STARKSBORO — On Town Meeting Day, Eric Cota defeated Nancy Boss, 188–169, for a two-year seat on the Starksboro selectboard, and Koran Cousino was re-elected to a three-year term on that board in an uncontested race.
Cheryl Estey was re-elected as town clerk and Stephen Rooney was reelected to the Mount Abraham Unified School District board — both for three-year terms.
A total of 415 residents went to the polls on Tuesday, about 31 percent of total registered voters.
Also on Town Meeting Day, Starksboro voters, along with MAUSD voters from four other towns, approved a $28,343,828 budget for the coming school year, 1,734–1231, with all ballots commingled. By nearly the same margin, 1,785–1,196, those same voters rejected a proposed bond for the renovation of Mt. Abraham Union Middle/High School.
On Saturday at the Starksboro annual town meeting, a majority of the 135 residents attending approved:
•  $1,110,385 for General Fund spending.
•  $175,065 for reserve funds.
•  $28,750 for the Starksboro Public Library.
•  $167,000 to replace a utility truck.
•  $25,000 for surveying and other prep work related to replacing Fire Station No. 2 and renovating the historic Jerusalem Schoolhouse.
•  $40,925 for in-town requests.
•  $29,588 for out-of-town requests.
In other town meeting business, Starksboro voters:
•  Authorized the selectboard to borrow $45,000 for a three-quarter-ton pickup truck with plow and sander.
•  Agreed to exchange parcels of land with Robinson Elementary School.
•  Exempted from property taxes the property owned by the Starksboro Volunteer Fire Department.