Springfield talks solar, dilapidated buildings and budgets

Town meeting voters debated the merits of the town buying solar power, tearing down dilapidated buildings, and funding town and school budgets Monday night.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20150303/NEWS02/703039879

Springfield residents gather in the Springfield High School cafeteria Monday night for town meeting. Photo: Photo by Len EmeryPublished March 3, 2015 in the Rutland Herald Springfield talks solar, dilapidated buildings and budgets By SUSAN SMALLHEER Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — Town meeting voters debated the merits of the town buying solar power, tearing down dilapidated buildings, and funding town and school budgets Monday night. They also paid tribute to Bruce Johnson, the man behind the camera at the town’s public access television station. About 80 voters gathered at the Springfield High School cafeteria to discuss issues that will be decided today during all-day balloting at Riverside Middle School. Monday night was mostly an informational discussion, with only a scattering of votes taken. The proposed $10.7 million town budget, which will require a 2.9 percent increase in taxes, generated only a few questions. But voters had questions about two special articles concerning the town’s effort to rid the town of blighted and dilapidated properties. One article calls for establishment of a reserve fund to be used to demolish such buildings, and a second article calls for funding it with $100,000. Resident Woody Bickford spoke against the measure, saying that if the town needs money to tear down the dilapidated structures, it should go to a bank and borrow the money. But Joe Wilson, chairman of the town Development Review Board, said that was a cumbersome process, and would drown the town in paperwork. The town needs a revolving fund to pay for the demolition, Wilson said. The town will use the initial $100,000 as seed money, and the effort is expected to be self-sustaining. Selectman George McNaughton, who spearheaded both articles, said the town had started a list of dilapidated properties in 2013, but it was slow going to get the owners to do the right thing. If the town has the money, people will realize the town is serious, and will either rehabilitate their properties or tear them down, McNaughton said. “If the town gets aggressive and has the money in the bank, then people will be motivated to do something,” said McNaughton. “It may inspire $200,000 worth of demolition across town.” He said the two articles represented a referendum on the town’s efforts to crack down on blighted properties. His goal, he said, was “to return Springfield to its former glory.” At least two voters suggested that the town take the $2.9 million so-called “prison money” and put it into the town’s roads, not the Edgar May Health and Recreation Center. The center, which is run by a nonprofit board, was sold a few years ago to Springfield Medical Care Systems, the parent organization of Springfield Hospital. Walter Clark said Springfield voters decided to dedicate the money to the recreation center, but they didn’t have a vote when the building — which includes an indoor pool and recreational facility — was sold to Springfield Medical Care Systems. But Kristi Morris, chairman of the Springfield Select Board, said the recreation center is following the agreement hashed out with the town more than 10 years ago, and there was no way to reverse course. The recreation center, even though it is now owned by Springfield Hospital, has maintained the earlier commitments, such as the number of hours it is open a week, and what time it opens in the morning, Morris said. Rep. Robert Forguites, D-Springfield, and Rep. Alice Emmons, D-Springfield, read a resolution they had sponsored, along with Rep. Leigh Dakin, D-Chester, honoring Bruce Johnson, who retired from a full-time leadership role at Springfield Area Public Access Television. Johnson was thanked for his “dynamic leadership” at the popular station. Johnson was filming Monday night’s town meeting, and Forguites beckoned him away from his camera to accept the resolution, which was passed by both the Vermont House and Vermont Senate. “Greater Springfield greatly appreciates Bruce Johnson’s contribution to improving access to community events and broadening the personal horizons of SAPA-TV’s viewers,” the resolution stated. All-day balloting on the Select Board’s race as well as the town and school budgets, and a raft of special articles will take place at the Riverside Middle School from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.