NEW HAVEN — New Haven’s 255th annual town meeting will be held on Monday, March 6, at the New Haven Town Hall, starting at 6:30 p.m. Voting by Australian ballot will take place the next day, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., also at the town hall.
Up before New Haven voters this year are 28 articles for the town and seven for Beeman Elementary School, plus a vote on the Mount Abraham Union High School budget. Most of New Haven’s articles will be up for discussion Monday night and voted on by Australian ballot on Tuesday.
New Haven residents are being asked to support a 2017 general fund budget of $722,350 and a road fund budget of $1,265,080. While the combined general fund and road fund expenditures of $1,987,430 are up $89,440 (4.71 percent) from last year, the combined amount to be raised by taxes is down $46,091 (a decrease of 4.55 percent).
Proposed funds for local social service agencies, articles 8-28, are relatively unchanged from amounts voted in 2016. Article 14 appropriates $4,850 for Addison County Transit Resources (an increase of $156). Article 20 proposes $600 for Hospice Volunteer Service (up $200). All other proposed funds for social services remain the same as last year for a total of $24,258.
New Haven voters are being asked to approve a revised town plan. The New Haven Town Plan is among the first in the state to include an energy plan that, if voters approve, will then go to the Department of Public Service in an effort to win “substantial deference” in actions before the Public Service Board. A copy of the plan can be found on the town website.
The Beeman Elementary School board has proposed a 2017-2018 budget of $1,763,830, a 6.38 percent reduction in spending from the 2016-2017 budget of $1,884,124. The budget seeks $1,478,230 to be raised from taxes, a 0.89 percent increase over the amount raised by taxes for the current school year.
The proposed budget for Mount Abraham Union High School is $12,261,839.
Only one race for town or school official is contested. Contenders Taborri Bruhl and Jon Christiano are in a race for the three-year selectboard seat currently held by Doug Tolles, who chose not to seek re-election.
Other town and school officials running unopposed include incumbents Steve Dupoise, selectboard, and Phillis Smith, Beeman school director. A position for Mount Abe school director remains unfilled.