http://springfieldvt.blogspot.com/p/2011-town-meeting.html
SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT MARCH 2011 TOWN MEETING VOTING RETURNS
ARTICLE 1: ELECTION OF TOWN AND SCHOOL OFFICERS
To elect the following Town Officers and Town School District Officers for the ensuing year:
Moderator
Trustee of Public Funds
Selectmen
Cemetery Commissioner
School Director
Marilyn Thompson (Incumbent)
Jim Ball James Ball
Tammy Farmer
Joseph "Bill" Harbeson
Town Agent
Lister
First Constable
Library Trustees
ARTICLE 2: ACT ON REPORTS
To receive and act on reports of the Town Officers, Town School District Officers and Committees.
ARTICLE 3: MODERATOR SALARY
Shall the Town vote a salary of FIFTY and 00/100 DOLLARS ($50.00) per meeting for the Moderator for the ensuing year?
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 4: SELECT BOARD MEMBERS PAYMENTS
Shall the Town vote to pay each Selectman the sum of FIVE HUNDRED and 00/100 DOLLARS ($500.00) to help defray the costs and expenses incurred in serving the Town in that office?
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 5: TOWN BUDGET
Shall the Town appropriate the sum of TEN MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTEEN and 00/100 DOLLARS ($10,474,815.00) for the budget of the Town for salaries, inci dental and necessary Town expenses, including highways, and for the pur poses for which the law requires appropriations, and for which a Town may legally vote?
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 6: GIFTS AND BEQUESTS
Shall the Town authorize the Board of Selectmen to expend such grant monies, gifts, or bequests which may be received by the Town of Springfield in accordance with the terms of said grants, gifts, or bequests?
ARTICLE 7: SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS PAYMENT
Shall the Springfield Town School District approve the payment to each School Board member of FIVE HUNDRED and 00/100 DOLLARS ($500.00) to help defray the costs and expenses incurred in serving in that of fice, the funds for which are included in the school budget?
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 8: TOWN TREASURER LOAN AUTHORIZATION
Shall Springfield Town School District authorize the Town Treasurer, subject to the direction and approval of the Board of School Directors, to borrow money to meet the requirements of the Town School District for the ensuing year, and also authorize the Town Treasurer, subject to the approval of the Board of School Directors, to borrow money in anticipation of taxes rated to meet the requirements of the Town School District for the ensuing year?
ARTICLE 9: SCHOOL BUDGET
Shall the Town School District approve a school budget amount of TWENTY SIX MILLION, ONE HUNDRED SIXTY TWO THOUSAND, ONE HUN DRED FOURTEEN and 00/100 DOLLARS ($26,162,114.00) to support its schools for the year beginning July 1, 2011?
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 10: 250TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Shall the Town appropriate the sum of SEVEN THOUSAND, FIVE HUN DRED and 00/100 DOLLARS ($7,500.00) to defray expenses of the Town?s 250th Anniversary Celebration? ARTICLE 11: Shall the Town vote to increase the Veteran's exemption amount from $10,000 of appraisal value to $40,000 of appraisal value in accordance with 32 V.S.A. § 3802(11) first effective for the January 1, 2011 grand list?
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 12: IVEK SOLAR INSTALLATION
Shall the Town vote to exempt fromTown taxation net metering systems reg ulated by the Vermont Public Service Board under 30 V.S.A. § 219a provided such net metering system is constructed and operating by March 1, 2011, such exemption being limited to the component parts thereof and excluding any land upon which the facility is located? Such exemption is also limited pur suant to 32 V.S.A. § 3845 which requires that no part of the electricity gener ated may be for sale or exchange to the public.
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 13: FAMILY CENTER
Shall the Town appropriate the sum of FIFTY THOUSAND and 00/100 DOLLARS ($50,000.00) to the Springfield Family Center to assist with the cost of providing a free meal daily, a free food shelf, and other services related to hunger and homelessness in the Springfield community? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 14: VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION
Shall the Town appropriate the sum of SIXTY THREE THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED and 00/100 DOLLARS ($63,500.00) to help support the high quality home health, maternal and child health, and hospice care provided in patients? homes and in community settings by the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of VT and NH? Care is provided regardless of ability to pay. (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 15: HCRS
Shall the Town appropriate the sum of TEN THOUSAND and 00/100 DOL LARS ($10,000.00) to help support out patient, mental health and substance abuse services by the staff of Health Care and Rehabilitation Services, Inc.? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 16: NEW BEGINNINGS
Shall the Town appropriate the sum of SIX THOUSAND and 00/100 DOL LARS ($6,000.00) to help support services to victims of domestic and sexual violence and prevention education in schools and communities by New Be ginnings, Inc.? (By Petition) ARTICLE 17: Shall the Town appropriate the sum of EIGHT THOUSAND, FIVE HUN DRED and 00/100 DOLLARS ($8,500.00) for the support of Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, Inc. for help to support seniors and their families who are trying to remain at home and not be placed in a nursing home? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 18: VALLEY HEALTH CONNECTIONS
Shall the Town appropriate the sum of FOUR THOUSAND and 00/100 DOL- LARS ($4,000.00) to help support the Valley Health Connections to help the uninsured access health care? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 19: SEVCA
Shall the Town appropriate the sum of EIGHT THOUSAND and 00/100 DOLLARS ($8,000.00) to Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) to assist Springfield in responding to the emergency needs of the community and to provide all available and applicable services to families and individuals in need? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 20: RACLT
Shall theTown appropriate the sum of FOUR THOUSAND and 00/100 DOL LARS ($4,000.00) to Rockingham Area Community Land Trust to support the NeighborWorks Home Ownership Center which has, in the last 5 years, as sisted 58 Springfield residents purchase homes and 63 Springfield residents with home maintenance issues, rehabilitation loans, or foreclosure interven tion services? (By Petition) ARTICLE 21: Shall theTown appropriate the sum of TWOTHOUSAND and 00/100 DOL LARS ($2,000.00) to the Springfield Community Band for eight (8) concerts? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 22: TURNING POINT RECOVERY
Shall theTown vote to exempt from theTown and School District taxation the premises situated on Morgan Street, owned by The Turning Point Recovery Center of Springfield, Vermont Inc. a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so long as said premises are used as a Transition House and Drop-In Center for people in re covery? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 23: CT RIVER TRANSIT
Shall the Town of Springfield appropriate the sum of TWELVE THOU SAND, FIVE HUNDRED and 00/100 DOLLARS ($12,500.00) for the sup port of The Current operated by Connecticut River Transit, Inc., to provide transit services to the residents of the Town of Springfield? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 24: RSVP VOLUNTEER
Shall the Town of Springfield appropriate the sum of THREE THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED and 00/100 DOLLARS ($3,300.00) to Green Mountain RSVP & Volunteer Center of Windsor County to develop opportunities for people age 55 and older to positively impact the quality of life in the com- munity through volunteer service? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 25: MEALS ON WHEELS
Shall the Town of Springfield appropriate the sum of EIGHT THOUSAND and 00/100 DOLLARS ($8,000.00) to assist with the cost of operating the Meals on Wheels Program that provides daily hot and cold congregate and home delivered meals and other nutritional needs to the qualified residents of Springfield? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 26: WINDSOR COUNTY PARTNERS
Shall the Town of Springfield appropriate the sum of ONE THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED and 00/100 DOLLARS ($1,500.00) to Windsor County Partners, for youth mentoring services provided to children in Windsor County? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
ARTICLE 27: NORTH SCHOOL
Shall theTown exempt from property tax the parcel of land located at 49 Main Street, North Springfield, parcel ID 01B/2/30-, when such land is transferred by deed to North School Preservation Society, Inc. a non-profit corporation incorporated for the purpose of protecting and preserving the North School property for recreational and community uses? (By Petition)
YES - NO -
It's good that the school budget passed. It's just a shame that the High School lost vital positions, including an SAP counselor. All of which is so needed at that school with many problems. I read a post that there are two nurses at the school that is new this school year. They never had this before? I guess they needed two nurses instead of those other vital positions.
ReplyDeleteNow that you voted for all the extra money to go out make sure you pay for it. There go my taxes...again.
ReplyDeleteWhat the budget passing so close indicates is, residents no longer believe in this school district and its choices. The board didn't publish the NECAP results which were incredibly bad AGAIN! I encourage any resident to look the scores up on the Department of Education website and do a comparison of years past.For over three years the district has been listed as "schools in need of improvement" The district scores have declined and throwing good money after bad is not going to improve the school system until the staffing and administrative staff are removed and replaced with more competant individuals. Education is a business and should be run like one.If your teachers cannot perform and the students are not passing then the system is broken and all the excuses in the world about the students economic background being the cause are just that-excuses.
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind that the district told us Park St. would be sold, now we are paying for the building to be open, heated, electric, etc for District staff and they moved Gateway. Why didnt we improve gateway school and move the District offices there. More expenses more untruths. The district misled the planning dept. on the traffic control plans for the two newly built schools. Keep that in mind, the school board saved around 19K in bussing contract only to turn around and hire a non-essential staff member and used the savings to pay her instead of working out bussing for the students in town with that savings which would have alieveated the traffic issues. Come on..wise up everyone. The only answer is to replace the district staff and possibly ask for resignations from school board members
ReplyDeleteI have a question. The average spending per student in this district is $16317.00 Why couldn't the board adopt a policy or what not for parents that if they chose to send their child to another school whether private or public, that the district would pay up to that amount for the tution at the parents school of choice? Wouldnt that be an acceptable option to consider for the school board? That way the parents who do not like the school for whatever reason, could move their child and free up time, space, and teachers to focus on the remaining students in the district.
ReplyDelete9 votes...really? Hopefully, as another posted stated there can be some questions answered. People need to look into the facts before just voting yes for the kids. Notice how no posters, banners or teachers were out campaigning this time? Hmmm makes me wonder if they really cared. I used to get things in the mail from the school saying why I should vote yes. I didnt get anything this time. Did the school REALLY need it? Park St School is heated for a "staff" of 32 people, after they promised it would be sold. I'm too tired to type all the rest of the reasons I'm sick to my stomach.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct everyone does need to ask a few more questions. Did you see the other posts under the town story? It is a sad sad state the school district is in and lets not forget that now we are paying for the board members to meet every month. For what is my question? I guess so the children of this town get a sub-par education. If the parents only understood that their kids are not even proficient in math and reading I think they would be shocked. Unless they get on board and help get the "bad apples" out their kids will end up working for minimum wage the rest of their lives paycheck to paycheck.
ReplyDelete