CORINTH — Under a tent and in the parking lot behind Cookville Town Hall, all 18 articles on Corinth’s Town Meeting warning passed with relative ease on Tuesday.
The town moderator, Gary Apfel, led around 60 attendees in the pledge of allegiance before announcing that the town clerk, Nancy Ertle, will be leaving the position at the end of the month after 14 years in the role. Her assistant will step in to finish out the remainder of the term.
Selectmen Carl Demrow also put out a call for town listers, noting that Corinth’s sole town lister, Karen Galayda, will be leaving her position as well.
Article 1 on the warrant — $843,607 for the town highway department — was quickly approved.
“This was a horrible mud season, and our road crew was incredible,” resident Jeff Spiegel said, starting a round of applause.
Virginia Barlow moved to increase the proposed General Fund budget of nearly $426,000 by $2,400 to accommodate the increased compensation for the Select Board. The budget was approved.
Article 8 on the warrant proposed a fixed compensation of $1,200 per year for Selectboard members. Resident Glynn Pellagrino made a motion to increase this amount to $2,000 per year.
“Those of us who serve in these positions do it because we believe in our town,” board member Demrow said.
He moved to re-amend the article to the original amount. Voters opted for the higher amount.
The warning also included an article for $5,000 for the town Emerald Ash Borer Fund and $2,100 for the Conservation Commission.
Barlow, the town tree warden, explained that there are no town projects yet that are specifically targeted to remove diseased trees.
Susan Fortunati asked about ash tree removal on private property, and the Selectboard clarified that only trees in town right-of-way areas will be removed with town funds.
Pellagrino, chairman of the Conservation Commission, reported that a project to construct a parking lot in the town forest for easy access to hiking trails is set to start this week, with the help of a $20,000 grant.
During discussion of the remaining articles, community member John Hathaway opposed $5,000 for the Town Hall Capital Improvement Fund, all of which would be raised by taxes.
“Raising taxes right now is just not the solution,” he said. “Right now we’re in a crisis.”
The budget still passed without any amendments or further debate.
Following the passing of the Highway Capital Equipment budget of $125,470 and Bridge Reserve budget of $15,000, the Selectboard introduced the American Rescue Plan Act committee, comprised of four members who have been meeting since January to brainstorm ideas for using the $425,970 that Corinth has received in ARPA funds.
“We’ve had quite an engaged discussion with people along the way,” committee member Steve Long said.
The ARPA committee collected over 100 responses from townspeople in February with suggestions on how the funds would be best deployed in the community.
After scoring the ideas and holding a public discussion forum this past year, the committee presented the Corinth Selectboard with twelve recommendations, including $70,000 in Town Hall repairs, up to $50,000 in recreational enhancements to the town Fairgrounds, and $50,000 to support the renovation of Masonic Hall in East Corinth, which would turn it into a new community center.
After all the articles were passed, Apfel thanked Ertle for her services as town clerk and adjourned the meeting.
There were no contested races up for ballot voting this year. Corinth residents elected Apfel as moderator for one year, Selectboard member Rick Cawley for three years, Fortunati as collector of delinquent taxes for one year, Chris Diaz as constable for one year, Raymond Moulton as cemetery commissioner for three years and Michael Tkac as Waits River Valley School Board director for three years. The town has 1,099 registered voters.
Lister terms of one and three years both received multiple write-in candidates but no clear winners.