NORWICH — Voters on Tuesday narrowly approved plans to spend $2 million to eliminate Tracy Hall’s dependence on fossil fuels and OK’d a policy barring local police from inquiring about a person’s immigration status or sharing immigration-related information with federal authorities.
Residents also approved town and school district budgets, and selected resident Rob Gere to succeed outgoing Selectboard member John Pepper.
Article 8, which would devote $2 million to energy-efficient upgrades at Tracy Hall and install a geothermal heating and cooling system, succeeded at the polls in a close 849-801 vote.
The measure was subject to much debate between residents who saw the $2 million, 20-year bond as too costly and those who argued the costs were worthwhile.
Read more: Town Meeting 2020
Officials estimate the bond will add 1.9 cents per $100 of valuation to the tax rate, or an additional $75 in taxes for a home valued at $400,000.
They also say the energy project will replace the town hall’s annual use of 5,000 gallons of fuel oil and 870 gallons of liquefied propane.
Funding for a proposed regional energy coordinator position to be shared with several other towns also passed, 954-623. However, the plan for the position depended on funding approval from seven participating towns, and Pomfret rejected its energy coordinator article Tuesday.
Residents also voted, 1,346-296, to amend Norwich’s existing “Fair and Impartial Policing Policy” to prohibit “biased policing” or the enforcement of “federal civil immigration law.”
Under the new policy — which is similar to measures approved Tuesday in Hartford, headed to voters in Lebanon and under negotiation in Hanover — Norwich police cannot stop or detain people solely because of their suspected immigration status. And officers would be banned from holding people on federal “immigration detainers” or sharing immigration-related information unless as part of the investigation of a felony.
“I’m really happy. … I didn’t know what to expect at all,” said Sharon Racusin, who led a petition drive that landed the new policy on the Norwich ballot.
Racusin attributed the vote to public outreach and informed voters who took the time to listen to advocates or read up on the policy before visiting the polls.
“People really understand,” she said. “They see the bigger picture.”
Meanwhile, Gere, an IT specialist at Hanover High School, defeated Doug Wilberding by a 997-514 vote for an open three-year seat on the Norwich Selectboard.
“I’m happy that I won. I think that puts someone behind the sail to keep us on track to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Gere, who ran in support of the Tracy Hall project. “I just hope I can serve Norwich well.”
Selectboard member Claudette Brochu, who ran unopposed, garnered 1,225 votes for a two-year seat. There were no other contested races.
Norwich voters also approved a $4.4 million town budget in a 1,242-251 vote on Tuesday. The spending plan is a $169,480, or nearly 4%, increase and is expected to increase property taxes by 2%, or about 2 cents. That amounts to an additional $80 in taxes for a home valued at $400,000.
A proposal to create a $40,000 “climate emergency designated fund” was OK’d in a 1,033-618 vote.
The fund was proposed by Selectboard member John Langhus, who hopes it can be tapped to purchase electric vehicles, pay for energy upgrades or even prepare for possible storm damage.
An article asking voters whether to install two additional “rectangular rapid flashing beacons” in village crosswalks was defeated in a 1,0220-609 vote.
The Norwich school district budget of $6.2 million was approved in a 1,152-449 vote. It’s a nearly 6% increase over the current school year.
Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.