[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.

2026 Dummerston Town Meeting 3/3/26

Transcript