Thank you all for coming to Town Meeting, held at Lakeview Union. Such a great show of support. I want to thank Greensboro’s JP’s for jumping in and helping with the elections. I could not have done it without Tim Nisbet, Mike Metcalf, Judy Carpenter and Maya McCoy! I cannot thank you enough.
Meeting called to order at 10:00 am with an opening from Karl Stein, Health Officer. As there is a recent upsurge in Covid locally, he recommended all who would to wear a mask.
Article 1: Tim Nisbet was nominated, Voice passed.
Article 2: Tim explained that the position of Mountain View Elementary School Board Member was voted at the School Annual Meeting and we would not be voting on that position.
Article 3: To elect Town Offices
- Selectboard 3 year position: MacNeil and Gary Circosta were nominated. MacNeil elected.
- Selectboard 2 year position: Ellen Celnik and Gary Circosta were nominated. Ellen Celnik elected.
- Cemetery Commissioner, 3 year term: Patricia Mercier nominated, elected
- Library Trustees, 2 3year positions: Jennifer Lucas and Fan Watkinson nominated, elected.
- Collector of Delinquent Taxes 1 year position: Janet Long nominated, elected
- Trustee of Public Funds: Peggy Lipscomb nominated, elected
- Hazen Union School Director: David Kelley nominated, elected.
Article 4: Shall the Town approve transferring $234,260 of the General Fund’s Fund Balance to the Capital Budget Fund before the end of fiscal year 2024 in order to replenish the balance in the Capital Budget Fund? During the earlier part of fiscal year 2024, an unplanned $234,260 was spent from the Capita Budget Fund to pay for the bridge replacement on Craftsbury Road over Porter Brook? So moved, passed.
Article 5: Shall the Town approve transferring $7,000 from the Reappraisal Reserve Fund’s Fund Balance before the end of fiscal year 2024 to the Capital Budget Fund to be used as determined by the Selectboard? As of now, $7,000 of Town money is comingled with State money in the Reappraisal Reserve Fund. So moved, passed.
Article 6: Shall the Town approve spending $120,000 to fund the Highway Equipment Reserve Fund
(HERF, a reserve fund) for fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025)? So moved, passed.
Article 7: Shall the Town approve spending $175,000 to fund the Capital Budget Fund (a reserve fund) for fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024 through June 30 2025)?
So moved, passed.
Article 8: Shall the Town Appropriate the following sums to the organizations listed below?
- Hardwick Rescue Squad $30,800
- Greensboro Nursing Home $23,000
- Craftsbury Community Care Center $10,500
- 4 Seasons of Early Learning $9,500
- Rural Arts $3,500
- Hardwick Area Food Pantry $2,500
- AWARE $2,000
- NEK Human Services $1,524
- Clarina Howard Nichols Center $1,500
- Caledonia Home Health $1,400
- Lamoille Family Center $1,000
- NEK Council on Aging $1,000
- Rural Community Transportation $900
- Orleans County Citizens Advocacy $800
- Salvation Farms $750
- Orleans County Historical Society $700
- NVDA (Northeastern VT Development Assoc.) $689
- North Country Animal League $600
- Craftsbury Saplings $500
- VCRD (VT Council on Rural Development) $500
- NEKCA (NEK Community Action) $300
- NEK Learning Services $300
- Red Cross $250
- Vermont Center for Independent Living $210
- Green Up $100
- Total $94,823
Upon Motion, the Hardwick Rescue Squad Appropriation was increased to $32,800. Passed as amended.
Article 9: Shall the Town appropriate the sum of $500 to Neighbors in Action:
So moved, passed.
Article 10: Shall the Town appropriate the following sums to the organizations listed below:
- Greensboro Free Library $41,000
- Greensboro Historical Society $6,000
- Caspian Lake Beach Committee $4,500
- Greensboro Recreation Committee $4,000
- Greensboro Conservation Commission $3,000
- Total $58,500
So moved, passed.
Katherine Sims spoke to the audience and answered questions.
Patrick Shattuck from Rural Edge described the Town Hall project that Rural Edge has been working on for approximately a year. He brought a diagram of the proposed housing at the Town Hall along with an informational sheet. There will be future meetings for the Town to ask questions and voice their comments.
Article 11: Shall the Town approve the proposed budget in the amount of $1,956,009 which contains the necessary amount required by law and proposed expenses for fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025)? This proposed budget amount: includes the $94,823 of appropriations requests in Article 8, include the $58,500 of appropriation requests in Article 10,
does not include the new $500 appropriation request in Article 9, does not include the $1220,000 for the HERF in Article 6, and does not include the $175,00 for the Capital Budget fund in Article 7. So moved.
The final budget to include $1,956,009, $2000 increase for Hardwick Rescue Squad, $500 for Neighbors In Action, $120,000 for the HERF and $175,000 for Capital Budget, the total figure is $2,253,509. Passed as amended.
Article 12: Shall the Town approve giving The Nature Conservancy gravel from Greensboro’s gravel pit to be used as a base material for a new 50’ x 80’ parking lot at the trailhead for the Barr Hill Nature Preserve? The Nature Conservancy will be responsible for trucking any material. This was withdrawn by the Nature Conservancy.
Article 13: Shall the Town approve having the Town Treasurer serve as collector of current taxes and set the tax due date of November 7, 2024? Taxes will be delinquent if not received in the office of the Town Treasurer by 4:00 pm on Thursday, November 7, 2024? So moved, passed.
Article 14: Shall the Town approve the Town of Greensboro to Be a Pollinator-Friendly Community? (The full content of the Resolution to be included in full minutes.) So moved, passed.
Article 15: To Transact any non-binding business that may legally be brought before this meeting?
A number of towns people spoke to the Pollinator Friendly Community and supporting of the Certified Community Wildlife Habitat.
Discussion on the library parking problems, efficiency flyers available, and the Rural Edge project.
The long-awaited question of when the Funky Fourth would take place was addressed and it was the desire of the audience that it will be Saturday, July 6th. A group is active in organizing the Funky Fourth so details will be forthcoming.
Adjourned at 2:30 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted
Kim Greaves
Town Clerk