Springfield voters talk blight

Voters at Springfield’s town meeting Monday night had questions about the town’s fight against blight, proposed changes to the town charter and whether their road would be one of those paved this year during.

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Springfield voters talk blight Rutland Herald | March 07, 2017 By SUSAN SMALLHEER STAFF WRITER Vicki Ball works on a handcrafted project during Springfield’s annual town meeting Monday night. PHOTO BY LEN EMERY Vicki Ball works on a handcrafted project during Springfield’s annual town meeting Monday night. PHOTO BY LEN EMERY SPRINGFIELD — Voters at Springfield’s town meeting Monday night had questions about the town’s fight against blight, proposed changes to the town charter and whether their road would be one of those paved this year during. About 100 residents gathered at the Springfield High School cafeteria to chew over town and school business: The real decisions will be made today during all-day Australian balloting. But that didn’t stop residents from asking questions and peppering Town Manager Tom Yennerell and the Select Board with questions about the town’s constitution or charter, specifically whether to change the requirement that the town manager be a resident of the town. Under the proposed revisions, it would be optional, and up to the Select Board during the hiring process. Resident Walter Clark raised the first question about the charter, questioning why the longheld tradition of requiring the town manager to live in town would be changed. But Yennerell, who was hired a little more than two years ago and moved to town from Lebanon, New Hampshire, said no other surrounding towns had such a requirement. Yennerell said that he knew of several well-qualified candidates who didn’t apply for the job and live in the region but didn’t want to disrupt their family and move to Springfield. “I think it limits the pool of qualified candidates in the future,” Yennerell said. Select Board Chairman Kristi Morris said the issue was debated long and hard by the Charter Revision Committee, but he said giving the Select Board the option was a good compromise. John Hall, who was chairman of the Charter Revision Committee, said he supported the change. Yennerell said the goal was to get the most qualified candidate, and towns have to be flexible to attract the best candidate. Woody Bickford said he doubted many people understood the proposed charter changes, and he said if people don’t understand them, they would likely be defeated. In addition to the charter revisions, people asked about the town’s strategy for fighting blight. The Select Board is asking residents to approve the creation of a downtown revitalization fund, and to allocate $100,000 as seed money. “Is your philosophy, ‘If we build it, they will come?’” Bickford asked Yennerell at one point. Not really, Yennerell said, noting that the town did not want to own buildings in the downtown area, but to set the stage for private redevelopment. Residents had few questions about the proposed $11.2 million town budget, which will require a 3.2 percent increase in taxes. Yennerell said the town was again asking for additional money for paving; this year the figure is $500,000 and the town hopes to pave about 7.67 miles. Morris thanked Select Board member George McNaughton for his service to the town; McNaughton did not run for another three-year term. The meeting was slated to debate the proposed $29.2 million school budget later in the evening. The only race this year at town meeting is on the school side. School Board Chairman Ed Caron is being challenged by Troy Palmer.