Piermont
The budget requests about $940,000 be raised by taxes, an increase of about $29,000 over last year.
John Metcalf asked the board to explain the amount of money the town spent on legal fees in the last year. In 2016, the town had budgeted $5,000, but ended up spending $40,000.
Selectman Collin Stubbings said the costs were due to litigation against the town, and tax abatement cases. He did not mention specifically the open records lawsuit that Selectwoman Terri Mertz filed against the town and fellow board members Randy Subjeck and Stubbings.
Metcalf asked Stubbings if the amount the town budgeted for this year for legal costs — $20,000 — would be sufficient.
“I believe so,” Stubbings said.
Terri Mertz was absent from the meeting due to illness, moderator Joyce Tompkins said at the beginning of the meeting. On Tuesday, Subjeck retained his seat on the Selectboard after turning back a challenge by Terri Mertz’s husband, George Mertz.
Subjeck said the vote total, 128-29, spoke for itself.
“I’m not a fan of negativity at all and I find it doesn’t help a community at all,” he said prior to the meeting. “You just do the job you’re elected to do.”
Residents elected to pass over a petitioned article calling for the resignations of Mertz and Subjeck without discussion.
“I’m all about people’s opinions,” Subjeck said about the article prior to the meeting. “If I can do my job better by listening to opinions, I’ll take that into account.”
During ballot voting on Tuesday, an article to move the floor portion of Town Meeting from the traditional second Tuesday in March to a Saturday failed.
It garnered a majority, 123-72, but was just shy of the ⅔ majority needed to pass.
Selectboard Chairman Randy Subjeck proposed the change.
“I want Town Meeting to be more inclusive for everyone,” he said prior to the meeting.
He cited people who need to wake up early for work the morning after the meeting and elderly residents who might not be comfortable driving at night. Stubbings said the Selectboard would bring the proposal back next year.
Also on Tuesday, residents voted down an article that would have expanded voting hours to 7 a.m.-7 p.m., from the current 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Subjeck said that if the article to move the floor portion of Town Meeting to Saturday had passed, it would have made sense to discuss changes to voting hours. He said voting hours too would be discussed next year when the town revisits the topic.
Also during ballot voting on Tuesday, voters approved an amendment that defined agriculture in the town’s zoning ordinance and another article that amended the town’s yard sale ordinance.
Paving on a portion of Indian Pond Road received quite a bit of discussion. An article sought $43,000 to pave a portion of the road and Subjeck and Stubbings were divided on the question.
Prior to the meeting, Subjeck said that he’s “always in the favor of paving roads,” but was reluctant to ask residents for more money, in part due to the costs of the lawsuit.
“I felt we had to draw the line somewhere,” Subjeck said. “You have to balance the checkbook at the end of the day.”
The article passed, 44-27.
The purchase of a new town truck was also considered. Road agent Frank Rodiman said the current truck was 11 years old and “it’s to the point where it’s going to take considerable money” to keep it running, he said. “This is something we do use an awful lot.”
The article passed.
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
