2010 town meeting warning unveiled

Springfield voters face a full menu of issues at town meeting, including budgets, elections, money for the town's celebration of its 250th year, as well as the fate of a town-owned reservoir and four former schools.

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Springfield unveils 2010 town meeting warning

Rutland Herald

By Susan Smallheer STAFF WRITER - Published: January 27, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield voters face a full menu of issues at town meeting, including budgets, elections, money for the town's celebration of its 250th year, as well as the fate of a town-owned reservoir and four former schools.

Townspeople will also decide whether to give the Springfield School Board a 50 percent raise – to $750 from the current annual pay of $500. A similar article two years ago to give the Select Board a raise failed.

Town Manager Robert Forguites said the Select Board finalized the warning Monday evening.

One new appropriation on the ballot is a $5,000 one-time funding request from the town's 250th anniversary committee, which wants the money to put on several summer activities celebrating the town's founding 250 years ago.

Also on the ballot is whether the town will continue its funding of Springfield On The Move, which has requested $20,000 in town support.

The Springfield Select Board put the organization on the ballot last year; previously the town's contribution to the SOM budget was included in the budget.

Forguites said the board included the issue on the warning, but didn't require the group to gather 5 percent of the signatures of town residents, which is the requirement for other funding requests from outside groups.

Springfield On the Move helps downtown business owners with startup and expansion plans and also helps landowners with rehabilitation through state tax credits, the article reads.

Townspeople are being asked whether they want to sell the current Park Street School, East School, sell or dispose of the old Southview School, and whether to convey the North School in North Springfield to the North School Preservation Society Inc.

The Select Board is seeking town approval to sell the town-owned Weathersfield Reservoir, which includes a former reservoir and 87.5 acres, off Wellwood Orchard Road.

The board is also seeking approval to sell a companion parcel of 5.2 acres.

Virtually all decisions at Springfield town meeting are ultimately made at the ballot box, but are discussed the evening before during a public hearing.

Service agencies seeking funding include the Springfield Family Center, $48,000; the Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire, $63,500; Health Care and Rehabilitation Services Inc., $10,000; and New Beginnings Inc., $6,000.

Other agencies seeking funds include the Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, $8,500; Valley Health Connections, $4,000; Southeastern Vermont Community Action, $8,000; Rockingham Area Community Land Trust, $4,000; and Connecticut River Transit, $12,500.

Meals on Wheels is seeking support of $8,000 and Windsor County Partners, $800. Green Mountain RSVP and Volunteer Center of Windsor County is seeking support of $3,300, and the Springfield Community Band has asked for $2,000 for eight outdoor summer concerts.

Voters will also decide the fate of the $9.5 million town budget, and the $25.4 million school budget.
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