A handful of Randolph, Vt., town officials gather in front of the Chandler Music Hall to convene Town Meeting on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. “You may demand a meeting, it is yours to demand,” Moderator Kelly Green told the gathering, comprised of Clerk and Treasurer Emery Mattheis, Assistant Clerk Ann LaPerle, Selectboard Member Larry Satcowitz, Justice of the Peace George Phillips, and resident Forrest MacGregor. “I think this meeting should be happening and I don’t think we should be doing this. I’m getting feisty,” she said before adjourning the meeting, to be reconvened in March, 2023, as was also done in 2021 due to the pandemic. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
A handful of Randolph, Vt., town officials gather in front of the Chandler Music Hall to convene Town Meeting on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. “You may demand a meeting, it is yours to demand,” Moderator Kelly Green told the gathering, comprised of Clerk and Treasurer Emery Mattheis, Assistant Clerk Ann LaPerle, Selectboard Member Larry Satcowitz, Justice of the Peace George Phillips, and resident Forrest MacGregor. “I think this meeting should be happening and I don’t think we should be doing this. I’m getting feisty,” she said before adjourning the meeting, to be reconvened in March, 2023, as was also done in 2021 due to the pandemic. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Credit: Valley News — James M. Patterson

Article of note: One article asks town voters to authorize General Fund and Highway Fund surpluses not necessary to level taxes to be allocated 20% toward the Building Reserve, 40% toward the Highway Paving Reserve and 40% to the Bridge and Culvert Reserve.

Contested races: Dustin Adams and Bethany Silloway are vying for a two-year Selectboard term. Emery Mattheis and Ashley Lincoln are vying for a three-year Selectboard term.

Budgets and spending articles: The proposed general expenses budget is $3.5 million, with $1.8 million raised by taxes. The proposed highway budget is $2.5 million, with $2.1 million raised by taxes. The proposed Kimball Public Library budget is $458,000, with $369,00 raised by taxes. The proposed budget for Police District Operations and Capital Expenses is $893,000, with $700,000 raised by taxes. The proposed budget for the Water District expenses is $731,000, along with $990,000 for Sewer District expenses and $430,000 for Ambulance Services expenses. 

Special appropriations by taxation come to a total of $124,000, with the larger shares going to the Greater Randolph Senior Center ($19,000) and the Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire ($16,000). 

When, where and how to vote: A public hearing and informational meeting on the town budget and other articles is scheduled to take place on Monday, Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. at the Town offices, at 7 Summer Street and online via Zoom. The link is on the town website: randolphtownvt.org. Voting will be by Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 3 at 7 Summer Street from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Sofia Langlois can be reached at slanglois@vnews.com or 603-727-3242.