Croydon
Residents at the annual school meeting in the afternoon OK’d the education spending with very little discussion, something that Moderator Willis Ballou acknowledged as a rarity after the request passed by overwhelming voice vote.
“Thank you,” he said. “That was the best Article 2 that I’ve seen in the past 15 to 20 years.”
School officials expect the school-related portion of property taxes to decrease by about 31 cents per $1,000 of valuation. That translates to a savings of $62 on a $200,000 house.
After a brief discussion, a $94,000 request to fund the purchase and equipping of a new school bus succeeded by voice vote.
The money will come from reserve funds, not taxes.
The school article that generated the most discussion was an advisory measure to continue full-day, five-day kindergarten at the Croydon Village School.
The School Board has final say over whether to keep the program going after its first year of five-day service.
“I’m afraid that in going back to the half-day program students would lose out on some education that is essential to the child,” said Village School Principal Kelly George, adding later, “The extra time really helps to support the whole child.”
School Board member James Peschke spoke out against the full-time kindergarten program, saying he didn’t believe there was evidence it was effective.
“I’m particularly amused when I hear someone say, ‘I’ve got one kid in kindergarten and it’s made all the difference in the world,’ ” he said.
“That’s what you call a lack of a control study.”
Jody Underwood, a board member who serves as the panel’s school-choice liaison, said in response to an audience question that parents of children in kindergarten might be able to benefit from Croydon’s out-of-town tuitioning policy if the School Board ended kindergarten service.
The Village School ends at grade four, after which point students go to schools in nearby towns.
Croydon has been embroiled in a school-choice battle with state officials over its practice of sending children to private schools using taxpayer money, and board members told residents they expected to see legislation passed soon that would legalize the policy.
The kindergarten article eventually passed by overwhelming voice vote, though several “nays” were heard in the Town Hall meeting room.
During the municipal portion of Town Meeting in the morning, all requests passed with a few minor amendments, including a $419,600 general fund budget that is up a little more than $1,000 over the current year.
Voters approved the establishment of a $10,000 capital reserve fund for the repair and replacement of town bridges, as well as a request to sell a property on Ryder Corner Road owned by the town.
The town acquired the single-acre plot, which is assessed at $44,000, by tax deed more than a decade ago, and typically waits about that long before selling a property it has taken this way, officials said.
A debate erupted toward the end of the meeting on the police department budget, which funds the activities of the sole officer and chief, Richard Lee.
One resident moved to amend the $37,000 budget down to roughly $22,000, saying she had been asked to do so by anonymous Croydon voters who had concerns with Lee and feared retribution if they voiced them publicly.
“I don’t know what all this about retribution is,” Lee responded. “I’ve never (retaliated) against anybody.”
Some voters pointed out that a vote to cut the police department budget and an attempt to raise concerns about a specific officer were separate matters.
The amendment failed by secret ballot, 33-20, and then the main budget passed by voice vote with only a handful of audible objections.
Residents also passed a resolution asking the Selectboard to investigate the possibility of allowing ATVs and UTVs to travel along the sides of designated town roads posted 35 mph or less.
In ballot voting earlier in the week, Underwood won another three-year term in an uncontested School Board election.
Selectwoman Carol Marsh defeated challenger Joseph Marko, 44-14.
Rob Wolfe can be reached at rwolfe@vnews.com or at 603-727-3242.