SHOREHAM — Shoreham residents at their town meeting decided to borrow $140,000 over five years to finance a 2017 Western Star Truck, and agreed to consider the sale of a 0.75-acre, town-owned lot to generate more money for a key reserve fund.
The parcel in question is located south of the former Newton Academy. It has access to municipal water and wastewater services, thereby enhancing its value as a building lot. Proceeds from the sale would be placed into the town’s Building and Grounds Repair Reserve Fund.
Residents OK’d a 2017-2018 local highway budget of $678,454, down slightly from the current spending plan of $681,890. They also endorsed a general fund budget request of $287,117, which is almost level with this year’s budget of $287,479.
In other town meeting action, Shoreham residents:
•  Created a Sand and Salt Shed Reserve Fund, with an initial $15,000 in seed money.
•  Created a Shoreham First Response Emergency Vehicle Fund, seeded with, $10,000.
•  Agreed to spend a combined total of $20,393 for various social services agencies that serve Shoreham residents.
Residents, however, tabled articles seeking $10,000 from the town’s fund balance to be placed into the Building and Grounds Repair Fund; $10,516 in fund balance for the Fire and Rescue Vehicles Equipment Reserve Fund; and $20,000 from the general fund for the town’s Highway Equipment Reserve Fund.
For the first time in many decades, Shoreham residents did not field a local school budget on their town meeting day. They — along with other voters in the newly unified Addison Central School District (ACSD) — instead decided a K-12 budget for the entire seven-town district.
The proposed ACSD budget for 2017-2018 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.
Shoreham’s resulting homestead education property tax rate is projected to decline from the current $1.66 per $100 in property value to $1.60, according to the ACSD budget documents.
There were no contested elections in Shoreham this year. Those running unopposed included Karen Shackett, one year, selectboard; Will Stevens, one year, selectboard; Kathleen Brisson, one year, treasurer; and Will Stevens, one year, town moderator.
Several elected positions on the ballot did not draw any takers, including a three-year term on the selectboard and three, 10-month terms on the local school board.