Newport
Incumbent Bill Wilmot, with 313 votes, was re-elected, while Connell received 271 votes and Hoyt 234 in the only contested race.
Voters easily approved all of the 13 warrant articles, including a $10 million budget and four-year contracts for police and public works employees.
The $720,000 appropriation for engineering, land acquisition and construction of the Coon Brook Road Bridge project passed, 328-141, easily surpassing the 60 percent majority required for approval. Bridge aid grants from the state will cover 80 percent of the work or $576,000 with the town bonding the remaining $144,000. The first-year tax impact of three or four cents won’t be until 2019-20.
Zoning amendments on accessory dwelling units and sign regulations were easily approved as were articles asking for $10,000 to support the public bus service operated by Southwestern Community Service and a $5,000 petition article for West Central Behavioral Health, which last year provided mental health services valued at almost $65,000 to 280 Newport residents.
Other articles included three that put money into capital reserves funds — communications, sewer and recreation facilities — and the last one seeking a token amount of $1 for Christmas lights and decorations.
Originally, the petition article sought $1,500 but it was reduced by voters at the deliberative session in April after Town Manager Hunter Rieseberg decided to have the town’s public works department handle the holiday task.
Voters also gave authority to the Selectboard to buy or sell land, buildings or both, without voter approval, but they first must submit any proposal to the Planning Board and Conservation Commission for review and hold two public hearings. Further, if at least 50 voters file a petition before the Selectboard votes, then the sale or purchase has to be placed on the Town Meeting warrant.
According to Finance Director Paul Brown, the approved appropriations will add about 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation to the town tax rate, bringing it to $11.51 and adding about $38 in taxes on a property assessed at $150,000.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
