CORNWALL — Cornwall residents approved all of the articles on their town meeting warning, without a lot of discussion or fanfare.
At Monday night’s town meeting, residents OK’d by voice vote a fiscal year 2018 general fund budget of $454,249, which was down from the $$460,946 passed last year. The proposed highway budget of $400,950 — slightly less that the $403,050 that voters authorized for the current year — also passed easily. Combined, the budgets represent a 1.9-percent reduction compared to this year.
For the first time in many decades, Cornwall residents did not decide a local school budget on their town meeting day. They — along with other voters in the newly unified Addison Central School District (ACSD) — instead voted on a K-12 spending plan for the entire seven-town district.
ACSD voters approved a 2017-2018 budget that calls for approximately $37.7 million in spending to cover the combined operating costs for all of all district schools. The budget reflects $30,428,802 in net, local education spending, which represents a 0.60-percent decrease compared to this year, according to ACSD officials.
Cornwall’s resulting homestead education property tax rate is projected to remain level at roughly $1.60 per $100 in property value, according to ACSD budget documents.
There were no contested elections this year. Elected unopposed were incumbent Selectmen Brian Kemp and Benjamin Wood for terms of three years and two years, respectively; Rodney Cadoret, one year, collector of delinquent taxes; Cindy Peet and Kristianne Tolgyesi, each for terms of 10 months, on the local elementary school board; and Bobbie Carnworth and James Duclos for three-year terms on the local planning commission.
There were no takers for several offices, including town moderator (one year); library trustee (two years); and planning commission (three years).
In other action at town meeting, Cornwall residents agreed to:
•  Appropriate $66,900 for the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department.
•  Earmark $4,000 for the Cornwall Free Public Library.
•  Grant a five-year property tax exemption to the Mary Baker Allen Chapter DAR House.
•  Eliminate the elected position of road commissioner, and instead make it an appointed position.
•  Approve a combined $25,620 for various Addison County social service agencies.