Dan Kinney, of Royalton, took the microphone at the close of town meeting at South Royalton High School as a board member of EC Fiber to implore town residents to sign up as potential customers to the fiber optic internet service provider. "Call them, lie to them, tell them you want it," he said. "We need it, our students need it. I moved my business to Randolph because I couldn’t get it," said Kinney, who is managing partner of the Randolph-based Catamount Solar. "That’s one reason why people aren’t staying in this local area," he said. They "can’t work from home." (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Dan Kinney, of Royalton, took the microphone at the close of town meeting at South Royalton High School as a board member of EC Fiber to implore town residents to sign up as potential customers to the fiber optic internet service provider. "Call them, lie to them, tell them you want it," he said. "We need it, our students need it. I moved my business to Randolph because I couldn’t get it," said Kinney, who is managing partner of the Randolph-based Catamount Solar. "That’s one reason why people aren’t staying in this local area," he said. They "can’t work from home." (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Credit: James M. Patterson

Royalton — With little discussion, voters easily approved general fund and highway spending, as well as all appropriations in Town Meeting Day voting from the floor in Royalton on Tuesday morning.

After voters moved quickly through the spending articles, the measure to oppose the proposed NewVistas development inspired the most discussion of the day. Residents spoke on both sides of the issue before overwhelmingly expressing their opposition in a paper ballot vote, 123-16.

“I want our local officials to know that I’m opposed,” said resident Randy Leavitt. “I want our governor and all of our state legislators (and the) whole state of Vermont to know that I think this is inappropriate.” Leavitt said he believes the project, which could bring thousands of new residents to the region, will not bring long-term jobs to the area and will be a drain on community services and natural resources.

Though most speakers seemed to agree, some — including Del Thurston — said the community should be grateful that someone like David Hall, the Utah engineer and developer behind NewVistas, wants to invest money in the region. “I think we can put down a great big welcome mat and welcome them here,” Thurston said.

Royalton Planning Commission Chairwoman Beth Willhite struck a conciliatory tone by suggesting that all points of view are welcome as the commission works to develop a vision for the town’s future. “We welcome each and every one of you to come and give us your point of view,” Willhite said.

She invited community members to attend upcoming planning commission meetings where the discussion will focus on a series of topics related to the town’s future, including historic places and buildings, energy, agriculture, art and agritourism. “I would love Royalton to become a place where we have more community dinners, more events on the green,” she said.

She said she hopes such events might help grow the town’s economy, but “in our own way,” free from the influence of one outside developer.

Earlier in the meeting, voters approved a general fund budget of $1.17 million, up $30,000 from the previous year and estimated to require raising $1.04 million from taxes.

In response to a question from South Royalton Fire Chief Paul Brock about why there was no line for revenues from a contract with Sharon for police services, Selectboard Chairman Larry Trottier said the board had asked Sharon for more money — $58 per hour versus $50 for the current year — and the Sharon Selectboard has not yet committed to it. Rather than include an expectation of revenue that might not arrive, Trottier said, the Selectboard opted to leave it out.

Voters also approved a highway fund budget of $871,000, of which $726,000 would be raised through taxes, down nearly $200,000 from the previous year.

Trottier said the reduction in highway spending is the result of a board decision to take a one-year break from funding the equipment rental fund and an anticipated reduction in fuel and oil costs.

Voters also approved appropriations totaling $325,000.

As voters cast their paper ballots on the NewVistas question, state Sen. Dick McCormack, D-Bethel, stepped to the microphone to give residents a sense of the mood at the Statehouse. McCormack, who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said legislators are unsure what effect the federal budget may have on the state’s. Due to that uncertainty, McCormack said, next year’s budget adjustment, an annual necessity to align actual expenses with those budgeted, will be “a far more profound adjustment than usual.”

He also said that, while he did not support Act 46, the state law requiring that school districts merge to create larger districts managed by one board, he does not anticipate it will be repealed.

“We respect the work that has gone into it,” he said. “We’re not going to change horses in the middle of the stream.”

Royalton voters will return to the polls on April 11 to decide whether to merge with the towns of Bethel and Rochester to create a new, larger district with one board and shared middle and high schools.

In unofficial results from all-day ballot voting, former Planning Commission Chairman Tim Dreisbach appears to have unseated Selectman Phil Gates for a three-year term, 201-177.

And Gidget Lyman, Royalton’s emergency management coordinator, bested Tony Salls for a two-year Selectboard seat, 230-134.

In a School Board race, Dorothy Chap Rikert was leading former board chairman Tim Murphy 195-186 for a two-year seat in unofficial results.

Valley News News & Engagement Editor Nora Doyle-Burr can be reached at ndoyleburr@vnews.com or 603-727-3213.