Residents will ponder for a fourth time whether to sell Readsboro Electric utility to Central Vermont Public Service Corp. The vote will be determined by Australian ballot. At last year’s Town Meeting, 156 voters approved the sale while 117 did not. Because a two-thirds majority was needed to approve the sale, the article failed. The town tried again a second time at a special Town Meeting last June. Out of 231 votes cast, the vote was 137-94. The town needed 139 to sell the utility.
Critics of the utility insist the town cannot maintain costs to keep Readsboro Electric a financially viable asset and it would be better suited in the hands of a private utility. Opponents of the sale believe Readsboro Electric is a valuable asset and that turning it over to a private corporation could result in higher electric rates.
Article 4 asks “To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of $800,131.60 or any other sum to meet the expenses and liabilities of the town of Readsboro.” If passed, the town’s budget will see a $102,002.60 increase in the 2010-2011 budget. Last year, the proposed town budget for 2009-2010 was reduced from $744,092 to $698,129. Selectboard member Tony Caruso said there was a leftover surplus from last year’s budget that the town could use to level fund the 2009-2010 budget.
According to selectboard chair Raymond Eilers, the town has another surplus but the money will be allocated for road improvement. “It’s up about 7.5%,” said Eilers. “This year we had some surplus money and we put $45,000 in the gravel account so we could process some gravel at our town-owned gravel pit. That should give us enough gravel to last three to four years.”
Article 6 asks “To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000 or any other sum for the purpose of correcting and updating the tax maps.” Eilers said the tax maps haven’t been updated in four years and a lot of changes have taken place since then. “The last firm that updated the maps did so in a fashion similar to a New Hampshire-type tax map and, from what I understand, Vermont has a different format, for lack of a better term,” said Eilers. “We also did not hear from the state in regard to the town’s reappraisal status. So maybe by Town Meeting we might know more.”
Article 7 asks “Shall the town vote to raise, appropriate, and expend the sum of $60,000 or any other sum for the support of hiring a town manager/administrator to provide services to the residents of the town.” At last year’s Town Meeting, the town voted 54 to 53 to approve a $35,000 salary for a new town manager who would handle the town’s day-to-day operational tasks. The town voted to reconsider the article during last summer’s special Town Meeting, but the article failed, 37-30. The town manager was never hired as the selectboard could not determine how the position would be funded. Eilers said the selectboard has the right to hire management without a vote, but they still need money to fund the position.
Article 8 asks “To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000 or any other sum, for the repair of the bank at the village cemetery to prevent further erosion.” Eilers said there is an erosion problem at the village cemetery. The soil on the steep slope is not allowing vegetation to grow. If the article is approved, the town will spend up to $5,000 to fertilize the soil, plant vegetation, and hold the steep slope in place.
Article 10 asks “To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $35,000 or any other sum for the purpose of funding the town reappraisal fund with funds applying to outside contracting services only.” If approved, the $35,000 would replenish the reappraisal fund that was used for the last two years during the state mandated reappraisal.
Article 13 asks “To see if the legal voters will elect to permit the town to provide notice in the local newspaper that the town report is available at the town office in lieu of mailing.” Eilers said the article is primarily a cost-saving measure. “We are trying to get people to pick up their town report at the town office. It will save the town some money from having to mail it out. We used to have volunteers deliver the town reports, but now we’re running out of volunteers,” said Eilers.
Article 14 asks “To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $20,000 or any other sum for the repair of the bank behind the firehouse to prevent further erosion.” The steep bank behind the firehouse is held in place by aging cement and should the retaining wall fail, Eilers said the firehouse structure will be “compromised.”
Article 15 asks “To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000 for minor repairs and painting at the electric barn.” Eilers said the electric barn was partially re-sided in the 1980s but it was never completed. The town would like to finish the job.
The last major article is Article 18. It asks “Shall the town vote to support the acquisition of 660+ acres on Route 100 and Howe Pond Road from private willing sellers by the United States of America to become part of the Green Mountain National Forest to conserve water quality, wildlife habitat, trails, and public access.”
In December, the GMNF expressed interest in purchasing 392 acres of land belonging to Andrew Grimes, of Readsboro, and 268 acres belonging to John Mutrie, of Wellesley, MA. Both parcels of land are located in the Green Mountain National Forest in Readsboro. As a matter of policy, the GMNF needs local support to proceed with the purchase. If approved, the parcels of land may be available for recreational purposes such as hunting, fishing, and trapping; flood retention; and public access. Deb Brighton, a private tax analyst, told the selectboard the GMNF acquisition would remove roughly $839,500 from the tax rolls, lose $6,513 in annual taxes, and gain approximately $2,180 in annual federal payments.
If anyone wants any elected office in town find out what the job encompasses before you sign up. Dont blame the current or past devoted officials for doing their job right by contacting outside help etc. Its what you are supposed to do rustybolt, unless you believe your officials should continue listening to whispers from one person,guessing at issues, making some terrible decisions, pay for lawyers and then do it all over again. Thats why other towns move ahead without the assistance of a town manager. In addition if the Selectmans do not want the manager position then speak up instead of portraying neutrality and the allow uninformed voters cast bad votes.
The "team of professionals " by no means did our work. They are in an advisory capacity to local school boards in all towns. State law requires all public school districts be part of a SU. How dependant local boards are on them is completely up to those boards. Some couldnt do without them, others didnt need them. They are only as powerful as a local board allows them to be. I dont think anyone will disagree there is more work being a Selectboard member than a School Director...but what does that have to do with hidden costs of a Town Manager?
As an FYI, Rhonda was the only R.S.ever to be on the DRB.
I understand what the hidden cost could be and Im sure the selectboard does to But your acting like someone is trying to slide something under the taxpayer noses without any proof just assumptions,Also when you were on the school board you had the school districts team of professionals spoon feeding you and your fellow board members.Oh by the way there's another R.S. in town i was refering to.
so rustybolt,get a can of wd-40 and spray yur nutz and loosen up.
The 2010 petition includes the "hidden costs" which could be items like office renovations or rentals, office supplies, clerical assistance, computer and possibly health insurance and other benefits the position may get. The 2009 petition was just for a "salary" or "compensation" for a town Manager and DID NOT include any of the costs listed above.....so thus those costs were "hidden" at the time as they were sure to be required if a manager was hired. Hope that is now clear to you?
As far as actions on the Schoolboard...everything was front and center and the public always knew the issues and the boards position prior to a vote. Some may disagree with the results, but nothing was hidden from the public.
Also, as far as being on the DRB with Rhonda,she always did her job in a very professional, expeditious manner, so what complaints do you have with her?
I am also aware that a large amount of legal fees are a result of the 2009 electric rate increase and even if totally approved the incoming dollars not be adequate to operate the utility. In 2010 there appears to be an extra $3700 budgeted for professional assisstance for the utility clerk and another $33,000 in legal fees in 2010 which translates into about 10% more on top of the current 2009 rate increase. The electric asset has just become a liability to the whole town but not the takers which benefit only a few. Time to sell.
le thing. You might be labeled as fire starter Why do you assume everything is hidden and some sort of conspiriacy ? Maybe you been in that situation when you were on school board and drb with the ever honest R.S.
The comments made on the Town Manager are also correct. We went through all the "hidden costs" at last years Town meeting and after they were tallied,along with the base salary, the total cost went very near the $100,000 you mentioned. The petition as I read it, asks for $60,000 in total to support the position. From the way I read that article, the $60,000 includes salary, transitional costs, housing and any negotiated benefits that may be addressed.Two things come to mind...1) The salary in 2010 is under budgeted if you deduct other costs, and ...2) the salary for 2011 would escalated once the other costs were consumed in the 2010 phase.
The Town Charter allows for a Manager or Administrator by definition, but the Selectboard DID NOT include in their budget any funding for that position.This article just asks for the money to pay some type of administrative help.
I doubt many people realize the qualifications required of a Manager, thus his responsibilities and authority that follow. In this small town, a Manager is "overkill" and a waste of money as he / she would not be used correctly. The professionalism expected from a Manager would be jeopardized by the Selectboard constantly standing over his shoulder squashing things he wanted to do. The idea with a Manager is that all people get treated fairly, and that is something this Board does not want to give up.Thus, a waste of taxpayer dollars.
For the practical reidents of town try reading page 19 of your new 2009 town report.Theres a 2010 electric budget line in there for NEMRC management of $3700, and also a Primmer & Piper (legal costs) 2010 line item of $33,010.
Sounds to me like this electric company is in a pickle and only those reaping the awards form this company are the same ones saying to keep it.
There is one girl in town who seems to be very sound from an administrative point of view and has had significant experience in the accounting arena and she has offered her services on a part time basis to help out,but it appears the Selectboard would rather spend $60,000 for champagne when Readsboro is on a beer budget?
Give her a chance.