Staff report
WEATHERSFIELD — A $1.4 million general fund budget, a $1.24 million highway budget, the lease purchase of a $220,000 dump truck and $240,000 for the lease/purchase of a new grader are the major decisions voters will be faced with on Town Meeting Day.
The budget represents a decrease in general fund spending of about $18,000 or 1.2%. The highway budget is up about $17,000.
Voters are also being asked to put $33,000 in the highway equipment acquisition fund and $30,000 in the motorized apparatus acquisition fund.
Town Manager Brandon Gulnick, who took office earlier this month, said if all requested appropriations are approved, the municipal tax rate would increase less than a penny per $100 of assessed valuation.
Paul Tillman is running unopposed for a three-year seat on the Selectboard and Joseph Jarvis is facing Kelly O’Brien for a two-year seat on the board. Incumbents Kelly Murphy and Dan Boyer are not seeking reelection.
The proposed school budget of $6.15 million is an increase of 3.8% from this year or about $228,000. Health insurances, salaries and special education are the main factors for the increase, School Board Chairman Sean Whalen said.
If voters pass the budget, the homestead property tax rate is estimated to increase about 13 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
Voters will also be asked to authorize the school district to enter into a 25-year lease with Weathersfield School Community Solar LLC on school property at 135 Schoolhouse Road for the installation and operation of a solar array. That discussion and vote will take place on Saturday, Feb. 29.
Whalen said the array would go on top of the school and provide power for the school only.
Incumbent Anne Marie Redmond is unopposed for a three-year seat on the School Board. No one filed for the other three-year term.
The first session of Town Meeting is on Saturday, Feb. 29, at the Weathersfield School beginning at 10 a.m. with the school meeting followed by the town at 12:30. Voting by Australian ballot on town and school budgets and the election of officers is Tuesday, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Martin Memorial Hall.