:40] As far as gravel roads, the larger
[1:47:43] stones help us in mud season. If the
[1:47:45] finer the material, the worse the mud
[1:47:48] would be. And the finer the material,
[1:47:51] the more it's going to cost to um make
[1:47:53] it, of course, because they have to
[1:47:54] crush it further.
[1:47:56] The sand we try to have it large because
[1:48:01] of ice storms, the larger stones
[1:48:03] actually help give traction.
[1:48:06] >> Yep.
[1:48:07] >> Thank you, Lee. Anyone else?
[1:48:12] Oh,
[1:48:15] >> Mike
[1:48:21] Paul know I don't uh I just want to know
[1:48:25] when uh what's the schedule for
[1:48:28] crushing? Is it every 3 years, every
[1:48:30] five years? uh and uh how much money do
[1:48:34] we need to accumulate in this fund in
[1:48:37] anticipation of that happening?
[1:48:41] >> The road foreman is interrogated.
[1:48:45] » So we try to do it every 5 years. Um
[1:48:48] right tomorrow they're supposed to be um
[1:48:51] doing the first um blasting and
[1:48:56] so tomorrow they're going to do the
[1:48:58] first blasting. So, it's been 5 years we
[1:49:00] accumulated. They'll use up the money,
[1:49:03] most of it or all of it. Um,
[1:49:07] in the next month, and then for the next
[1:49:10] 5 years, it'll accumulate and then we'll
[1:49:13] blast again or blast again.
[1:49:19] Are you ready for the question?
[1:49:22] It has been moved and seconded that we
[1:49:24] raise the sum of $30,05
[1:49:28] through taxes and appropriate set amount
[1:49:30] to a blast and ledge crushing reserve
[1:49:32] fund for future blasting and crushing.
[1:49:36] All in favor, please say I.
[1:49:39] >> All opposed say no.
[1:49:42] The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[1:49:45] have it.
[1:49:53] Article 11.
[1:49:55] Sheldon voters authorize raising the sum
[1:49:57] of $74,000
[1:50:00] through taxes and appropriate set amount
[1:50:02] to the highway structures fund for
[1:50:05] future structures needs. Is there a
[1:50:09] motion?
[1:50:10] >> I move that we raise the sum of $74,000
[1:50:13] through taxes and appropriate said
[1:50:15] amount to the highway structures fund
[1:50:16] for future structures needs. And that's
[1:50:18] on page 19.
[1:50:21] >> Is there a second?
[1:50:26] » Christy, are you seconding? Christy
[1:50:28] Herbert seconds it.
[1:50:30] has been moved and seconded that we
[1:50:32] raise the sum of $74,000 through taxes
[1:50:35] and appropriate amount to the highway
[1:50:37] structures fund for future struct
[1:50:40] structures needs. I think there's a
[1:50:43] whole list of all the structures on page
[1:50:45] 26 as well if you're interested in that.
[1:50:48] Any questions?
[1:50:52] Give you a moment to look at that.
[1:50:56] Basically talking about coverts and that
[1:50:58] kind of thing. Paul
[1:51:06] Newman though. Uh, this is a question
[1:51:08] that probably relates to somebody who
[1:51:11] brought brought it up earlier, but I'm
[1:51:13] wondering there's $200,000 sitting in
[1:51:15] that account. Uh, there's a there's
[1:51:18] currently a over $100,000 sitting in the
[1:51:21] crushing fund. And I'm wondering, do we
[1:51:24] invest any of those funds other than
[1:51:26] leaving them in a checking account? and
[1:51:28] you know what kind of return are we
[1:51:29] getting on that money if that money is
[1:51:31] not going to be used o over you know
[1:51:34] like uh Lee mentioned the uh 5-year uh
[1:51:38] thing on the crushing fund seems to me
[1:51:41] we should be making money on that while
[1:51:43] it's sitting there and I don't know if
[1:51:44] we are or not
[1:51:48] » Chris would you like to answer that
[1:51:59] A simple question doesn't have a simple
[1:52:01] answer.
[1:52:15] » A simple question without a simple
[1:52:17] answer.
[1:52:19] Um
[1:52:21] I do not have cart blanch with
[1:52:23] restricted funds to say you have to do
[1:52:26] this, you have to do that. I have to we
[1:52:28] have to work with the select board. So
[1:52:32] there are some funds that that in the
[1:52:34] past have had investments.
[1:52:38] Um
[1:52:39] but the select board has a rather
[1:52:41] restrictive policy now about what can be
[1:52:45] done with the funds and what can't.
[1:52:48] And really CDs are our only choice. So
[1:52:51] after this town meeting, after the
[1:52:54] budgets are set, the select board and I
[1:52:56] are going to sit down and with the
[1:52:58] restricted funds figure out which what
[1:53:02] we can do.
[1:53:06] » Okay. Thank you.
[1:53:14] » Would a select order like to add to
[1:53:16] that? We we looked at it last year and
[1:53:18] we'll look at it again this year with
[1:53:20] Chris when we sit down after the budget
[1:53:21] and figure out where we can place money
[1:53:24] and what
[1:53:27] position we have on that. There is a a
[1:53:30] document uh that discusses what we can
[1:53:33] and can't do with money, but restricted
[1:53:34] funds are a little unusual, but we'll
[1:53:36] look at it again and get back with you.
[1:53:40] Eric
[1:53:46] » Eric Krueger, not to belabor the point,
[1:53:49] but if you look at the minutes from last
[1:53:50] year, I brought up the same point. And
[1:53:52] now I'm one of five people who's
[1:53:54] bringing it up this time. I run a small
[1:53:56] business. I like to keep cash for
[1:53:58] reserves. I don't like loans. The town's
[1:54:01] doing the same thing. We're keeping cash
[1:54:02] for reserves. Let's make that money work
[1:54:05] for us. We should not be making less
[1:54:07] than the cost of living for our money. I
[1:54:11] know out there right now there are
[1:54:13] products, certificates of deposit that
[1:54:15] are earning 3%. This is a lowrisk
[1:54:18] investment with Vermont-based banks or
[1:54:20] credit unions. And I feel like we're
[1:54:24] getting an obsation from the select
[1:54:26] board. I'd love to see the piece of
[1:54:28] paper that says these are how we limit
[1:54:30] our funds. I'd like to see some
[1:54:32] transparency in that because we'll pay
[1:54:35] more taxes if we're getting something
[1:54:36] for it. But if we're going backwards on
[1:54:39] these on this future planning on like
[1:54:42] being trying to be smart by having
[1:54:43] enough money that it doesn't go up and
[1:54:45] down and we're losing money every year
[1:54:48] or we're we're walking away from money,
[1:54:50] that doesn't make any sense to me.
[1:54:58] » Okay.
[1:55:01] It has been moved and seconded
[1:55:06] that we authorize.
[1:55:12] » No, we voted on 10 or a landed number.
[1:55:14] Yes, it has been moved and seconded that
[1:55:16] we raise the sum of $74,000
[1:55:19] through taxes and appropriate set amount
[1:55:21] to the highway structures fund for
[1:55:22] future structures needs. All in favor,
[1:55:26] please say I.
[1:55:28] >> I. All opposed? No.
[1:55:32] The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[1:55:35] have it.
[1:55:39] » Uh, what do you think? Lunchtime.
[1:55:43] >> Not try to squeeze in another
[1:55:51] » um for what? What?
[1:55:55] » That sounds lovely. Please step up to
[1:55:57] the microphone so that everyone can hear
[1:55:59] you, including those who watch us later
[1:56:01] on TV.
[1:56:02] >> So, thank you all. My name is Reed
[1:56:04] Miller and I'm here to
[1:56:08] give to you a heartfelt appreciation for
[1:56:11] the greater community on my family. And
[1:56:14] what you need to know is that the fire
[1:56:17] service, all of you all, um, we don't
[1:56:21] always understand what superpower we
[1:56:23] have in our neighborhood until it comes
[1:56:26] time to collect. And you all are
[1:56:30] appreciated and you all are that
[1:56:32] superpower. And I love being part of
[1:56:35] this community and being part of Denver.
[1:56:38] Thank you.
[1:56:51] Reed. That was lovely. Okay,
[1:56:55] let's um go in my official language. Did
[1:56:58] I do this right?
[1:57:01] >> Yes.
[1:57:05] » Highway finish up highway before lunch.
[1:57:08] Um, you're suggesting that we finish up
[1:57:10] Highway before lunch by doing article
[1:57:13] 12. And I'm thinking that there might be
[1:57:16] more conversation there than um that
[1:57:19] would carry us past lunch. So, if people
[1:57:22] can hold on to the highway structures in
[1:57:24] line, that'd be great. So, Sally, I
[1:57:26] think we're ready. And
[1:57:33] if there's no objection, we will recess
[1:57:36] for lunch. We'll reconvene at 12:45
[1:57:40] to see Julianne's our principal, Egan's presentation for about
[1:57:46] 10 minutes and then we'll resume our
[1:57:49] town meeting immediately following that.
[1:57:52] Thank you.
[1:57:56] I just wanted to take a moment and um
[1:58:00] say hello and say thank you for all of
[1:58:04] your support of Dumbersonson School over
[1:58:07] the years, over the decades. There's
[1:58:09] just so many ways that people in this
[1:58:12] room um have supported us here. Um and
[1:58:17] we could not do this work without you.
[1:58:20] Um, I feel so honored to be an educator
[1:58:23] at this school and to be an educator in
[1:58:25] this district. I came to this district a
[1:58:29] long time ago as an English and social
[1:58:32] studies teacher. So, I may have taught
[1:58:35] you or I may have taught your children.
[1:58:39] Um, and it's been the greatest um, honor
[1:58:43] of my life really to be an educator here
[1:58:46] um, in this district and for the last
[1:58:48] seven years in Dberston. Such an
[1:58:51] inspiring place. Um, I have learned so
[1:58:54] much. Um, and I am so proud of our
[1:58:57] school and our community here. I'd like
[1:59:01] to share a little bit of information
[1:59:03] with you. Um, but I want to keep it
[1:59:05] really short. Um, because you still have
[1:59:09] business visits to do. I did want to let
[1:59:11] you know though that um, one of the
[1:59:14] great things about being a principal of
[1:59:15] a Dmerson school is I of a small school
[1:59:18] like Dmerston is I can you can reach out
[1:59:22] to me, right? Like so you can give me a
[1:59:24] call if you have questions or you can
[1:59:26] come meet with me or take a tour. Um
[1:59:29] we'll be voting on the district budget
[1:59:32] later this month. March 17th se 15th
[1:59:38] 17th March 17th is the district school
[1:59:40] budget vote. If you have any questions
[1:59:43] about Dmerson school in the meantime
[1:59:45] between now and then reach out. Um you
[1:59:48] can find me on the website on email. You
[1:59:52] can just call you can just call the
[1:59:53] school and I would be happy to talk with
[1:59:56] you more.
[1:59:58] Um, just for those of you who are new to
[2:00:01] Dmerston or maybe it's been a little
[2:00:02] while since you've been in the school,
[2:00:04] Dmerston has 164 students, our
[2:00:07] enrollment is actually increasing, which
[2:00:10] is different than the narrative you
[2:00:13] might hear at the state about other
[2:00:14] schools. So, know that your town school
[2:00:18] enrollment is going up, which is great.
[2:00:21] Um, you are sitting in between kind of
[2:00:24] the age range here. We are prek to 8.
[2:00:28] This way is middle school. That way is
[2:00:30] elementary. Go around the corner and
[2:00:32] you'll run into the early learning
[2:00:34] center, which is the original um
[2:00:37] schoolhouse.
[2:00:40] We believe at Dston that everybody here,
[2:00:45] the children, the staff, families,
[2:00:47] community members learn best in an
[2:00:50] environment that prioritizes
[2:00:51] relationship, autonomy, play,
[2:00:54] challenging opportunities for learning
[2:00:56] and safety. So, we really support each
[2:00:59] other in learning together. We support
[2:01:01] students in learning skills in
[2:01:04] communication, leadership, conflict
[2:01:05] resolution, and really understanding
[2:01:07] themselves and understanding others. We
[2:01:10] want our students to love learning. We
[2:01:13] want to learn together. We know that we
[2:01:16] can actually learn better, go farther
[2:01:20] together.
[2:01:22] Um Jefferson School along with other
[2:01:24] schools in the district um and the state
[2:01:27] implements a multi-layered systems of
[2:01:30] support. So what that means is that all
[2:01:32] of our students receive enriching core
[2:01:35] programming and then based on data
[2:01:38] because we're always assessing our
[2:01:40] students to see how they're doing. Some
[2:01:42] students get additional layers of
[2:01:45] instruction and intervention to address
[2:01:48] any gaps in learning they may have or to
[2:01:50] further enrich their learning so they
[2:01:52] can go deeper with the material.
[2:01:55] At Dummerston
[2:01:57] core programming, yes, it means math,
[2:02:00] reading, science, social studies, but
[2:02:02] it's really important to note that we
[2:02:04] consider the arts,
[2:02:07] library and media studies, PE,
[2:02:10] nature-based learning, personal
[2:02:12] development, winter sports, and more to
[2:02:15] also be core programming for all
[2:02:18] students. All students deserve all of
[2:02:22] these components. And so we really
[2:02:24] believe in that and thank you. We
[2:02:27] couldn't do that if you didn't support
[2:02:28] us doing that. Um so here I just like a
[2:02:32] picture is worth a thousand words. These
[2:02:34] slides live on our website if you want
[2:02:36] to take a look. But um here's some of
[2:02:39] our current uh kindergarteners
[2:02:41] working on Mr. Ferguson's project. And
[2:02:45] here is Mr. Ferguson, our art teacher,
[2:02:47] at the Dston Historical Society, where
[2:02:49] you can see an exhibit of student
[2:02:52] artwork. Um, and here's an eighth
[2:02:54] graders piece that is at uh Dumbston
[2:02:57] Historical Society.
[2:03:00] We have a lot of opportunities for our
[2:03:03] young uh and older musicians. So, Mr.
[2:03:07] Evans, our music teacher here, he is,
[2:03:11] you know, loving just building such a
[2:03:13] love of music um in our lower grades.
[2:03:17] And this leads all the way up to our
[2:03:19] students as eighth graders um performing
[2:03:22] really exceptional uh music for our
[2:03:28] community. Um that is the gift of a prek
[2:03:31] to 8 program is that you work with these
[2:03:33] students from the time they are four all
[2:03:36] the way till 14. It is incredible to see
[2:03:40] the growth. We have students who are
[2:03:43] getting to 8th grade and then going on
[2:03:45] to high school with this special
[2:03:46] interest in arts and the music and then
[2:03:48] going on to college to study that. So
[2:03:50] that comes from excellent public school
[2:03:54] education.
[2:03:56] Here we are. We still do winter sports.
[2:03:58] So if you did winter sports at a Vermont
[2:04:01] school um as a child, it is still
[2:04:05] happening.
[2:04:07] Takes a lot of work, but it is still
[2:04:09] happening. If you have donated toward
[2:04:11] our winter winter sports program, thank
[2:04:13] you. We're doing it. It's incredible.
[2:04:16] Here we are at Mount Snow. We have one
[2:04:18] more session this week on Thursday. Here
[2:04:21] are kids at the ice skating rink. This
[2:04:24] is grades 3 through 8. So, so much skill
[2:04:27] development going on here. Community
[2:04:30] building. Here are some students um
[2:04:33] working with Bonnie Veil Environmental
[2:04:35] Education Center out in the woods at
[2:04:37] Dummerston School, learning about our
[2:04:40] habitat here. Um learning to be stewards
[2:04:44] of our community in Dmerston, not just
[2:04:47] the humans, but also the animals and the
[2:04:49] plant life. Um this is the incredible
[2:04:52] opportunity we have thanks to your
[2:04:54] support. Um you may know that we have a
[2:04:58] farm to school program here. So, here's
[2:05:00] a picture of last year boiling sap and
[2:05:02] getting to try maple syrup. We do have
[2:05:05] um a sap evaporator. Um students go
[2:05:10] outside every day here no matter the
[2:05:13] weather. We have a forest trail. We have
[2:05:16] outside classrooms. We have student
[2:05:18] tended gardens, soccer and baseball
[2:05:20] fields, a variety of play structures, a
[2:05:23] new walking trail. We love outdoor
[2:05:27] exploration and investigation and it is
[2:05:30] really great to see if you drive by
[2:05:32] Dumbersonson school like like in the
[2:05:35] middle of the day during it's really fun
[2:05:37] to see like the entire school outside
[2:05:39] every day. One of the things I just
[2:05:41] wanted to share you know is is given
[2:05:45] that it's town meeting day and we're
[2:05:46] thinking so much about shared decision-m
[2:05:49] and civics and how we work together as a
[2:05:52] community. We spend so much time at
[2:05:54] Derson School. We really value a
[2:05:57] framework for learning where students
[2:06:00] really understand that we can support
[2:06:04] each other. We can come together in
[2:06:06] community. We can work out differences,
[2:06:09] we can work out conflicts, and we can
[2:06:12] stand up for each other and make our
[2:06:14] school a better place. So we use a f
[2:06:18] framework called developmental designs
[2:06:20] which brings us together a lot for all
[2:06:22] school meetings daily morning meetings
[2:06:24] buddy classroom time students are
[2:06:26] leading our school they're mentoring
[2:06:29] they are the star of the show because
[2:06:31] they are the learners they go through
[2:06:34] each year a process prek to 8 where they
[2:06:38] set their social contract for the year
[2:06:41] so we're teaching students about as
[2:06:43] young as kindergarten what is consensus
[2:06:46] Does this mean? What does a consensus
[2:06:48] process look like? What are the values
[2:06:50] that we want to uphold so that we all
[2:06:54] can learn well together?
[2:06:57] What are some things that as an
[2:06:58] individual we might have to put our
[2:07:00] personal preferences aside so that the
[2:07:03] group can go farther. So up there's this
[2:07:06] year's social contract. Every year it is
[2:07:08] different and it is created by the
[2:07:10] students.
[2:07:12] All the students are leaders at Dmerston
[2:07:14] um in this way. So here's our student
[2:07:17] asset team. They worked with Dumbston
[2:07:20] Cares um to do a food drive this fall.
[2:07:23] It's just one of the many things that
[2:07:25] they've done this year. Um but Putney
[2:07:28] Food Shelf said that that food drive was
[2:07:31] the biggest donation like pounds of food
[2:07:34] they have ever received in one go. So,
[2:07:36] um, thanks to Dmerson Cares and to our
[2:07:39] student asset team, um, they made this
[2:07:44] project possible. Thank you to all who
[2:07:45] donated to this. Here are students.
[2:07:49] >> Yes.
[2:07:50] >> APPLAUSE.
[2:07:54] UM, here are students leading their
[2:07:57] families through their studentled
[2:07:58] conference. So in a few weeks we will
[2:08:01] have family conferences and it's the
[2:08:03] students who
[2:08:05] lead that. They are the learners and
[2:08:07] they're the ones that um talk their
[2:08:10] families through the learning that
[2:08:11] they've done, the goals that they've set
[2:08:13] and their current progress
[2:08:16] that happens prek through 8. So even our
[2:08:19] prek prek students take their families
[2:08:22] by the hand and walk them around the
[2:08:25] trails to show them what they've
[2:08:27] learned. It's so inspiring.
[2:08:30] >> These are our younger students doing
[2:08:32] that. Just really lovely pictures. I
[2:08:34] love those pictures of children showing
[2:08:37] their their adults what they can do and
[2:08:41] what they love about school.
[2:08:44] We really support students taking leaps
[2:08:47] at Dmerson School. Like try a hard thing
[2:08:50] and see what happens, right? like maybe
[2:08:52] you'll
[2:08:53] >> you'll be successful, maybe you won't
[2:08:55] quite get there, but that's okay because
[2:08:57] we can't learn without making mistakes.
[2:08:59] We had a couple of teachers, Katie Lair
[2:09:01] and Carmen Coron back brought back the
[2:09:03] spelling bee, for example. So, we had 45
[2:09:06] students this past spring enter our
[2:09:08] spelling bee. Um, and to Benjamin
[2:09:12] Burimmore and Eliza Clark Nelson are
[2:09:14] going on a mic runner. Woo! Going on to
[2:09:17] the state competition.
[2:09:19] Is that next week? It's coming up
[2:09:22] >> March 11th.
[2:09:25] >> We have a diversity and equity team at
[2:09:27] Dmerson School and our leadership
[2:09:30] council is very focused on equity. And
[2:09:33] so the leadership council over the last
[2:09:35] uh year and a half has been very focused
[2:09:37] on how can we uh support how can we
[2:09:42] increase our own proficiency and having
[2:09:44] an inclusive environment for LGBTQ plus
[2:09:48] families, staff and students. And so
[2:09:50] students have organized a pride
[2:09:51] celebration for gosh I think this is our
[2:09:54] fifth year. Um we also worked with
[2:09:58] theater adventure Laura Lassa Tucker who
[2:10:00] many of you know um who she has come and
[2:10:04] done work with us around disability
[2:10:06] justice um and and supported our
[2:10:08] students in becoming leaders in that
[2:10:10] theme and in understanding how we can be
[2:10:13] inclusive to all. At Dmerston
[2:10:15] we have a thriving sports program. Um,
[2:10:19] here's our girls basketball team.
[2:10:21] Finished second in the league this past
[2:10:23] winter. Here are soccer teams from the
[2:10:27] fall. We have after school clubs for
[2:10:30] grades four through eight. This is our
[2:10:32] fourth fourth or fifth year of having
[2:10:33] clubs. Super popular um and uh been a
[2:10:38] really exciting addition to our
[2:10:39] programming here. Thanks so much.
[2:10:42] There's a lot of families in the
[2:10:43] audience who are part of our family
[2:10:45] engagement team. They're really doing
[2:10:48] the work of um increasing connection
[2:10:52] between the school and the community and
[2:10:54] families, fundraising. Um the like they
[2:10:58] have been such a champion of Dson
[2:11:00] School. Thanks so much to them. Um thank
[2:11:04] you so much to all the community
[2:11:05] organizations. I can't name them all
[2:11:07] because so many community organizations
[2:11:09] come in and work with us. Um, and it is
[2:11:12] just awesome for our students to get to
[2:11:14] know people in the community and to see
[2:11:16] people doing their work. Here we are at
[2:11:19] safety day this past fall. Um, check it
[2:11:22] out. This year we had a helicopter
[2:11:25] on safety day. So, um, Larry from the
[2:11:29] fire department arranged for UMass
[2:11:32] Memorial to come. That was pretty
[2:11:34] incredible. Um, and then our facilities.
[2:11:37] you're in um this beautiful facility. Uh
[2:11:41] it is we are so fortunate to have such a
[2:11:46] beautiful
[2:11:48] space conducive to learning uh both
[2:11:50] inside the building and outside. You
[2:11:53] might notice like you might have driven
[2:11:56] by the school this summer and gone,
[2:11:57] "What in the world is happening? It
[2:12:00] looks like they're taking something
[2:12:01] down." But actually all the windows in
[2:12:04] the early learning center were replaced.
[2:12:07] Um, and there's just beautiful energy
[2:12:08] efficient windows in there. We regraded
[2:12:10] the soccer field. We had the walking
[2:12:12] trail installation. We uh installed a
[2:12:15] handicap door. Um, and coming up we'll
[2:12:19] be renovating restrooms and doing some
[2:12:21] other security updates and replacing
[2:12:24] siding and all the things. Um, just like
[2:12:27] having an extra big house that you have
[2:12:29] to take care of. So, if you're
[2:12:32] interested to take a look at this, this
[2:12:34] is slide lives on our website, but this
[2:12:37] is like kind of the overview of what it
[2:12:38] takes to staff Dmerson School. I'll tell
[2:12:41] you, nobody
[2:12:44] is bored.
[2:12:46] Every single staff person here is
[2:12:48] hopping all day. Um, and really busy. We
[2:12:52] have an incredible staff. They are
[2:12:54] inspiring, creative, constantly
[2:12:57] learning, so dedicated. um and they are
[2:13:00] going f they're going hard all day
[2:13:03] because they are so focused on student
[2:13:05] learning and we are so grateful for
[2:13:07] them. But this gives you kind of an
[2:13:09] overview of of kind of of what it takes
[2:13:11] to get um the type of results we're
[2:13:13] getting here at Dmerson School and and
[2:13:15] to support all of our students. So thank
[2:13:17] you everybody. Um please join us at a
[2:13:20] leadership council meeting th second
[2:13:23] Thursday.
[2:13:25] Um you are all invited. Uh they meet we
[2:13:28] meet at 5:00 p.m. and it's open to the
[2:13:30] public and we'd love to see you there.
[2:13:33] Thank you. Yes.
[2:14:12] We want to thank Larry and Sally and
[2:14:14] their crew for lunch today. Thank you.
[2:14:17] >> Thank you.
[2:14:21] and thank Julian for reminding us about
[2:14:23] how wonderful our school is. I know my
[2:14:26] kids are doing well and
[2:14:32] so we are reconvening our meeting. A
[2:14:36] reminder for those of you who have
[2:14:38] joined us since before lunch, our
[2:14:40] meeting is governed by Robert.
[2:14:43] Raise your hand to be recognized. Wait
[2:14:44] for the microphone
[2:14:46] and hold it to your mouth. state your
[2:14:48] name and address all comments and
[2:14:50] questions to me, please. So, Todd
[2:14:54] Davidson from the select board has a few
[2:14:57] remarks he wants to make before starting
[2:15:00] off.
[2:15:04] So, I mentioned this a little bit
[2:15:05] earlier while everybody's here, but
[2:15:06] everybody's still here. So, Charlotte, I
[2:15:09] had to wait to get back to her seat.
[2:15:11] Charlotte and
[2:15:14] not be a listister anymore. So, I
[2:15:18] checked the math and it's a lot. So,
[2:15:20] here's what Charles said.
[2:15:22] >> The numbers may not be right, but check
[2:15:23] this. So, she was only administrator for
[2:15:26] six years. She was the treasurer for
[2:15:28] eight years and she's been a twice to
[2:15:32] set terms for six yearsish. So, I ended
[2:15:35] up 20 years and we're keeping her around
[2:15:37] a little bit to help train some of the
[2:15:39] new listers coming up. So, she'll be
[2:15:41] around the office. We want to thank her
[2:15:43] for 20 years.
[2:15:58] All right, we have our senator, one of
[2:16:01] our two senators, Hashim is here and
[2:16:05] he's going to make some remarks before
[2:16:08] we get started.
[2:16:20] Okay, good afternoon, Dmerson. It's good
[2:16:23] to be here. Uh, for those of you I don't
[2:16:25] know, my name is Nar Hashim. I'm one of
[2:16:27] the senators for Windham County. I also
[2:16:29] live right here in town about 5 minutes
[2:16:31] up the road. So, I'm glad as I get to
[2:16:33] the uh end of this tour that you I'm
[2:16:35] able to stop at my hometown here before
[2:16:38] a few other towns and call it a day. But
[2:16:41] uh I I I was asked to keep it uh as as
[2:16:44] brief as I could and so I will do my
[2:16:46] best. Sometimes senators are known for
[2:16:48] rambling on. I think generally I avoid
[2:16:51] that but somebody just uh let me know
[2:16:54] that's not working out. So I first want
[2:16:57] to start by mentioning that you know
[2:16:58] over the past couple of days I've been
[2:17:01] trying to formulate my thoughts as to
[2:17:04] what information to present, what facts
[2:17:06] to share with folks. And so I've, you
[2:17:09] know, got that that information on one
[2:17:10] screen, information about taxes and and
[2:17:13] health insurance and so on. And then,
[2:17:15] you know, my phone is is constantly
[2:17:17] going off of notifications about new
[2:17:20] conflicts, uh, new missile attacks, and the amount of volatility
[2:17:27] and uncertainty that's happening in the
[2:17:30] Middle East. And so it's I don't know
[2:17:32] how else to phrase it, but it it feels
[2:17:34] strange to be looking at these two
[2:17:37] different uh these two different worlds
[2:17:39] of of issues that affect us. And and
[2:17:44] when when I'm faced with that, I always
[2:17:47] remind myself that there are some things
[2:17:50] that I do have the ability to change and
[2:17:52] to control in some way, and there are
[2:17:54] other things that are beyond my control.
[2:17:57] And and I think that applies really uh
[2:18:00] to everybody uh in their in their daily
[2:18:02] lives. And so
[2:18:05] I'm going to talk about some of the
[2:18:06] things that I do have control over uh
[2:18:09] things that I am able to impact in a
[2:18:11] positive way for our communities here in
[2:18:13] Windham County. So I'm going to start by
[2:18:18] describing uh the work that I've done on
[2:18:20] my committees. I currently serve as the
[2:18:22] chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee
[2:18:24] and I serve as a member of the Education
[2:18:26] Committee. So I'm going to start with
[2:18:28] education.
[2:18:29] So as I'm sure every everybody knows we
[2:18:33] are now in the second phase of act 73
[2:18:38] and we're in the phase where we are
[2:18:40] expected to vote on a map and we are
[2:18:44] expected that that map will have uh
[2:18:48] substantially smaller a substantially
[2:18:50] smaller number of districts and
[2:18:52] supervisory units. Uh we have
[2:18:57] we've literally been threatened by the
[2:18:59] governor that if we do not consolidate
[2:19:01] districts that the budget will get
[2:19:03] vetoed. And with that threat hanging
[2:19:08] over the heads of both the House and the
[2:19:09] Senate, both chambers are uh working
[2:19:12] towards a proposal that would reduce the number
[2:19:18] of districts and and and merge districts
[2:19:20] and supervisory meetings.
[2:19:23] I initially opposed act 73 um but it
[2:19:26] became law and but part of that bill was
[2:19:30] to create a school redistricting task
[2:19:33] force and to the benefit of that task
[2:19:36] force uh there were a number of folks on
[2:19:38] there who had decades of experience in
[2:19:41] education and education governance and
[2:19:44] they developed a number of reports that
[2:19:48] uh were presented to us and they were
[2:19:49] the most wellressearched and informative
[2:19:51] reports that I seen when it comes to uh
[2:19:55] education, education reform, governance
[2:19:57] and cost savings. And and I'm
[2:20:00] paraphrasing uh a lot here, but
[2:20:04] basically their conclusion was that
[2:20:06] forcing mergers does not lead to cost
[2:20:09] savings and it is extremely disruptive
[2:20:12] to students, parents and teachers.
[2:20:16] And despite having that information, uh
[2:20:19] there are still members of leadership in
[2:20:22] both chambers that want to move forward
[2:20:23] with this process.
[2:20:25] So that's where we're at. Uh it creates
[2:20:29] a a very frustrating amount of
[2:20:32] uncertainty and
[2:20:35] I I know that you know when folks are
[2:20:37] watching you you're seeing a new policy
[2:20:39] come out or you're seeing a new map come
[2:20:41] out every other week and it it creates
[2:20:44] that uncertainty of you know what is my
[2:20:46] school district going to look like? What
[2:20:49] you know what what is the future of
[2:20:50] education in Vermont? And I and I keep
[2:20:52] reminding my colleagues on the Senate
[2:20:54] Education Committee that that this
[2:20:57] uncertainty uh creates a lot of doubt.
[2:21:00] And I heard just about two or three
[2:21:03] weeks ago from a superintendent in Lynen
[2:21:06] County that there were uh prospective
[2:21:10] teachers who were in the hiring process
[2:21:12] and one of them withdrew their
[2:21:14] application a few steps in because they
[2:21:17] started doing a deeper dive into what's
[2:21:19] going on with education in Vermont and
[2:21:22] there was too much uncertainty and they
[2:21:25] did not want to move somewhere, start a
[2:21:26] new job and set up roots in the place
[2:21:28] where they weren't going to be sure if
[2:21:30] they were going to have a job in in a
[2:21:32] number of years. Now,
[2:21:36] the what what I do advocate for is that
[2:21:40] we need to address the underlying cost
[2:21:42] drivers. Uh that's health insurance and healthcare as well as the costs from
[2:21:50] private services that schools uh have to
[2:21:53] use.
[2:21:55] and those those are topics that are
[2:22:00] getting addressed in other committees as
[2:22:02] well. But that's that's where we are at
[2:22:06] the moment. Uh it's I know it's not the
[2:22:08] most satisfying update about education,
[2:22:10] but I want to make I just want to be
[2:22:12] very candid with folks about where
[2:22:15] things are currently in the legislature.
[2:22:19] One thing that would be great is the
[2:22:21] more folks, depending on what your views
[2:22:23] are on education reform, the more folks
[2:22:26] reach out to members of either
[2:22:29] education, actually both education
[2:22:31] committees and express how you feel
[2:22:34] about the proposals uh that we're
[2:22:37] seeing. That is what legislators need to
[2:22:39] see, but also reach out to the
[2:22:41] governor's office as well.
[2:22:44] So that that is Senate education in a
[2:22:47] nutshell. I'm going to move on now to
[2:22:50] Senate Judiciary, which is probably
[2:22:52] where the higher risk is for me to
[2:22:54] ramble on. I'll do my best not to do
[2:22:56] that, though. So, especially over the
[2:22:59] last year and a half, uh, a number of
[2:23:03] people have reached out asking what is
[2:23:07] Vermont going to do in response to the
[2:23:09] federal government? And there are a
[2:23:12] number of bills that we've been working
[2:23:14] on in Senate Judiciary, but I want to
[2:23:15] answer that question because it's been
[2:23:18] the most frequently asked question. So,
[2:23:20] we've recently passed out two bills. It
[2:23:22] was a unanimous bipartisan
[2:23:25] uh support for both of those bills.
[2:23:27] They're S208 and S 209. They're for
[2:23:31] informally known as the masking bill and
[2:23:34] the sensitive places bill. And I'll I'll
[2:23:37] explain both. Uh 208 refers to uh the prohibition on wearing masks or
[2:23:46] personal disguises while members of law
[2:23:48] enforcement are interacting with the
[2:23:50] public. And in order to avoid the
[2:23:53] constitutional pitfalls that California
[2:23:56] encountered, we had to make it apply in
[2:23:59] a non-discriminatory way to all law
[2:24:01] enforcement. So it applies not just to
[2:24:03] federal agents but it applies to state
[2:24:05] police deputies and local police and so
[2:24:07] on.
[2:24:09] And there are exceptions in there and I
[2:24:12] think they are 100% reasonable. So for
[2:24:14] example, if an officer is scuba diving,
[2:24:16] they can wear a mask. I hope everybody
[2:24:19] in this room thinks that's an all right
[2:24:20] exception. Um there are also uh in smoke
[2:24:25] inhilation and extreme cold weather. uh
[2:24:28] but also an important one regarding uh
[2:24:31] undercover child sexual exploitation
[2:24:34] cases in which sometimes officers will
[2:24:38] wear a disguise uh to surveil an
[2:24:40] individual but these are legitimate
[2:24:42] investigations for things that should be
[2:24:45] getting investigated by law enforcement.
[2:24:48] The next piece oh and and this bill is
[2:24:50] in house judiciary. the governor has
[2:24:53] signaled his support on it and the house
[2:24:55] committee is is doing their due
[2:24:57] diligence and hopefully not changing it
[2:24:59] up too much. The next bill is the
[2:25:01] sensitive places bill. This refers to
[2:25:06] uh a prohibition of civil arrests in
[2:25:09] certain locations
[2:25:11] and want to make the distinction very
[2:25:14] clear just so that there's no confusion.
[2:25:17] So
[2:25:19] uh the so immigration detention falls
[2:25:24] under the category of civil arrests. Uh
[2:25:27] so it's not criminal arrests. They are
[2:25:29] civil arrests. And
[2:25:32] that uh protection was previously in
[2:25:35] place for uh a number of different
[2:25:39] locations. And this was actually in
[2:25:42] federal guidance about a year and a half
[2:25:44] ago and then was rescended under the
[2:25:45] current administration. So we are
[2:25:47] putting back into state law these
[2:25:50] protections for these locations. But it
[2:25:54] prohibits immigration detention in uh
[2:25:58] churches or places of worship, polling
[2:26:01] places, hospitals, educational
[2:26:03] institutions, daycarees,
[2:26:06] and there's there's one more.
[2:26:10] I delivered this speech five times
[2:26:11] today. Uh
[2:26:13] >> daycare did I say? All right. Well, it's
[2:26:16] uh there there's a lot of Oh, social
[2:26:18] service facilities. That's that's been a
[2:26:20] long day. Social service facilities. So,
[2:26:23] um that has been also passed out of
[2:26:26] committee bipartisan vote and governor
[2:26:28] has also signaled his support for it and
[2:26:30] that is in the House Judiciary Committee
[2:26:31] right now. The other work that we do
[2:26:34] that does not grab headlines in Senate
[2:26:36] Judiciary is often work related to
[2:26:39] technical changes that are meant to
[2:26:43] ensure our courouses are operating
[2:26:46] fairly and efficiently. And a simple
[2:26:50] change as switching the word violation
[2:26:52] with the word conviction and a certain
[2:26:54] DUI statute is going to clear up a whole
[2:26:56] lot of confusion and issues with plea
[2:26:59] agreements in court. Uh, and not going
[2:27:02] to catch any headlines, I'm sure, if
[2:27:03] that's all right. But the way I see my
[2:27:06] responsibility as a chair of judiciary
[2:27:07] is to make sure that, you know, with
[2:27:09] each bill that we're passing, our court
[2:27:11] system is improving at least a little
[2:27:14] bit at a time and making sure that
[2:27:18] access to justice is is available and
[2:27:21] that is fair and efficient.
[2:27:25] So, that is the condensed version of my
[2:27:28] uh town meeting speech. I I have left
[2:27:32] behind a number of legislative updates
[2:27:34] on that table back there. It has my
[2:27:37] contact information. It also lists a
[2:27:38] number of other bills we're working on
[2:27:40] related to health insurance, vehicle
[2:27:43] inspections, act 250. And if you want
[2:27:46] more information, if you want more
[2:27:47] details, which I'm happy to share,
[2:27:49] please don't hesitate to reach out and I
[2:27:52] am happy to share that information. So
[2:27:55] that that wraps up uh everything that
[2:27:59] I've got for you and thank you for
[2:28:01] having me.
[2:28:10] Does anyone have a question for
[2:28:14] Jody?
[2:28:23] Hi, Nder.
[2:28:24] >> Hello.
[2:28:25] >> I know you act you voted against Act 46,
[2:28:27] too, and I think that was before you
[2:28:29] were in the legislature, but um I hope
[2:28:32] you will continue to vote against what's
[2:28:34] going on up there. Now, my question is,
[2:28:37] I know that the governor has threatened
[2:28:39] not to um pass the budget if you guys
[2:28:42] don't do something with these stupid
[2:28:44] maps that are going on. Um why is nobody
[2:28:48] up there and a lot of Democrats, not
[2:28:52] just Republicans, a lot of Democrats are
[2:28:54] leading this charge. Why is nobody
[2:28:57] looking at the facts that the rural
[2:28:59] alliance is giving them? And other and
[2:29:02] the people that did the uh summer
[2:29:04] program, the trust um you know, you just
[2:29:08] mentioned it, the summer program brought
[2:29:10] a lot of facts as to what's saving money
[2:29:13] and what's not saving money. And why
[2:29:15] isn't everybody looking at what got put
[2:29:19] in as unfunded mandates and the health
[2:29:22] care and doing things about that rather
[2:29:25] than going and and pushing our kids
[2:29:28] around and pushing the towns around? Can
[2:29:31] you stand a little firmer on somebody
[2:29:34] else's feet?
[2:29:35] >> So yes, there are I I do bring that up.
[2:29:40] You know, I I asked the question, why
[2:29:41] did we spend money on a redistricting
[2:29:43] task force and and the the other
[2:29:47] commission the year prior to study all
[2:29:50] these things and come back with
[2:29:51] information only to say we're going to
[2:29:54] do something different. It doesn't make
[2:29:55] any sense. It's a waste of time and it's
[2:29:57] a waste of money. And that that is what
[2:30:00] I express to folks. Uh you know, I'm I'm
[2:30:04] one out of six senators on the Senate
[2:30:06] Education Committee. I express how I
[2:30:08] feel to leadership and and there there are other senators
[2:30:14] who also express something similar. Uh
[2:30:17] you know the Yeah, I'll I'll just leave
[2:30:19] it there for the sake of time.
[2:30:25] Paul,
[2:30:32] » you said that uh Paul Rundo uh you said
[2:30:36] that uh the governor had threatened to
[2:30:38] veto the budget if uh this uh the
[2:30:43] redistricting task force did not come up
[2:30:46] with a map.
[2:30:48] So what? He seems to me he'd be shooting
[2:30:51] himself in the foot if he if he votes
[2:30:54] the budget down. Uh you know, it's easy
[2:30:58] to say you're going to do it, but there
[2:31:00] are a lot of ramifications of voting it down the budget. So uh my
[2:31:05] reaction is you might be tempted to call
[2:31:07] us bluff and see what happens.
[2:31:10] >> Yeah.
[2:31:12] I mean, every every session, uh, we get
[2:31:16] threatened by the governor. Um, at this
[2:31:18] point, I'm kind of desensitized to it.
[2:31:20] feels like we're in a toxic
[2:31:21] relationship. Uh, so
[2:31:25] I I mean, yeah, that's it's it's on him
[2:31:27] if that's a decision that he wants to
[2:31:29] make to veto the budget over maps that
[2:31:33] are not based on the evidence that the
[2:31:36] evidence and the data that we have spent
[2:31:38] time and money gathering. Uh,
[2:31:42] yep. I mean, I I agree with it.
[2:31:47] » Who's next? More questions. Kate in the
[2:31:49] front row.
[2:31:57] » Hi, my name is Kate Jansek. I'm brand
[2:31:59] new here, so I'm going to say some
[2:32:01] unpopular things. I think uh the
[2:32:06] redistricting. Um, this happened in
[2:32:08] South Dakota where I live. So, I'm real
[2:32:10] familiar with what happened in South
[2:32:12] Dakota. It's very analogous. We had 385
[2:32:16] districts in South Dakota. Um, and
[2:32:20] consolidating them did and does save on
[2:32:25] administrative costs. So, I'm basically
[2:32:28] assuming that the governor isn't an
[2:32:31] idiot and that the redistricting and
[2:32:36] consolidation
[2:32:37] to save money came from somewhere with
[2:32:40] some basis in logic. So, could you
[2:32:44] articulate
[2:32:46] why the task force believes that
[2:32:51] redistricting is not going to save any
[2:32:54] money?
[2:32:55] >> Absolutely.
[2:32:56] Thank you for that question. Don't
[2:32:57] >> shoot me please.
[2:32:58] >> This this one might be a little Sorry.
[2:33:01] Um so just to clarify, I don't think the
[2:33:04] governor is an idiot. I I like him as a
[2:33:06] person, disagree with a number of his
[2:33:08] policies. Um but you know, and this is
[2:33:12] one of them that I disagree with. So the redistricting task force looked at a
[2:33:20] long list of different reports and
[2:33:22] studies from a number of different
[2:33:23] states. uh Kansas was one of them where
[2:33:26] uh redistricting and merging districts
[2:33:28] uh did not help. On the other hand,
[2:33:31] there was Philadelphia where there was a
[2:33:34] section of the city that had six
[2:33:36] schools. They consolidated down to four
[2:33:38] schools and there were there were cost
[2:33:40] savings there.
[2:33:42] Obviously, I'm not trying to sound
[2:33:43] facitious, but big difference between
[2:33:45] Philly and Vermont. Uh with Philly
[2:33:47] having 1.2 2 million people in Vermont
[2:33:49] having somewhere around I think 642,000
[2:33:52] spread out
[2:33:54] over a very rural space. The and and yes
[2:33:58] there there would be um cost savings
[2:34:01] when it comes to administration.
[2:34:03] You yes you know you're merging several
[2:34:06] districts and you're getting rid of a
[2:34:08] number of school boards. You're getting
[2:34:10] rid of principles and superintendents,
[2:34:13] but that does not nearly pace up with
[2:34:16] the costs of health insurance, which is
[2:34:20] one of the biggest cost driving factors
[2:34:22] uh for school budgets. And it doesn't
[2:34:24] keep up with the pace of how uh
[2:34:26] expensive special education is as well
[2:34:30] as the growing population of students
[2:34:32] who uh are requiring special education
[2:34:35] in Vermont. Uh we did have act 46
[2:34:39] right before u I became a state
[2:34:42] representative and
[2:34:45] we received
[2:34:48] uh the message that if we consolidate
[2:34:51] districts there would be cost savings.
[2:34:54] We we went through act 46. There is, as
[2:34:58] far as I'm aware, there's not much to
[2:35:00] show in terms of cost savings. And my
[2:35:04] concern is that we're going through that
[2:35:06] same process a number of years later
[2:35:09] with the hopes of saving money. And then
[2:35:13] we're going to my my worry is we're
[2:35:15] going to find ourselves in the same
[2:35:16] position six or seven years down the
[2:35:18] road. Once again, trying to consolidate
[2:35:20] districts, getting rid of a few school
[2:35:22] boards and principles and
[2:35:24] superintendent, but still dealing with
[2:35:27] the rising cost of health insurance, the
[2:35:28] rising cost of fuel, the rising cost of
[2:35:31] services that schools use, um,
[2:35:34] transportation.
[2:35:35] Uh, so those those are the factors that
[2:35:39] um that are the challenge there. I will
[2:35:43] say there there are some districts where
[2:35:45] it is a good idea to merge. But I do
[2:35:47] think that it needs to be done on the
[2:35:48] ground between between the districts
[2:35:52] between the school boards. If they come
[2:35:54] together, those are the folks who know
[2:35:55] their communities better than six
[2:35:58] senators sitting around the table who
[2:36:00] aren't on that school board. uh you know
[2:36:02] when those school boards come together
[2:36:04] and actually look at the look at the
[2:36:07] money look at the facts and look at what
[2:36:10] they are able to provide their students
[2:36:11] and they want to voluntarily merge that
[2:36:14] all for it that that's you know if
[2:36:16] that's what's best for that community
[2:36:18] then
[2:36:19] absolutely go for it but I just uh
[2:36:22] generally I I take some issue with the
[2:36:25] state on a higher level looking at
[2:36:28] random towns that we may have never even
[2:36:30] visited report and saying, "Yeah, let's,
[2:36:32] you know, let's put all those towns into
[2:36:34] one district or let's merge these three
[2:36:36] or four districts." It it doesn't feel
[2:36:39] like a good approach.
[2:36:45] I see more hands.
[2:36:57] Since you're on the judiciary committee,
[2:37:00] Could you see me? I'm Beverly
[2:37:02] >> Tier.
[2:37:04] Yeah.
[2:37:05] >> Um I recently in the last year was
[2:37:09] called for jury duty
[2:37:12] and
[2:37:15] I think a lot has been taken away from
[2:37:18] local courts and judges.
[2:37:22] And that jury duty was an excruciating
[2:37:28] experience because there was nobody to
[2:37:30] contact
[2:37:33] about what was going on and when you
[2:37:35] needed to be there.
[2:37:39] I was very sick and I had no way to
[2:37:43] contact anybody to say, "Hey, I don't
[2:37:47] think you want me there. I'm not well
[2:37:50] enough to be there." I had to go show up
[2:37:54] and be excused.
[2:37:57] There was another woman who had just
[2:38:00] been released from the hospital with
[2:38:03] pneumonia
[2:38:04] and she had to show up and be excused.
[2:38:08] You know, I really think that jury duty
[2:38:11] and jury selection and being able to
[2:38:15] have your day in court is important,
[2:38:19] but we need to support
[2:38:22] the jurors and the jury and how we have
[2:38:27] to function during that time. I mean,
[2:38:30] it's basically a volunteer thing.
[2:38:33] You might get $10 if you missed work,
[2:38:37] which doesn't begin
[2:38:39] to compensate for what you're missing
[2:38:42] out on.
[2:38:45] And you need to be able to talk to the
[2:38:47] people that you have to deal with.
[2:38:50] There's no phone numbers. I think the
[2:38:53] phone number that was there was for
[2:38:55] somebody up in Montpelier that didn't
[2:38:58] know what was going on, was out of touch
[2:39:01] with
[2:39:04] the court cases. Um I think it's a
[2:39:07] really important issue that needs
[2:39:12] » Thank you. I'll I'll respond uh to that
[2:39:16] generally. Um so my my job outside of
[2:39:20] the legislature is as an attorney. I
[2:39:22] practice down. Um hopefully your case
[2:39:25] wasn't the trial that I was the part of
[2:39:28] you. Okay, great. So,
[2:39:33] first off, I'm sorry you had that
[2:39:34] experience. U there should be
[2:39:39] uh the opportunity to call the court
[2:39:41] clerk. Uh there the number is supposed
[2:39:43] to be available. Um but I'm getting the
[2:39:47] sense that that didn't work out.
[2:39:50] And
[2:39:52] you know, we I I have uh strongly
[2:39:56] supported providing more resources to
[2:39:58] our courts. Uh not to tip the scales to
[2:40:01] one side or the other, but to make sure
[2:40:02] that things are running efficiently and
[2:40:04] fairly. And you know, this has looked
[2:40:07] like more more judge positions. We we
[2:40:10] got two judge positions added let's say
[2:40:13] a year ago as well as a number of
[2:40:15] judicial assistant positions who are the
[2:40:17] folks behind the scenes doing more of
[2:40:19] the logistical and administrative work.
[2:40:22] But I mean your your point is well taken
[2:40:25] that there are still shortcomings and uh
[2:40:28] challenges when it comes to
[2:40:29] communicating with the court as a juror.
[2:40:32] So thank you for sharing that.
[2:40:37] » I see your hand in the back.
[2:40:45] Hi, uh, Adam Palmer. Um, just back to
[2:40:48] the education piece, and maybe this
[2:40:49] isn't the forum, but I I had dealt with
[2:40:52] consolidation up in the, um, Wilmington
[2:40:54] area way back when, and I think there is
[2:40:57] something to be said. I think everybody
[2:40:58] focuses a lot on the budget. Um, I think
[2:41:00] there's something to be said, not
[2:41:02] because I'm a proponent of education,
[2:41:04] but it does afford a lot more
[2:41:05] opportunities to kids from smaller
[2:41:06] schools. um you know higher level
[2:41:09] programs when they go to schools that
[2:41:11] have a lot more offerings which creates
[2:41:13] a lot less discrepancy between what kids
[2:41:16] are getting in larger districts versus
[2:41:17] smaller districts. So something to be
[2:41:19] said. Um I think there's also something
[2:41:21] that and maybe this uh is something that
[2:41:24] you guys are already focused on but over
[2:41:26] the years you know since I got out of
[2:41:28] college 20 years in the area I have seen
[2:41:31] such an outflow of students and families
[2:41:33] from Vermont. Um, and I think that's
[2:41:36] part of what's creating the issue is
[2:41:38] that people are the schools are getting
[2:41:41] smaller. Um, and so we're having issues
[2:41:43] with budgets because they don't have as
[2:41:44] many kids. They don't have as many
[2:41:46] taxpayers. And so I have customers
[2:41:48] actively that say, "Hey, we want to move
[2:41:50] over to Chesterfield because we're going
[2:41:53] to get better education and pay less
[2:41:54] taxes." I think there's something that
[2:41:56] goes handinhand with um you know we we
[2:42:01] are hyperfocused on the taxes and the
[2:42:04] budget and all that but not not about
[2:42:06] planting the tree um to see you know
[2:42:09] future generations enjoy it. And at the
[2:42:12] moment we're not really planting trees
[2:42:14] in Vermont. We're really not business
[2:42:15] friendly. We're tax heavy. We're the I
[2:42:17] think the third highest tax state in the
[2:42:19] nation and New Hampshire next door is
[2:42:22] the second lowest. So when you've got
[2:42:25] families and people looking at that and
[2:42:27] saying, you know, from an affordability
[2:42:28] standpoint, when you talk about
[2:42:29] healthcare, hey, it doesn't make sense
[2:42:31] for us to be here, we've got to kind of
[2:42:34] be thinking, well, how can we get people
[2:42:35] back into Vermont, make it more
[2:42:36] businessfriendly, whatever it might be.
[2:42:38] And also then give the options to these
[2:42:41] kids so that they can improve. I think
[2:42:43] the consolidation piece just there's a
[2:42:45] little bit of an element there for some
[2:42:46] of these smaller schools where the kids
[2:42:48] just aren't getting that. So just food
[2:42:50] for thought.
[2:42:51] >> Yeah. No, thank you. that's uh that
[2:42:54] those are important points. I'll touch
[2:42:56] on the aspect of students getting, you
[2:43:02] know, exposure to different programs. Um
[2:43:05] and I I think maybe I should clarify
[2:43:08] that, you know, I'm not standing up here
[2:43:10] saying no consolidation, no mergers ever
[2:43:13] under any circumstances. there there are
[2:43:16] situations where it makes sense uh for
[2:43:18] certain schools or districts to merge
[2:43:21] and I think that is something that needs
[2:43:24] to be done on a more local level with uh
[2:43:29] with neighboring communities that know
[2:43:32] what it's like to drive over a certain
[2:43:34] mountain in the winter or know what
[2:43:37] offerings are being provided at a
[2:43:38] certain school and whether or not they
[2:43:40] want to keep their smaller school open
[2:43:41] and send their school their kids to the
[2:43:43] larger school for more offerings. Um,
[2:43:46] yeah, those those are absolutely valid
[2:43:48] points. Um, and I think that school
[2:43:52] boards and communities are more well
[2:43:56] equipped to make those decisions than um
[2:44:00] than six senators or 11 state reps.
[2:44:05] And uh to your point about
[2:44:08] affordability, uh I mean, you know, I'm 37 and you know, I I try convincing
[2:44:15] my friends who are in my age range to
[2:44:17] move to Vermont and they'd love to, but
[2:44:21] it's extremely difficult to to find an
[2:44:24] affordable house or to find
[2:44:27] employment that, you know, isn't remote
[2:44:30] and is in person that, you know, they
[2:44:31] could go to, at least in this area. We did make a number of investments uh
[2:44:38] over the last two years related to
[2:44:41] housing and child care and it it does
[2:44:45] take a bit of time to see that return on
[2:44:47] investment but we we do need to grow our
[2:44:50] grand list. We do need to increase our
[2:44:53] population. We need to have uh you know
[2:44:56] more more families who want to come here
[2:44:59] and live here and work here uh coming to
[2:45:01] Vermont.
[2:45:03] So, so I guess I'm kind of extreme
[2:45:06] conscious right now to uh
[2:45:08] >> is it somewhat budgetary? Like when you
[2:45:11] go to areas like Waterbury, do you see a
[2:45:15] lot of business incentives and new
[2:45:17] businesses starting up because they get
[2:45:19] those incentives? That's simply because
[2:45:21] they're getting money from be able to do
[2:45:23] those programs.
[2:45:27] » I that specific I'm I'm not I I don't
[2:45:31] think I'd be I'm not sure. not able to
[2:45:33] answer that. I I could look more into
[2:45:35] that. Um, and if my my contact
[2:45:38] information is on the flyers that I left
[2:45:40] behind and if you if you want to send me
[2:45:42] an email, then I'll know who to respond
[2:45:44] to and I can get you more information.
[2:45:46] I'm very happy to text you.
[2:45:52] » So, we want to thank for stopping by.
[2:46:05] And we will reconvene our meeting.
[2:46:08] We are on article 12.
[2:46:14] Shall the voters authorize highway
[2:46:17] structures expenditures of $25,000
[2:46:21] and to pay for set expenditures from the
[2:46:24] highway structures fund. Is there a
[2:46:27] motion?
[2:46:28] I move we authorize highway structures
[2:46:31] expenditures of $25,000 and pay for set
[2:46:34] expenditures from the highway structures
[2:46:36] fund which is on page 25.
[2:46:40] » Is there a second?
[2:46:45] » Second. It has been moved and seconded
[2:46:47] that we authorize highway structures
[2:46:50] expenditures of $25,000 and pay for set
[2:46:53] expend expenditures from the highway
[2:46:56] structures fund.
[2:46:59] Any questions?
[2:47:04] Bill.
[2:47:14] » Um, Bill Conley.
[2:47:16] I'm sure it's absolutely necessary. So,
[2:47:19] I'm not I'm not challenging. I'm just
[2:47:21] noticing the uh actual from 25 2025 to
[2:47:27] today. So, just curious about zero last
[2:47:32] year and 25,000. So, I'm just curious
[2:47:35] about
[2:47:37] uh that big of a jump. So,
[2:47:42] I was looking for Lee. So, the there was
[2:47:46] nothing spent this year on structures
[2:47:49] from the town budget. And the next thing
[2:47:52] on the list, uh page 26, which is after
[2:47:55] page 25, I know you know that, has a
[2:47:58] list of all the structures that the
[2:47:59] town's responsible for. Alex Wilson's
[2:48:02] smiling. So item number one on that list
[2:48:04] is Leonard Road. And so this $25,000
[2:48:07] will be added to an expected state grant
[2:48:10] of $180,000
[2:48:12] to replace item number one on that list.
[2:48:15] So there may not be expenditures every
[2:48:17] year, but like the capital fund, we
[2:48:20] didn't cover this earlier. That list of
[2:48:22] 1 through 10, we took those amounts if
[2:48:24] you look on there, which are the
[2:48:25] priorities that we set. And number 11 on
[2:48:28] that list is the East West Road Bridge,
[2:48:30] which is going to be a million dollars,
[2:48:32] if not more. So what we've done for
[2:48:34] 74,000, you see this number again next
[2:48:36] year and in following years, is how much
[2:48:38] do we need less the state grants we're
[2:48:40] going to get between now and replacing
[2:48:42] the East West Road Bridge, which I know
[2:48:44] is 20 some years away, but it's going to
[2:48:47] happen. And so all those 1 through10s
[2:48:50] and number 11, which is East West Road
[2:48:52] Bridge, is what the $74,000 every year
[2:48:55] is adding up to so we can replace all
[2:48:56] those coverts and bridges that we need.
[2:49:01] » Jody,
[2:49:08] I have mentioned this many times to the
[2:49:11] select board and to the middle road.
[2:49:15] There's those two horrible corners and
[2:49:19] everything is worn down on the sides of
[2:49:21] the culverts who are there that are
[2:49:23] there. They're not persons there that
[2:49:26] are there. Um, and there's several
[2:49:28] accidents that happen on those two
[2:49:30] horrible corners. And I am not one who
[2:49:35] wants to get wider roads, but I would
[2:49:38] like to fix those corners so somebody
[2:49:42] doesn't go off on them. Uh lots of times
[2:49:44] you see where they've gone off but have
[2:49:47] not gone over. Um particularly on the
[2:49:50] one closer to Maria's house. Um and
[2:49:54] maybe it's Maria's trucks that have gone
[2:49:55] over. I don't know. Um you can see the
[2:49:58] tracks where they've gone down off the
[2:50:00] black top but have managed to stay on
[2:50:02] the road. And just recently there was a
[2:50:06] logging truck that put pushed somebody
[2:50:08] over on one of those corners. And I
[2:50:10] don't know what it was, but I can see
[2:50:12] where it can easily happen. And I really
[2:50:15] wish that you could somehow just fix
[2:50:18] those areas.
[2:50:23] Anyone else?
[2:50:27] Okay, Ruth.
[2:50:31] Okay. I just want to point out on page
[2:50:34] 15
[2:50:36] shows the highway structures fund which
[2:50:39] has a balance as of June 30th of
[2:50:42] $25,927.
[2:50:46] So what we're talking about is spending
[2:50:50] some of that money. So just want to
[2:50:53] point out that's where the fund is.
[2:50:57] >> Thank you.
[2:51:01] Looks like you're ready for the
[2:51:03] question. It has been moved and seconded
[2:51:06] that we authorize highway structures
[2:51:08] expenditures of $25,000
[2:51:11] and pay for expenditures from the
[2:51:13] highway structures fund. All in favor
[2:51:17] indicate by saying I.
[2:51:20] >> Any opposed say no.
[2:51:23] The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[2:51:26] have it. And you have funded your highly
[2:51:29] structure fund.
[2:51:32] Article 13.
[2:51:34] Shall the town of Donstein vote to
[2:51:37] raise, appropriate, and expend the sum
[2:51:40] of $3,000
[2:51:42] to help support the food budget of the
[2:51:44] Putney food shelf, which provides
[2:51:47] services to the town of Dston.
[2:51:51] Is there a motion right there, Mike?
[2:52:10] Meg Lions Dmerston and president of
[2:52:12] Dmerston Cares.
[2:52:17] I move that the town of Dmerston raise,
[2:52:19] appropriate, and expend the sum of
[2:52:21] $3,000 to help support the food budget
[2:52:24] of the Pot Food Shelf, which provides
[2:52:26] services to the town of Dmerston.
[2:52:29] >> Is there a second?
[2:52:31] >> Second. Thank you. Me, would you like to
[2:52:34] explain this?
[2:52:37] >> Thank you, Cindy. Um I'm joined today by
[2:52:39] several members of in fact maybe almost
[2:52:42] all of the members of the Dummerston
[2:52:44] Cares board and um we're here to urge
[2:52:47] you to vote yes on this uh particular
[2:52:50] article and I just want I know it's been
[2:52:52] a long day. I just want to offer some
[2:52:54] very brief remarks about why we think
[2:52:56] this is so important.
[2:52:59] The first thing is that the Putty Food
[2:53:01] Shelf has been uh welcoming Dmerston uh
[2:53:04] residents to shop at its free food
[2:53:06] pantry since about the year 2012.
[2:53:10] Last year alone, there were 457
[2:53:13] visits by Dmerston households
[2:53:16] and that number is continuing to
[2:53:18] increase.
[2:53:20] In 2025, there were 20 Dmerston families
[2:53:24] who made their first visits to the food
[2:53:26] shelf.
[2:53:29] This however is the first year that the
[2:53:31] putty food shelf is asking for funds
[2:53:34] from the town of Dmerston
[2:53:37] and they have made application to the
[2:53:39] social services committee which has been
[2:53:41] approved.
[2:53:43] Other surrounding uh towns our neighbors
[2:53:45] um whose residents also visit the food
[2:53:48] shelf
[2:53:50] have been funding the organization uh
[2:53:52] for many years. And to put this in some
[2:53:55] perspective, uh, last year the town of
[2:53:57] Putty contributed, uh, just over $7,800.
[2:54:01] West Minister, whose usage is pretty
[2:54:03] close to our own, contributed $5,000 and
[2:54:07] Rattleboroough 7,500.
[2:54:10] And we believe it's now time for
[2:54:12] Dmerston to do its bit and to contribute
[2:54:14] to the food shelf from the town budget.
[2:54:19] And lastly, while it's true that the
[2:54:21] food shelf is located in the village of
[2:54:24] Putney, the staff make every effort to
[2:54:27] ensure that healthy food is available
[2:54:29] and easily accessible to our residents
[2:54:32] as well. In addition to uh two days per
[2:54:37] week where there are hours where you can
[2:54:39] shop there,
[2:54:41] they also make home deliveries. And I
[2:54:44] will tell you that we got a call one day
[2:54:48] from a woman who had no food and I
[2:54:51] called the food shelf
[2:54:53] and she had food by 2:00 in the
[2:54:55] afternoon. She could eat that evening.
[2:54:59] That's one of the reasons I love the
[2:55:00] food shelf. They are really committed to
[2:55:03] this mission.
[2:55:05] There's also a monthly food drop in
[2:55:07] Putney. It's a drive-thru.
[2:55:10] and Dston residents can also shop for
[2:55:13] friends and neighbors.
[2:55:15] So for these and for so many other
[2:55:17] reasons, we're urging you to vote yes.
[2:55:20] I want to see the food shelf healthy and
[2:55:23] fiscally maintained so that it can
[2:55:25] continue to do this good work.
[2:55:29] I just want to say that people have
[2:55:31] said, why don't we have our own food
[2:55:33] shelf here in Dston?
[2:55:36] What I want to say is now that I know
[2:55:38] more about how the Piney Food Shelf
[2:55:39] operates and what it takes to get this
[2:55:41] service going and to and to operate
[2:55:44] efficiently and effectively,
[2:55:46] that would be a heavy lift for us. And I
[2:55:49] think that the $3,000 that we hopefully
[2:55:52] will be giving them
[2:55:55] will certainly
[2:55:57] benefit us. We could not have our own
[2:56:00] food shelf for $3,000.
[2:56:04] Thank you. Are there any questions?
[2:56:09] Comments,
[2:56:12] best Richardson. Yes.
[2:56:20] Thank you, Bess Richardson. Still
[2:56:23] >> Yeah. Yes. I would um I would recommend
[2:56:26] that we boost this to 5,000 personally
[2:56:29] because I have seen so many families
[2:56:33] older families, younger families who
[2:56:35] need help. And it's not getting better.
[2:56:40] >> So, Bess, are you making a motion for an
[2:56:42] amendment to increase the $3,000 to
[2:56:46] $5,000?
[2:56:48] Okay. Is there a second on that
[2:56:50] amendment?
[2:56:51] >> Second.
[2:56:54] It has been moved and seconded that we
[2:56:56] amend the motion on the floor, the
[2:56:58] primary motion to replace $3,000 with
[2:57:01] $5,000.
[2:57:03] Is there discussion?
[2:57:08] » Eric, Krueger. So just as a matter of
[2:57:18] process, is this one-time request from
[2:57:20] the Putney food shelf something that
[2:57:23] will in subsequent years go to the
[2:57:26] select board for inclusion in the um
[2:57:29] social services line item of the budget?
[2:57:32] Understand we're only committing
[2:57:33] ourselves for this year, but going
[2:57:35] forward will this join the other
[2:57:37] nonprofits that reach out to Dumbston
[2:57:39] for support
[2:57:41] >> if it's approved. Do you guys intend on
[2:57:44] continuing it, putting it in the budget
[2:57:45] yourselves? Okay, the answer is yes. And
[2:57:49] Molly, Stoner, I was just wondering if we
[2:57:58] could hear the numbers again of what the
[2:58:00] other towns and I think one was a
[2:58:01] similar size or usage to Dumbston. If we
[2:58:04] could hear those again.
[2:58:06] >> That was Westminster at 5,000. And can
[2:58:08] we get the microphone over to Magg so
[2:58:11] that she can answer that question?
[2:58:16] Meg, we're being interrogated.
[2:58:20] A review, a quick, please, a quick
[2:58:22] review of the numbers, the dollars that
[2:58:25] other towns are giving them.
[2:58:27] >> Okay. Um, Putney did 7,830.
[2:58:31] These are figures for last year, by the
[2:58:33] way. West Minister did 5,000 and their
[2:58:37] usage as I said is very similar to ours.
[2:58:40] The number of visits and last year
[2:58:42] Battle Bro did 7500.
[2:58:45] Thank you.
[2:58:48] Bill
[2:58:50] microphone. Me.
[2:58:55] There's a microphone right behind you.
[2:58:57] And take the microphone and take it to
[2:58:58] Bill. Thanks.
[2:59:04] She's coming over.
[2:59:07] There she is.
[2:59:11] » Okay, Bill Schmidt. Um,
[2:59:15] so I've gotten very well acquainted with
[2:59:17] the food shelf over the last eight
[2:59:20] months in particular.
[2:59:23] Uh, last week I talked to Hannah Pek,
[2:59:26] who's the executive director,
[2:59:29] about Dumbston's
[2:59:31] proposed share, $3,000.
[2:59:34] And this was a number that was decided
[2:59:37] upon last summer
[2:59:41] using figures that we had then and
[2:59:44] trying to forecast them into the future.
[2:59:47] She told me in my conversation with her
[2:59:52] last week that actually
[2:59:55] the number of people served by the food
[2:59:59] shelf in Dmerston
[3:00:02] uh if taken literally
[3:00:05] should be
[3:00:07] five to 6% and not 3% against the food
[3:00:12] budget of $100,000.
[3:00:16] Uh
[3:00:17] they're going up in Putney and Bradboro
[3:00:20] this year. West Linister is staying the
[3:00:23] same at 5,000.
[3:00:26] Uh in Put in Dumbston, you know, from
[3:00:30] this conversation I had with Tanner in
[3:00:33] terms of the food being delivered to
[3:00:36] Dumbston residents,
[3:00:38] um could be five or $6,000. He said, you
[3:00:43] know, we left it at that. And once
[3:00:46] again, uh, I saw her last week to
[3:00:50] confirm
[3:00:52] the increasing numbers of people
[3:00:55] >> Bill People can't hear
[3:00:56] >> in need of food from the food shelf
[3:01:00] and the decreasing federal and
[3:01:04] consequently state dollars available,
[3:01:08] federal and state, not in dollars so
[3:01:11] much as food itself.
[3:01:14] uh and
[3:01:16] uh she pointed out that you know these
[3:01:20] things are really happening on the
[3:01:22] federal level. What's really hurting is
[3:01:25] not only dollars being decreased
[3:01:30] but limitations putting on the programs
[3:01:34] that are existing like the SNAP program
[3:01:37] is tighter to get into that strong work
[3:01:41] requirements
[3:01:42] uh and so on. So
[3:01:45] um the last thing I'll mention is that
[3:01:50] we cares ask the social services
[3:01:53] committee of of the town to review uh an
[3:01:57] application similar to what other
[3:02:01] uh agencies and organizations who are
[3:02:05] seeking who are in the town select
[3:02:08] board's budget. Uh we asked the social
[3:02:10] commit services committee to review the
[3:02:15] an application and they came out in full
[3:02:17] support. Sandy, are you still here?
[3:02:20] >> Great.
[3:02:20] >> The chair of the social services
[3:02:22] committee, Sandy Campbell, is here and
[3:02:26] it would be great if she could speak to
[3:02:28] how they received it.
[3:02:37] » Happy to do it. Sandy Campbell Dmerston.
[3:02:40] Yes. So, the committee did review the
[3:02:42] proposal and we're very much in support
[3:02:46] of it. Um, it's up to you folks, but uh
[3:02:50] we will continue to re you asked the
[3:02:53] question, will will this continue to be
[3:02:56] reviewed by the committee and yes, if
[3:02:58] you approve it, we will continue to
[3:03:00] review it every year as we do all of the
[3:03:03] applications that come our way.
[3:03:07] The motion on the floor is an amendment
[3:03:11] to change the amount from $3,000 to
[3:03:13] $5,000.
[3:03:15] Is there anyone who wishes to speak to
[3:03:17] that?
[3:03:20] Okay.
[3:03:22] It has been moved and seconded
[3:03:27] to amend the primary motion
[3:03:31] to read. I move that the town of Dston
[3:03:33] raise appropriate and expend this summer
[3:03:36] $5,000 to help support the food budget
[3:03:39] of the Putney food shelf which provides
[3:03:41] services to the town of Dston. You are
[3:03:44] not voting on the money. You're voting
[3:03:46] on the change in the amount.
[3:03:49] All in favor of changing the amount from
[3:03:51] 3,000 to 5,000 for your subsequent
[3:03:54] consideration signify by saying I.
[3:03:59] >> All oppose say no.
[3:04:03] The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[3:04:06] have it. We return now to the primary
[3:04:09] motion as amended. It has been moved and
[3:04:12] seconded that the town of Doberston
[3:04:14] raise, appropriate, and expand the sum
[3:04:17] of $35,000
[3:04:19] to help support the food budget of the
[3:04:22] Putney food shelf, which provides
[3:04:24] services to the town of Dston.
[3:04:27] Any further debate?
[3:04:30] Pam.
[3:04:41] Hi, Pam McFadden.
[3:04:44] >> Pam McFadden. I am on Dmerson Cares. Um,
[3:04:48] I did some number crunching as we made
[3:04:50] this brief change and
[3:04:54] >> I'm sorry. I I did some numbering
[3:04:59] the change up to $5,000.
[3:05:03] a homeowner of a $300,000 home.
[3:05:07] It will cost you $523
[3:05:12] for the year
[3:05:15] to help us fund the button food shelf.
[3:05:18] >> And that's for $5,000.
[3:05:20] >> That's for $5,000.
[3:05:22] So, thank you very much. This passes.
[3:05:27] Seeing no further hands,
[3:05:31] we will vote on the motion on the floor.
[3:05:33] It has been moved and seconded that the
[3:05:35] town of Dston raise, appropriate, and
[3:05:37] expend the sum of $5,000 to help support
[3:05:40] the food budget of the food shop, which
[3:05:43] provides services to the town of Dston.
[3:05:46] All in favor signify by saying I. I.
[3:05:50] >> All opposed, say no.
[3:05:53] The eyes appear to have it. Your eyes do
[3:05:55] have it.
[3:06:05] We are on article 14. If you were here
[3:06:08] earlier, you heard some concern about
[3:06:10] the wording in this article. It does not
[3:06:13] make clear that the intention is that we
[3:06:17] are voting on not just the change in
[3:06:19] name but also on the merger. However, we
[3:06:22] must start with the article as a warrant
[3:06:25] in your town meeting handbook in the
[3:06:28] morning. Um, and so we're going to start
[3:06:32] there and then as I understand where is
[3:06:35] prepared to present an amendment.
[3:06:38] >> You are okay this morning. Thank you.
[3:06:42] The article is shelter authorized the
[3:06:44] Lydia Townrat trustees to change the
[3:06:47] name of the library to the Dmerston
[3:06:50] Community Center and Library reflecting
[3:06:53] the merger of the Dmerston Community
[3:06:55] Center and the library. Is there a
[3:06:58] second?
[3:07:01] >> Is there a motion?
[3:07:02] >> Yes.
[3:07:03] >> Oh, I didn't do a motion.
[3:07:05] >> Is there a motion?
[3:07:06] That's why you're
[3:07:08] standing up. Mic partner, please.
[3:07:20] » I move that the Lydia Taff Pratt Library
[3:07:22] trustees change the name of the library
[3:07:25] to the Dmerston Community Center and
[3:07:27] Library reflecting the merger of the
[3:07:30] Dmerson Community Center and the
[3:07:32] library.
[3:07:33] >> Thank you, Elizabeth. and Ryan, you're
[3:07:35] seconding. Thank you very much. Okay,
[3:07:37] I'm going to hand it right over to Tom
[3:07:39] Nolan, who is going to propose an
[3:07:42] amendment. And this isn't technically
[3:07:45] from the selective board. It's
[3:07:46] >> right. This is just just me personally.
[3:07:48] So, in order to clarify the intention of
[3:07:51] what we're doing, I re I move that we
[3:07:54] make this amendment um that we amend the
[3:07:57] text to. Shall the voters authorize the
[3:07:59] merger of the Dmerston Community Center
[3:08:01] and the Lydia Taff Pratt Library naming
[3:08:04] this organization the Dmerston Community
[3:08:07] Center and Library?
[3:08:09] >> Thank you. Is there a second to the
[3:08:12] motion to amend? I saw your hand first,
[3:08:14] Caroline.
[3:08:17] Um, so the motion on the floor is to
[3:08:19] change the wording of the article
[3:08:23] from what we first read and what you see
[3:08:25] in your town report. Two, I move that we
[3:08:29] the voters authorize the merger of the
[3:08:32] Dmerson Community Center and the
[3:08:33] MediaTek Pratt Library, naming this
[3:08:36] organization the Dmerson Community
[3:08:39] Center and Library.
[3:08:41] Is there any discussion on the amendment
[3:08:44] changing the wording of the original
[3:08:46] article?
[3:08:56] » Jod Normado. Um, as most of you probably
[3:09:00] know, I have kind of been against um the
[3:09:04] growth of the library
[3:09:06] um for quite a time. um part of the
[3:09:09] reason has disappeared from the problem.
[3:09:14] So after listening to Linda at the um
[3:09:20] what do you call it at information meeting the other day. she
[3:09:26] made quite a good proposal and it kind
[3:09:30] of made sense to me um that this would
[3:09:34] be a year coming up of um
[3:09:40] uh I can't think of the name coming up
[3:09:43] that would see how this arrangement
[3:09:46] would work and one of my issues was the
[3:09:50] fact that the select board had no feet
[3:09:52] in this and I wished that the board that
[3:09:56] would operate this would have the
[3:09:58] library trustees on it and would have
[3:10:01] some members on it that were appointed
[3:10:03] by the uh select board. That has not
[3:10:06] come to pass, but it may very well come
[3:10:09] to pass in the future. So I am thinking
[3:10:12] because of Linda's proposal that they
[3:10:15] worked very hard this this year to make
[3:10:20] this work because there are a lot of
[3:10:22] issues involved in here. Not only money
[3:10:25] but there is the money issues and there
[3:10:28] is the growth issues that we probably
[3:10:31] will have to deal with in the future.
[3:10:34] But um I will throw my weight behind
[3:10:37] Linda and hope it works out for the
[3:10:40] best.
[3:10:42] Jody, the motion on the floor is whether
[3:10:44] to change the wording of the primary
[3:10:47] motion.
[3:10:48] >> And so I'm going to count what you just
[3:10:50] did as your first comment.
[3:10:53] >> Okay. All right.
[3:10:56] And Paul, do you have something relevant
[3:10:58] to changing the wording of the motion?
[3:11:01] >> So to make clear that we're approving a
[3:11:03] merger as well as a name change.
[3:11:05] >> Correct. Paul Nomadoo my my concern
[3:11:09] about merging it is that the community
[3:11:12] now if we merge the community center and
[3:11:16] the library together under one oasis if
[3:11:19] this doesn't work out it's still the
[3:11:23] responsibility
[3:11:24] of the library because we brought these
[3:11:27] two organizations together legally and
[3:11:32] uh rather than just a trial uh to see if
[3:11:36] it works. itself and it takes the select
[3:11:38] board out of the picture.
[3:11:41] If the select board to me that that's a community property it belongs
[3:11:47] to the town of Dunston. So ultimately
[3:11:50] the responsibility for that property
[3:11:53] lies with the select board and I think
[3:11:56] by doing this we're um shifting that
[3:12:02] responsibility to the library and then if that doesn't work out the
[3:12:07] library has to somehow dis disassociate
[3:12:11] itself not just uh uh policy-wise
[3:12:16] but uh legally it would be my
[3:12:19] interpretation.
[3:12:20] >> Does anyone have a response to that?
[3:12:29] » It's I I heard someone say it's not your
[3:12:32] name,
[3:12:33] >> Sam. The question of future liability
[3:12:37] and who's in charge of the property
[3:12:39] isn't your name. Is that what you're
[3:12:40] thinking?
[3:12:40] >> To the amendment.
[3:12:42] I
[3:12:44] >> the amendment is around saying that it
[3:12:46] is a merger that we're voting on as well
[3:12:48] as the change we made.
[3:12:50] >> Okay. I withdraw the complaint, but I I
[3:12:52] would like to speak to the amendment.
[3:12:53] And I just want to thank Tom for taking
[3:12:56] the time to get the wording correct. And
[3:12:58] I'd like to urge the rest of us who I'm
[3:12:59] sure have things to say about the merger
[3:13:02] to simply vote the amendment so we can
[3:13:04] get the wording correct and move on with
[3:13:05] the discussion.
[3:13:10] So I don't see any other other hands. I
[3:13:13] see jazz hands, not question hands.
[3:13:16] So the question on the table is shall
[3:13:20] the original motion
[3:13:23] which was we authorized the Lydia Taft
[3:13:26] Pratt trustees to change the name of the
[3:13:28] library to the Dston Community Center
[3:13:31] and Library reflecting the merger of the
[3:13:34] Dston Community Center and the library
[3:13:37] too. I move that the voters authorize
[3:13:40] the merger of the Dston Community Center
[3:13:43] and the Lydia Tech Pratt Library, naming
[3:13:45] this organization the Dston Community
[3:13:48] Center and Library. All in favor, please
[3:13:51] indicate by saying I.
[3:13:53] >> I.
[3:13:54] >> Any opposed say no.
[3:13:56] >> No.
[3:13:58] >> The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[3:14:02] have it. And we have changed the main
[3:14:05] motion.
[3:14:07] Now discussion on the main motion.
[3:14:14] Yes, Susan.
[3:14:25] Dagler Dmerston. One thing I would
[3:14:28] like to point out is that the Lydia
[3:14:31] Pratt Library is a municipal library.
[3:14:34] It's no no different than the road crew
[3:14:37] as far as it's uh as a legal entity. And
[3:14:42] given that it's already a municipal
[3:14:44] function, uh having it essentially
[3:14:48] manage the community center building, uh
[3:14:51] I I don't see as being troublesome.
[3:14:59] And over here it's called Lyall Holiday. I would like to point out
[3:15:10] that the library trustees have agreed to
[3:15:13] work in a transition and this being a
[3:15:16] transition year. So that trustees are
[3:15:19] taking part in different aspects of the
[3:15:22] community center. Um, it is not the
[3:15:25] library's intent to take over the
[3:15:28] community center. We're still counting
[3:15:30] on many volunteers that have been coming
[3:15:33] to the community meetings that Tom Nolan
[3:15:36] had held. And so, it is our hope that
[3:15:40] those of you that have been volunteering
[3:15:42] will continue to volunteer so that we
[3:15:45] can move forward as a group.
[3:15:51] » Any further comments, questions?
[3:15:54] Yes, we're here. Micron, please. Beverly Cheer. Um, I'm a supporter of
[3:16:08] libraries. I think they're very good.
[3:16:11] However, I feel very uncomfortable with
[3:16:16] the community center and the library
[3:16:18] merging
[3:16:20] because it's been a very very fuzzy
[3:16:23] process
[3:16:24] and it's been hard to get accurate
[3:16:27] information.
[3:16:29] Um even the way the article was written
[3:16:33] to start with uh we need to have a
[3:16:37] greater amount of clarity
[3:16:40] and transparency
[3:16:43] in what's going on and who's doing what
[3:16:46] before I can feel comfortable merging
[3:16:49] those two entities.
[3:16:54] Anyone else
[3:16:56] in the back row enough?
[3:17:04] » I just wanted to say that the library
[3:17:06] trustees are stepping forward to
[3:17:08] volunteer
[3:17:09] um with the merging process in an
[3:17:12] administrative and um coordinate
[3:17:16] coordination um aspect. The finances
[3:17:20] will continue to be monitored by the
[3:17:22] select board because um it's now a
[3:17:25] separate line in the general fund. All
[3:17:28] expenses and receipts will go to the
[3:17:30] select board and be approved on their
[3:17:32] warrant. The library trustees warrant of
[3:17:36] our revenue and expenses deal only with
[3:17:39] library operations which means books and
[3:17:43] programming and things like that. The
[3:17:45] coordination effort took several months
[3:17:48] to figure out what it would look like,
[3:17:51] what the vision would look like, what
[3:17:54] would we be doing, how would the
[3:17:55] governance work. We had a lot of open
[3:17:58] public meetings to gather ideas. We had
[3:18:02] a lot of people meeting in roadside
[3:18:05] chats, living rooms, dining rooms,
[3:18:08] really trying to figure out the ideas
[3:18:10] behind what this would look like. And at
[3:18:15] the core, library public libraries today
[3:18:17] are community centers. And community
[3:18:20] centers often have the same missions and
[3:18:23] goals that public libraries do, which is
[3:18:26] to have a public gathering space for all
[3:18:29] people to come and enjoy um and provide
[3:18:33] services and programming to all the
[3:18:35] residents. As Lad said, this is a
[3:18:38] transitional year. So although the
[3:18:40] trustees were originally elected to
[3:18:43] oversee the library, we've agreed to
[3:18:46] expand our roles for this year and
[3:18:49] assist in the merger um process which is
[3:18:54] going to take a while for things to
[3:18:56] settle and actually do its come along
[3:18:59] and then future people will be able to
[3:19:02] come in and have that broadened
[3:19:05] experience based on what's transpired in
[3:19:08] the past here.
[3:19:10] >> Yeah.
[3:19:13] >> Up front here
[3:19:15] stand.
[3:19:23] » Hi, my name's Kate. I'm talking again.
[3:19:26] Uh, I've lived in Dumbrson all of two
[3:19:29] months. Um, but I live close to this
[3:19:32] library and I walk down there and I go
[3:19:34] by there and it's a awesome little
[3:19:38] facility
[3:19:39] uh nestled right there. It's the library
[3:19:42] and the community center in the same
[3:19:44] building. They're getting a new
[3:19:46] director. That that means if there is a
[3:19:48] merger, the director will will be taking
[3:19:52] on all these efforts to to build up
[3:19:56] programming for the community center. I
[3:19:59] don't see many cars there now, but that
[3:20:02] could change. It seems it seems um
[3:20:06] dunderheaded to have two entities
[3:20:10] organizing and trying to coordinate in
[3:20:13] one nice little building there in the
[3:20:18] valley. And uh I I support the merger
[3:20:22] and look forward to volunteering to help
[3:20:25] it work.
[3:20:34] Seeing no more hands,
[3:20:37] motion on the floor
[3:20:40] is that we the voters authorize the
[3:20:42] merger of the Dmerston Community Center
[3:20:45] and the Lydia Pratt Library, naming this
[3:20:48] organization the Dmerston Community
[3:20:51] Center and Library.
[3:20:53] All those in favor indicate by saying I.
[3:20:58] >> All opposed say no.
[3:21:00] >> No.
[3:21:02] >> The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[3:21:05] have it.
[3:21:10] » We're on article 15. Shall the voters
[3:21:13] grant tax exempt status to the evening
[3:21:16] star range for a period of one year
[3:21:19] pursuant to the provisions of title 32
[3:21:23] section 3830.
[3:21:26] I move that we grant tax exempt status
[3:21:28] to the Evening Star Grange for a period
[3:21:31] of one year pursuant to the provisions
[3:21:33] of title 32 section 3840.
[3:21:37] >> I'll second it.
[3:21:39] >> Call has seconded. Any discussion?
[3:21:46] » Call a motion.
[3:21:49] >> Don't even need to. Um, all right.
[3:21:52] Seeing none, the motion on the floor is
[3:21:55] that we grant tax exempt status to the
[3:21:57] evening start range for a period of one
[3:21:59] year pursuant to the provisions of title
[3:22:01] 32 section 3840. All in favor say I.
[3:22:07] >> All opposed say no.
[3:22:10] The eyes appear to have it and the eyes
[3:22:12] do have it.
[3:22:14] Article 16
[3:22:16] mark to make. Oh, I need to read it
[3:22:19] first time. Shall the voters grant tax
[3:22:21] exempt status to Green Mountain Camp for
[3:22:23] a period of one year pursuant to the
[3:22:25] provisions of title 42 section 3840?
[3:22:30] Microphone over there.
[3:22:39] » I'm Mark Brown. And I move that the voters grant tax
[3:22:45] exempt status to Green Mountain Camp for
[3:22:48] a period of one year pursuant to the
[3:22:49] provisions of title 32 section 3840.
[3:22:54] >> Is the microphone on?
[3:22:57] >> It's a red light.
[3:23:00] >> How's this working? That's
[3:23:01] >> perfect. Say it again, please.
[3:23:03] >> Again.
[3:23:05] I move that the voters grant taxexempt
[3:23:07] status to Green Mountain Camp for a
[3:23:10] period of one year pursuant to the
[3:23:12] provisions of title 32 section 3840.
[3:23:16] >> Is there a second?
[3:23:19] See a second there, Mrs. Edward.
[3:23:21] It has been moved and seconded that we
[3:23:24] grant tax exempt status to Green
[3:23:26] Mountain Camp for a period of one year
[3:23:28] pursuant to the provisions of title 32
[3:23:30] section 3840.
[3:23:33] Do you feel the need to make a report
[3:23:35] mark?
[3:23:36] >> Uh, not much of one. I will say quickly
[3:23:41] one uh page 43. You can read that.
[3:23:45] That's a report from the director who is
[3:23:48] unfortunately underneath the weather.
[3:23:50] So, you have to put up with me. Um, I
[3:23:54] would add two things. Um, Green Mountain
[3:23:58] campus had, as I see it, two main goals.
[3:24:02] one to empower young girls.
[3:24:05] And if you want to see how that magic
[3:24:08] happens and
[3:24:10] what it results in, I recommend you
[3:24:12] check out a little documentary that was
[3:24:14] made this past year. And you can, I
[3:24:17] think, view it at green mountain.org.
[3:24:20] >> And number two, the second main goal is
[3:24:24] to make camp available to pretty much
[3:24:27] anyone who wants to go. And in this past
[3:24:30] year, uh, they spent approximately
[3:24:34] $30,000 in scholarship funds, which
[3:24:37] amounts to about 15% of their working,
[3:24:40] um, they, um, budget.
[3:24:43] >> So, that's it.
[3:24:46] >> Thank you, Mark.
[3:24:47] >> And any questions? I'll refer to
[3:24:49] somebody else.
[3:24:52] >> Are there any questions?
[3:24:55] Seeing no hands, it has been moved and
[3:24:58] seconded that we grant tax exempt status
[3:25:00] to green camp for the period one year
[3:25:03] for the provisions of title 32 section
[3:25:06] 3840.
[3:25:09] All in favor, please indicate by saying
[3:25:11] I. I.
[3:25:13] >> All oppose, say no.
[3:25:16] The eyes appear to have it. The eyes do
[3:25:18] have it.
[3:25:20] We are on to our 17 other business. Who
[3:25:24] would like to bring the business? Julia.
[3:25:33] » I propose a town resolution.
[3:25:36] Oh, Juliet, come in. And Juliet, can I
[3:25:39] interrupt you? Just so that we all
[3:25:41] remember because nothing was warned
[3:25:44] under other business. Anything that we
[3:25:46] passed as an advisory motion is to get a
[3:25:49] sense of the body and make a statement.
[3:25:52] And here's one proposed statement.
[3:25:55] >> Okay, so this is a town resolution
[3:25:57] regarding ICE.
[3:25:59] This was actually drafted for Putney by
[3:26:02] Mike Muriki who spoke earlier and some
[3:26:05] other folks. So I am simply reading
[3:26:07] something that I did not write myself.
[3:26:11] Whereas, Immigration and Customs
[3:26:13] Enforcement, ICE, was created in 2003 as
[3:26:17] part of a federal reorganization in
[3:26:20] response to September 11th, 2001
[3:26:23] and is a relatively new agency whose
[3:26:25] primary function is the enforcement of
[3:26:28] civil immigration law. And whereas ICE
[3:26:31] has increasingly conducted armed
[3:26:33] enforcement operations within cities and
[3:26:36] towns far from the border, resulting in
[3:26:39] fatal encounters, widespread fear, and
[3:26:42] serious concerns regarding the use of
[3:26:44] force, constitutional protections, and
[3:26:47] public safety. And whereas these actions
[3:26:51] reflect a broader national pattern in
[3:26:53] which ISIS presence in local communities
[3:26:56] has caused harm without demonstrable
[3:26:59] public benefit. Now therefore, be it
[3:27:03] resolved that the voters of the town of
[3:27:05] Dmerston express their opposition to the
[3:27:08] continuation of ICE in its current form
[3:27:11] and call upon Vermont's members of
[3:27:13] Congress to create law dismantling ICE
[3:27:17] and conduct full congressional oversight
[3:27:19] hearings into IC's conduct. and be it
[3:27:23] further resolved, the voters urged the
[3:27:25] Vermont legislature to create
[3:27:27] legislation permitting civil actions in
[3:27:31] Vermont courts to hold federal agents
[3:27:34] accountable for violations of legal or
[3:27:37] constitutional limits.
[3:27:45] Is there a second?
[3:27:49] Okay, it has been moved and seconded and
[3:27:52] I'm not going to read this whole thing,
[3:27:54] but I'll read the specific part about
[3:27:56] Dmerston that the voters of the town of
[3:27:58] Dmerston express their opposition to the
[3:28:01] continuation of ICE in its current form
[3:28:03] and call upon New Orleans members of
[3:28:05] Congress to create law dismantling ICE
[3:28:08] and conduct full congressional oversight
[3:28:10] hearings and ISIS conduct. And be it
[3:28:13] further resolved, voters urged the law
[3:28:15] legislature to create legislation
[3:28:17] permitting civil actions and want courts
[3:28:20] to hold federal agents accountable for
[3:28:22] violations of legal or constitutional
[3:28:25] limits.
[3:28:26] Is there any discussion?
[3:28:30] Seeing no hands. Again, it has been
[3:28:34] moved and seconded. Would you like me to
[3:28:36] read the entire thing? I'm seeing
[3:28:38] shaking hands and no people who know
[3:28:40] what the weather forecast is. Okay. All
[3:28:43] in favor of the motion as read by Juliet
[3:28:46] signify by saying I.
[3:28:49] >> All opposed? No.
[3:28:51] >> No.
[3:28:53] >> Okay. The eyes appear to have it. The
[3:28:55] eyes do.
[3:29:01] Is there any other business?
[3:29:15] Thank you.
[3:29:16] >> Hi, Larry Pratt Dmerston. Um, I think it
[3:29:20] would be disingenuous to uh end this
[3:29:22] meeting without giving the community
[3:29:25] center, the former all the former
[3:29:27] members a huge round of applause for
[3:29:29] their blood, slammed tear over the
[3:29:31] years.
[3:29:44] Thank you, Larry. And in the back,
[3:29:47] woman.
[3:29:55] » Hi, Alexandra Barto. Is this your last
[3:29:59] time being our moderator?
[3:30:00] >> It is.
[3:30:02] >> I want to say thank you so much. for
[3:30:04] your skill and care all these years.
[3:30:07] Thank you. Thank you very much.
[3:30:19] » Yes, Adam in the back.
[3:30:22] And Adam, if you have a follow-up
[3:30:24] question, you need to go through me.
[3:30:25] >> Sure. Um, I just wanted I chair the
[3:30:28] wreck board. Um, so I didn't know the
[3:30:32] proper process to go through just to let
[3:30:33] people know what we do as the recck
[3:30:35] board, but wanted to let people know.
[3:30:37] We've been growing it over the last
[3:30:38] couple years. Um, I think the school has
[3:30:40] roughly 200 kids. Uh, and in first,
[3:30:44] well, actually prek through fifth grade.
[3:30:46] We had 60 kids play soccer this year.
[3:30:48] Um, we have about 40 in the basketball
[3:30:50] program. We're working on doing a cross
[3:30:53] country thing for the spring as well as
[3:30:54] spring soccer. And we are we primarily
[3:30:57] funding it with donations. Um, we
[3:30:59] haven't really done much with the town
[3:31:00] yet. We do have some budget, but we've
[3:31:02] gotten people to donate jerseys, things
[3:31:04] like that. It's really exciting. We're
[3:31:06] working on getting concessions up and
[3:31:07] running. We would love to see people
[3:31:09] come to games. It's a really kind of fun
[3:31:11] exciting thing to see the kids having
[3:31:13] fun. And um, and also if anyone wants to
[3:31:16] volunteer, oftent times, you know, each
[3:31:18] season we need some help. So, if you see
[3:31:20] those emails come through, we would
[3:31:21] greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
[3:31:29] Priscilla, I got your name right.
[3:31:30] >> You got it. Thank you. Just a real quick
[3:31:33] comment.
[3:31:34] >> Priscilla, can you wait for the mic and
[3:31:36] use it? She's right behind you.
[3:31:39] >> Is it on?
[3:31:40] >> Yes.
[3:31:40] Start with your name.
[3:31:42] >> I'm Priscilla Adler from Dmerston. Um,
[3:31:44] I'm a member of the Dmerson Cemetery
[3:31:46] Committee and I just want to let
[3:31:47] everybody know that we're having
[3:31:49] anformational session on the cemetery
[3:31:51] regulations on April 23rd at 6 p.m. at
[3:31:55] the Dmerston Community Center and
[3:31:57] Library.
[3:32:04] » I see Molly's hand.
[3:32:12] Molly stuff, it would be nice to end
[3:32:14] with those thanks, but I'm going to
[3:32:15] bring us back to the political realm.
[3:32:17] Another um
[3:32:20] piece that came from Putney and I just
[3:32:22] added an initial sentence to it. Uh
[3:32:25] whereas under article 1, section 8,
[3:32:27] clause 11 of the US Constitution, the
[3:32:30] authority to declare war is vested
[3:32:32] solely in the legislative branch of the
[3:32:35] United States government. We, the voters
[3:32:38] of Dmerston, Vermont, condemn the
[3:32:40] unprovoked attack and the beginning of
[3:32:42] an illegal and immoral war against Iran.
[3:32:45] We call upon Congress to invoke the War
[3:32:48] Powers Act of 1973
[3:32:50] and upon the president to bring our
[3:32:52] troops home.
[3:32:56] » Mommy, do you have a copy of that
[3:32:58] complete thing that you can provide us?
[3:33:06] start.
[3:33:10] » Is there a second?
[3:33:13] >> Here I am. It has been moved and
[3:33:16] seconded that whereas under article 1,
[3:33:19] section 8, clause 11,
[3:33:23] Molly, is that right? Clause 11 71 11 of
[3:33:27] the US Constitution. The authority to
[3:33:30] declare war is vested solely in the
[3:33:32] legislative branch of the US government.
[3:33:35] We the voters of Dmerson Vermont condemn
[3:33:37] the unprovoked attack in the beginning
[3:33:39] of an illegal and immoral war against
[3:33:42] Iran. We call upon Congress to invoke
[3:33:45] the War Powers Act of 1973
[3:33:48] and upon the president to bring our
[3:33:50] troops home.
[3:33:53] Any discussion?
[3:33:57] All right. It has been moved and
[3:33:59] seconded.
[3:34:00] Whereas under article 1, section 8,
[3:34:03] clause 11 of the US Constitution, the
[3:34:05] authority to declare war is vested
[3:34:07] solely in the legislative branch of the
[3:34:09] US government. We the voters of Donald
[3:34:12] condemn the unprovoked attack and the
[3:34:14] beginning of an illegal and immoral war
[3:34:17] against Iran. We call upon Congress to
[3:34:20] invoke the War Powers Act of 1973 and
[3:34:23] upon the president to bring our troops
[3:34:25] home. All in favor, please say I.
[3:34:29] >> All opposed? No.
[3:34:32] The eyes appear to have it? The eyes do
[3:34:35] have it.
[3:34:37] Is there any other business to come
[3:34:39] under other business? Paul,
[3:34:43] >> I just wanted to give a quick reminder
[3:34:45] that on the 16th at the um community
[3:34:48] center, we're going to be having the
[3:34:51] fire department in Windham regional to
[3:34:55] talk about safety on the roads and
[3:34:57] speeding and what can be done.
[3:35:02] >> Thank you. Anything else? Yes or no?
[3:35:09] » Oh, sure. Put it down.
[3:35:14] » I need somebody that's not
[3:35:17] >> to do this.
[3:35:19] >> Yes.
[3:35:22] » Do the honors. Just grab anyone that you
[3:35:25] want.
[3:35:26] >> Fish around. Close your eyes. They're
[3:35:28] all sealed with staples so you can't see
[3:35:30] who's who.
[3:35:34] Get mine.
[3:35:37] >> And the winner of the raffle is
[3:35:42] >> the microphone
[3:35:52] » is here.
[3:35:53] >> She was here. Okay. Va not
[3:35:57] sorry.
[3:36:00] >> All right. Well, we have a winner. I
[3:36:01] also have a secondary.
[3:36:03] >> Could you use the microphone please?
[3:36:05] Thanks.
[3:36:08] >> We have a second prize which I will
[3:36:10] find. Um it's a gift card to um Walker
[3:36:14] Farm and that's we wanted to do an extra
[3:36:17] consolation prize. I think it's 20 bucks
[3:36:19] or something like that, but it's a nice
[3:36:21] gift card. Do you want to pull that?
[3:36:25] >> This is our giant bowl.
[3:36:33] Who do we have?
[3:36:40] » Rick Perkins.
[3:36:41] Rick Perkins belongs to
[3:36:44] family member of second grade teacher
[3:36:46] Dunston. All right. Well, thank you all
[3:36:48] so much for for helping us raise I think
[3:36:51] 1,500 a little bit more than $1,500
[3:36:54] today. So, thank you.
[3:36:56] >> Is there any other business?
[3:36:59] project
[3:37:08] » probably about the
[3:37:10] how much we depend on public service and
[3:37:12] I don't know if there was any plan but
[3:37:15] to thank um Tom and Skip for serving on
[3:37:19] the Dmerston Select Board and they're
[3:37:22] both moving on so thanks for Anything
[3:37:33] else?
[3:37:35] Oh, you were just adjusting your hat. I
[3:37:37] thought you were putting your hand.
[3:37:39] All right. May I have a motion to
[3:37:41] adjourn?
[3:37:43] >> Moved. Who said that?
[3:37:46] >> Thank you. And is there a second?
[3:37:48] >> Second. Michelle. All in favor of
[3:37:50] adjourning town meeting 2026 say I.
[3:37:55] don't need
[3:38:09] I don't know.