Corinth
Longtime town treasurer, Susan Fortunati, suggested the change because finding a suitable replacement from the town of less than 1,400 through an election could be complicated, especially given the growing complexity of the job.
The proposal to cede hiring power to the Selectboard prompted considerable debate.
“On principle, I don’t think it’s a good idea to remove the townpeople’s control over elected officials,” said Cemetery Commissioner Raymond Moulton, though he said he could see both sides of the issue. “Susan has almost 20 years experience in office, and no matter who ran, they would not be able to replace this experience.”
Selectboard Chair Chris Groscher pointed out that the article was Fortunati’s suggestion, and agreed that the changing nature of the job demands a more thorough vetting process for future candidates.
“This has to do with the fact that we are a very small town and the job of the treasurer has become, over the years, quite complex,” he said. To illustrate the point, he held up a four-page document that Fortunati had typed up to describe her job duties.
Voters ultimately approved the article, which recommends that the Selectboard begin the process of converting the position from an elected one to that of an employee hired by the Selectboard. That process will include additional public hearings and another town vote. Any charter change would require approval from the Legislature.
Voters also amended the term of the treasurer from three years to one. This is partly to ensure that there is a chance to change a treasurer who is “not working out,” said Fortunati, whose three-year term expires next year. “If you hire the position, you can fire the position.”
Voters spent much of the afternoon debating how much interest to charge delinquent taxpayers. The maximum penalty under state law is 18 percent of the overdue tax amount, a penalty that T.R. Jackson called “draconian.”
“It’s usurious, it’s unfair,” said Linda Weiss, a member of the budget committee. “It makes it harder for the same people who have a hard time paying their taxes, to pay their taxes. It’s an outrageous number and if we can do something about it, we should.”
Joyce McKeeman said amending the article would be “in keeping with the philosophy that we do what can be done to help move people out of the cycle of delinquency, even if it’s just a traffic ticket.”
After lengthy discussion, voters passed an amendment that will levy an interest charge of 0.5 percent of overdue taxes per month, totaling 6 percent over the course of the year.
As part of that debate, they also rejected a 4 percent tax credit for paying in advance, and voted against postmarks as acceptable proof of payment.
An article proposing to exempt the Sugar Maple Preschool from property taxes aroused some buzz. Several voters spoke out in support of the preschool, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the only certified preschool in Corinth. “We operate on a shoestring budget,” said Melanie Del Frari, vice president of the board of directors for the preschool, adding that tuition prices are among the lowest in the area.
Several members of the community spoke in support of the preschool as a long-term investment for the town. “It’s well documented that early education for kids is hugely important in determining their ability to be successful as they go through school and life,” said Weiss. “I would encourage us to spend a few bucks on this.”
Voters ultimately agreed to exempt the school from property taxes.
They also approved a budget of $742,855 to support the highway fund, of which $559,445 will come from taxpayer dollars, as well as funds for the highway capital equipment fund, the bridge reserve fund, and the Town Hall capital improvement fund.
About 90 residents attended Tuesday’s meeting, representing just under 10 percent of the town’s registered voters.
Correction
This story was updated to correct the description of the article on changing the town treasurer position.