CRAFTSBURY TOWN AND TOWN FIRE DISTRICT

ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES

MARCH 6, 2007

The legal voters of the Town of Craftsbury are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Craftsbury Academy Gymnasium on Tuesday the sixth day of March A.D., 2007 at 9:00 A.M. to act on the following Articles, to wit:

The meeting was called to order by Moderator, Anne Wilson at 9:07 A.M. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was said. Announcements were made and Anne explained the procedures of Roberts Rules of Order. Anne suggested that the reading of the warning be passed over if there was no objection. There was no objection.

Article 1. To elect a Moderator for Town, Town School District and Town Fire District.

Bruce Urie nominated Ann Wilson. Seconded by Joan Fuller. As Bruce took over the operations of Town meeting there were no other nominations. Alfred Fuller moved that nominations close and the Clerk cast one ballot. Seconded and carried. Anne Wilson, elected Moderator for a term of one year.

Article 2. To hear and act upon the Auditors’ Report.

Lisa Santamore read the dedication of this year’s Town Report to Laura C. Dustan.

Lisa explained that on page 66 of the abstract of minutes, article 4 should have read NO instead of Yes. On page 18 of the Trustees of Public Funds the Principal amount of $840.00 had been left out of the reporting.

Lisa moved that the Auditors’ Report be accepted with the corrections. Seconded. Carried

Article 3. To elect all other officers of the Town and Fire District:

Town Clerk for Town, School, and Fire District (3 year term)

Robert Goodby nominated Yvette Brown. Seconded. Alfred Fuller moved that nominations cease. Seconded and carried. Jeannine Young moved that the Clerk cast one vote. Seconded and carried.

Town Treasurer for Town, School, and Fire District (3 year term)

Bruce Urie nominated Yvette Brown. Seconded. Alfred Fuller moved that nominations cease and the Clerk cast one vote. Seconded and carried.

Selectboard member (3 year term)

Jim Jones nominated Bruce Urie. Seconded. Joan Fuller moved that nominations cease and the Clerk cast one ballot. Seconded and carried.

Collector of Taxes (1 year term)

Bruce Urie nominated Yvette Brown. Seconded. Joan Fuller moved that nominations cease and the Clerk cast one ballot. Seconded and carried.

Lister (3 year term)

Jeannine Young nominated William Ryan. Seconded. Anne Hanson nominated Robert Benson. Seconded.

Joan Fuller moved that nominations cease. Seconded and carried. Ballots cast: 131 Needed: 66

William Ryan: 84 Robert Benson: 46 Blank: 1

William Ryan for Lister for a 3 year term.

Lister (2 year term)

David Rowell nominated Tom Wells. Seconded. Alfred Fuller moved that nominations cease and the Clerk cast one ballot. Seconded. Carried.

Tom Wells for Lister for 2 year term.

Auditor (3 year term)

Anne Hanson nominated Lisa Santamore. Joan Fuller moved that nominations cease and the Clerk cast one ballot. Seconded. Carried.

Town Agent (1 year term)

David Rowell nominated Tom Wells. Seconded. Julie Marckres moved that nominations cease. Seconded. Carried. Tom Wells carried for a 1 year term for Town Agent.

Grand Juror (1 year term)

Carolyn Ryan nominated Tom Hadden. Seconded. Alfred Fuller moved that nominations cease. Seconded and carried. Tom Hadden voted for Grand Juror for a 1 year term.

Cemetery Commissioner (5 year term)

Lois Charron nominated Faye Waterhouse. Seconded. Alfred Fuller moved that nominations cease. Seconded and carried. Faye Waterhouse elected for a 5 year term to Cemetery Commission.

Trustee of Public Funds (3 year term)

Jeannine Young nominated Rita Davis. Seconded. Alfred Fuller moved that nominations cease. Seconded and carried. Rita Davis elected to a 3 year term .

World War II Mem. Fund Trustee (3 year term)

Steve Williams nominated Clyde Simmons. Seconded. Alfred Fuller moved that nominations cease. Seconded and carried. Clyde Simmons elected for a 3 year term.

Supervisor Lamoille Solid Waste District (2 year term)

Anne Hanson nominated Adrien Owens. Seconded. Alfred Fuller moved that nominations cease. Seconded and carried. Adrien Owens elected to a 2 year term.

Article 4. To see how much money the Town will vote to build bridges and defray all other expenses of the Town, and direct the Selectboard to assess a tax sufficient to meet the same.

Bruce Urie made a motion to accept a Town budget of $618,314.00 of which $431,014.00 be raised in Taxes. Seconded. Before discussion , Bruce wanted to Thank Steve Marckres for his 20 years of service with the Town of Craftsbury on the Road Crew. Also a thank you for a job well done during the Valentine storm. A standing ovation was given. Discussion on the article continued.

The budget can be found on page 23. Carolyn Ryan asked why State Aid to Highways is showing that it is going down but if it was to change and the Town receives more, would the money be used to reduce taxes ? Bruce responded yes. Ballots cast: 143 Needed: 73 Yes: 133 No: 10

Town Budget was passed.

Article 5. To see if the Town will vote a sum of money for the purpose of establishing a capital fund for bridges.

Bruce Urie moved the provisions of the article 5. Seconded. Bruce explained that the Atwood Bridge is estimated at a cost of $500,000. The State may be able to help with an amount of $200,000. The Black River Bridge is estimated at $1,000,000; the Town is responsible for 10%. The Town has 37 bridges and 500 culverts to maintain and with a capital fund the money would not have to be raised all at one time. Discussion followed as to opposing to article as many feel the town does not need to be a bank for people and the more that the Town does ahead the State will do less. David Rowell moved the question. Seconded Carried. Article voted and defeated.

Article 6. To see how much money the Town will vote for operations of the Town Fire Department.

Walter moved that the Town vote a sum of $38,700. for the operations of the Fire Department. Seconded. There was no discussion. Ballots cast: 160 Needed: 81 Yes: 147 No: 13

Fire Department Budget passed.

Article 7. To see if the Town will authorize the purchase of a fire truck, a sum of money not to exceed $150,000.

Walter Gutzmann moved the article. Seconded. It was explained by Bruce that the article was not warned correctly as not to have a time frame for repayment or allowing consideration for a leasing option, so Bruce moved that the Article be postponed indefinitely. Seconded. Voted and Carried. Article 7 is postponed indefinitely.

Article 8. To see if the Town will vote an appropriation of $21,000.00 for the operations of the Craftsbury Public Library for the ensuing year.

Peggy Sapphire moved the provision of the article. Seconded. No discussion.

Ballots cast: 166 Needed: 84 Yes: 129 No: 37 Carried

Article 9. To see if the Town will vote the sum of $18,690.12 for appropriations as follows:

American Red Cross $250.00

Area Agency on Aging $600.00

Aware $500.00

Eligo Lake Assoc $1000.00

Frontier Animal Soc. $500.00

Greensboro Early Learning Ctr. $200.00

Greensboro Nursing Home $1000.00

Green Up VT $100.00

Hardwick Rescue Squad $2575.00

Lamoille Family Ctr. $250.00

Lamoille Valley Even Start $300.00

Memorial Day $500.00

North Country Animal League $500.00

NE Kingdom Human Services $200.00

Old Stone House Museum $325.00

Orleans Cty Court Diversion $75.00

Orleans Essex VNA & Hospice $3700.00

Recreation Committee $1000.00

Rural Community Transp. $400.00

VT. Asso. For the Blind $500.00

VT Ctr. For Ind. Living $140.00

VT Children’s Aid Soc. $1000.00

VT Trails & Greenways Council $30.00

Village Improvement Soc. $1000.00

Jean Stoner moved the provisions of article 9. Seconded.

Robert Brown questioned the request for the Eligo Lake Association when the lake is owned by the State and is more in Greensboro than in Craftsbury. Kurtis Mellett spoke as to the Milfoil Grants are a required match and milfoil is a continuous problem that they feel they are making progress forward. Carolyn Ryan made a motion to amend amount by $450.00 to exclude the American Red Cross and the Greensboro Early Learning Center. Seconded. L. Cornelious asked if the Learning Center is free. Jean Stoner responded that it is not free but is on a sliding scale. Voted on the $450.00 amendment, Defeated. Bruce Martin moved the main motion. Second. Carried. Ballots cast: 166 Needed: 84 Yes: 109 No: 57 Motion Carried.

Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the select Board to draw temporary loan orders for the purpose of expenditures for their respective departments in anticipation of taxes.

Bruce Urie made motion to move the provisions of the article. Seconded. Voted and carried.

Article 11. To see if the town will vote to have the taxes collected by the Town Treasurer.

Bruce Urie made motion that the taxes be collected by the Town Treasurer. Seconded. Voted and carried.

Article 12. To see if the Town will vote to collect taxes on Real Property in three installments, with the due dates being July 15^th , September 15^th, and November 15^th,(32 VSA-4871) and to collect interest on late and delinquent payments of one (1%) percent per month for the first three months starting after December 1^st and one and one-half percent (1 ½%) thereafter (32 VSA 4873) with no discounts.

Bruce Urie moved the article. Seconded. Ben Mastin questioned whether the Town still would need to borrow money with the dates staying the same as prior years. It was explained that the school tax rate is not available until July 1^st so tax bills would not be able to go out earlier so borrowing money would still be necessary. Carolyn Ryan asked if the Town would have a better cash flow with the education checks coming directly to the Town, which should improve cash flow around July but it would still mean borrowing money in cover expenses March thru July. Voted and carried.

Article 13. Shall the Voters of the Town of Craftsbury, authorize the Select Board to appoint a conservation commission.

Julie Marckres moved the provisions of article 13. Seconded.

Jeannine Young questioned why the town needed a conservation commission when the select board has all the powers to do all that would need to be done. Farley Brown explained that the commission would assist the Select Board and the Planning Commission. (Pg.35) Ray Adams Sr. spoke to the difference between Commission and Committee and what powers they have and don’t have. T. Gilbert, who works with the Conservation Commission stated it has greater flexibility, and is helpful to the Towns. Bruce Martin recommended a committee and not a commission , and that the article be defeated. Bruce Martin moved the question. Seconded. Carried. Voted and Carried.

Article 14. We, the voters of the Town of Craftsbury, call upon the Select board, Governor and our State and Federal Legislators to : Simplify state and federal permitting to allow for more rapid development of small-scale, environmentally sound projects.

Anne Hanson moved the article. Seconded. Voted and Carried.

Article 15. We, The undersigned voters of Craftsbury, VT hereby petition our board of selectmen to warn the resolution below for Town Meeting, March, 2007. Whereas George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney have: 1. Deliberately misled the nation about the threat from Iraq in order to justify a war.

2. Condoned the torture of prisoners in violation of the Geneva convention and U.S. law,

3. Approved illegal electronic surveillance of American citizens without a warrant, and,

Whereas these actions have undermined our Constitutional systems of government, damaged the reputation of America, and threatened our national security, therefore, the voters of the Town of Craftsbury, VT call upon the U.S. house of Representatives to investigate these charges and if the investigation supports the charges vote to impeach George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney as provided in the Constitution of the United State of America. This resolution shall be signed by the Town Clerk and forwarded to both the speaker and the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Representative John Conyers, of the House Judiciary Committee.

Elye Alexander moved the article. Seconded.

Anne Hanson spoke to the intent of the resolution; that the Constitution needs to be defended and the people need to be heard. Many Veterans and others expressed their feelings and war experiences that the resolution is not something that should be discussed at Town Meeting , that people should contact their Representatives that they have voted into office on this issue.

Bruce Martin move to pass over the article. Seconded. Discussion followed as to passing over the article.

Frank Halden called the Question. Seconded and Carried. A ballot vote was requested and sustained by 7 voters. Ballots cast: 175 Needed: 117 No: 93 Yes: 82

The motion failed to pass over the article.

Discussion followed on Article 15. June Cook called the question. Seconded and carried. A ballot vote was requested and sustained by more than 7 voters. Anne called a recess of Town Meeting at 12:35 p.m. and after recess the results of the voting would be announced. We would reconvene after lunch at 1:00p.m.

Moderator, Anne Wilson , Reconvened the meeting at 1:00p.m. The results of Article 15.

Ballots cast: 177 Needed: 89 Yes: 99 No: 78

Article 15 Carried.

Anne suggested that if there was no objection the Town Meeting be recessed and the School meeting be convened as warned at 1:00p.m.No objection was made. Anne opened the School meeting and asked that the School meeting be recessed to complete the Town meeting if there was no objection. No objection was made. Town Meeting reopened.

Article 16. To transact any other business that may legally come before this meeting.

Peggy Sapphire recommended that suggestions for handling the appropriations for next year be considered at a public meeting with the Select board prior to next year. Lois Charron move to recommend that the Selectboard instruct the Recreation committee hold Old Home Day on the second Saturday in August.

Joan Fuller move that Town Meeting adjourn. Seconded and carried. Town Meeting adjourned at 1:09p.m.

The School meeting was reconvened.

Dated:_______________________________________

Attest:__________________________________Town Clerk

Approved:_____________________________________________

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