WEATHERSFIELD — All town warning articles were approved by wide margins by voters during all-day balloting on Town Meeting Day, including a $1.4 million general fund budget and $1.2 million highway fund budget.
Joe Jarvis defeated Kelly O’Brien for a two-year seat on the Selectboard, 408-280, and Paul Tillman was elected in an uncontested race for a three-year seat.
The $6.15 million school budget was narrowly approved, 441-433.
The highway fund budget was also approved as were lease/purchase agreements for a dump truck and grader and money for highway equipment acquisition fund ($33,000) and motorized fire apparatus acquisition fund ($30,000).
The budget represents a decrease in general fund spending of about $18,000 or 1.2%. The highway budget is up about $17,000.
Approved spending is estimated to increase the town tax rate by less than a penny per $100 of assessed valuation. The school budget’s tax rate impact is estimated at 13 cents.
School Board members Anne Marie Redmond and Kristen Bruso were unopposed for reelection. Robin Tindall won a three-year seat on the School Board as a write-in candidate with 202 votes and it appears Mark Yuengling won as a write-in candidate for a one-year seat over Rhonda Fairbrother, 144-137 137. No had filed to run for either seat.
In other contests with no declared candidate, John Broker-Campbell was elected as Town Moderator with 117 write-in votes and School Moderator with 97.
On Saturday, at the informational hearing, voters easily approved a 25-year lease with Weathersfield School Community Solar LLC to install and operate a solar array. Norwich Technologies was awarded the bid earlier for the 150-kilowatt array that will be on the school roof. The array will supply power to the school only and could be operational this summer. Excess energy would be sold back onto the grid.
