DOVER- Dover voters have fired a shot across the bow of the statewide education funding ship, by setting aside money for a potential challenge to the current and future ways Vermont pays for its schools.

After a series of discussions about education funding throughout both the school and town portions of the meeting, voters decided to set aside funds for possible action against statewide education funding. Voters added $20,000 to the town’s operating budget, and directed the selectboard to add the funds to a long-dormant account that had been used for a legal challenge to Act 60 a decade ago. Voters were surprised to find out there was another $58,000 left in that account, but added the additional funds anyway. The school and select boards, along with interested citizens, will meet at a later date to decide how to use the funds. Options discussed included another legal challenge to Act 60 and Act 68, hiring a lobbyist, organizing sending communities for a combined challenge, or a combination of these actions.

The tone of the meeting was framed from the opening, when State Rep. John Moran updated the audience about what the Legislature is up to this year. Education funding, and the fact that Dover sends approximately $10 million more to the state than it receives, quickly came to the forefront.

Moran stated his distaste for Act 60 and Act 68, and explained how the Legislature and Governor Jim Douglas were at odds over how to close budget shortfalls for the state.

That prompted a comment from Dover school board chair Rich Werner. “That’s one thing about the Legislature,” he said. “They control where the money should go, but then take it out of other departments. ” Werner added his frustration that the Legislature continues to underfund statewide education by not making the required payments to the education fund, as required by acts 60 and 68. “We have a general fund transfer that figures how much to send, but the Legislature voted to short the general fund transfer. Why aren’t you fully funding the transfer?”

“I have no argument with that,” replied Moran. “I agree. The budget was not passed until agreements were reached to eliminate some of that. I do not appreciate acts 60 and 68.”

“Then work against it,” implored Werner. “Don’t vote for the budget. By not fully transferring the general fund tax transfer, by looking at taking small school grants away, by voting for the budget, you vote to do harm to us.”

Werner continued to press Moran on the funding inequities. “The towns of the Windham Central School District send $38 million above what we take out,” he said. “Brattleboro receives $8 million more than they pay out. Now Brattleboro is talking about spending $400,000 to upgrade their track. How is that fair?”

“Its not fair,” said Moran.

“When you vote for the budget, you approve these things,” said Werner.

Dover parent Tom Powell echoed Werner’s frustration. “We have two students at Leland & Gray. We travel to schools across southern Vermont. It’s easy to see who is getting the money. Have you visited the schools? The difference is obvious.”

Moran replied that he had visited schools and had seen the differences for himself.

“Then how can you and your constituents not be outraged by this?” added Powell to loud applause. “You’ve got to stop voting, you need to do something. Richie said it, when you sign that budget, you put your approval on it.”

“I will ask that you keep my feet to the fire,” said Moran, who noted that he was available on the second Tuesday of each month to meet constituents at the Dover Free Library. He also updated voters on other items the Legislature is working on.

Lisa Coneeny commended Moran for work that he had done on behalf of the town and for his willingness to come to Town Meeting and hear from voters, saying “It’s not an easy job for anybody to do.”

“I’ll leave on that note,” quipped Moran, who then made his exit.

The issue turned back to education funding when the school meeting reached Article 8, which asked voters to discuss and give direction to the school board over what to do concerning possible school consolidation mandates from the state.

Werner again framed the debate. “My biggest fear is we have no say. That’s where our problem is. We won’t have a say if they force us to combine with other schools. We have very different interests than Brookline or Marlboro. With our large grand list value we would pay the largest amount in the district. We need to tell the state what the problems are. We need to position ourselves for what will be best for the town and the students. We need to see if we should become a charter or private school, or what our options are.”

Werner gave an example of a Route 100 restaurant, that would pay less than a third of the property taxes it pays now, if statewide education property taxes were not in place.

The frustration, according to Werner, is that “ the state has never defined what an education is. It burns your backside when they take $8 million extra and will spend $400,000 to fix up Brattleboro’s track, and Twin Valley High School can’t fix up their gym to host a basketball playoff game.”

“You all need to pay attention,”said former selectboard member Liz Brown. “You didn’t listen to me when Act 60 came down, and now we’ve suffered.”

School board member Laura Sibilia said “I don’t believe that consolidation will work. I don’t see the economies of scale. It does not seem to me that mandated consolidation makes sense. Having one school board in Windham County making decisions for all the schools will be bad for small schools like ours.”

She urged some type of action. “We have to come together, we have to get involved with other towns, we have to grow our voice.”

Former town clerk Mary Lou Raymo, who went to court for the town over withholding Act 60 funds a decade ago, urged the selectboard to work with the school board. “Anything we can pay with town dollars versus school dollars will only help us,” she said. Voters eventually okayed Article 8, which then set the stage for adding the $20,000 to the town’s budget during Article 12. William “Buzzy” Buswell moved that the town add $75,000 to its operating fund as seed money for future action. When it was revealed that there was still a substantial holdover from previous years in the “Tax Reform Fund,” Buswell amended his request to the final number. After much discussion, the motion carried and the stage was set for another statewide education fight.

In all, voters decided to raise the town’s operating budget to $1,809,904. Aside from the money added to the tax reform fund, voters added a $5,000 pay raise for treasurer Patty Westlake and small adjustments to the library fund and listers’ hourly rates.

Buswell also championed adding additional funds for Dover’s bicentennial celebration, which is planned for October 1 to 3. He moved to amend the $5,000 request for funding to $25,000. Raymo, a bicentennial committee member, said the committee was going to incur more costs than were anticipated. There was much discussion about the source of the additional funds. Some asked if the money could be taken from the town’s economic development fund, while others questioned the use of public money at all. In the end, voters approved the funds.

In other Town Meeting business, voters approved a school budget of $2,478,158, a town highway budget of $1,282,468.10, $362,000 for capital equipment and building funds, $7,200 for Kids in the Country child care center, and $480 for the Deerfield Valley Farmers’ Day Fair.

The town will have two new selectboard members, after voters had their say at the polls on Tuesday. Dwayne Coneeny defeated Buswell for a three-year seat, 175 to 116. Randy Terk won a three-way contest with 175 votes to incumbent Rebecca Snow’s 89 and Eddie Barber’s 37.

There were no other contested races, but retiring school board vice chair Victoria Capitani and selectboard member Jim Martin were both recognized for their years of service to the town. Capitani received flowers and a standing ovation from the audience, while Martin was given a round of applause after recognition from Coneeny, who was voted in to replace him. Jollene Mahon was elected to replace Capitani.