WHITING — Whiting residents will gather at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, to decide on town and elementary school spending proposals and choose a dozen officers, most notably a selectboard member and an elementary school director, each for three-year terms.
The Whiting Elementary School meeting will precede the town meeting. During that session, as well as picking a board member and a school treasurer, residents will weigh in on a $664,735 budget proposal that calls for a spending increase of about $54,000. Roughly $20,000 of that hike is in health benefits, with another roughly $20,000 due to higher salaries and a tuition to Sudbury. School director Cady White’s term expires, and residents will vote on who they want to continue on the board.
In the town meeting, residents will examine the selectboard’s town budget proposal of $300,252. If approved, spending would increase by 3 percent, or $9,661, over the current budget.
Whiting nominates and elects town officers from the floor of the meeting. Selectman Bob Wood’s term expires next week, and Town Clerk Gale Quenneville said she expected he would be open to re-election. Residents will nominate and elect a lister (Gloria Bertrand’s term is up), an auditor (Elaine Boudette), the road commissioner (Paul Quesnel), a delinquent tax collector (Marilyn Chicoine) and a library trustee, among other posts.
Residents will also be asked to approve “a wall or plaque” to honor Whiting’s veterans, with a discussion of eligibility requirements to follow approval of the measure, if forthcoming.
In Australian ballot during the day before town meeting, Whiting residents will weigh in on an Otter Valley Union High School spending proposal of about $10.7 million. It calls for an increase of 1.83 percent, or $192,414, compared to this year, but taxes are estimated to rise by several cents. OVUHS board member Ellen Kurrelmeyer’s term expires, so that seat will have to be filled, as well.