Category Archives: Town Meeting

Town Meeting Article 7: Does a budget surplus belong to the voters or the Selectboard?

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Posted this on the listserv. Thought I would include it here as well. Last year the Town’s annual budget had a surplus of approximately $300,000. Should voters decide how that money is spent or should the Selectboard? How about past surpluses and future budget surpluses? Today the total accumulated surplus is about $850,000. And, specific voter approval is needed to spend that money. However, if Article 7 is approved, control of that money (and future surpluses) goes to the Selectboard. Continue reading Town Meeting Article 7: Does a budget surplus belong to the voters or the Selectboard?→

UPDATE: School Board and Selectboard candidates; Town Manager search

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Who’s running for School Board and Selectboard? Both School Board and both Selectboard incumbents up for election are asking voters to return them to office at Town Meeting in March. Three will face no formal opposition. Here is the line up as provided to me by Town Clerk Bonnie Munday. For Norwich School Board, Garrett Palm is running unopposed for a second term for a two-year seat. Lily Trajman is also running unopposed for the three-year seat that the School Continue reading UPDATE: School Board and Selectboard candidates; Town Manager search→

Article 36 Task Force lists potential action items, invites public input

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The Article 36 Task Force is winnowing its list of potential action items as it prepares to make recommendations to the Selectboard in December. From a list of nearly 50 items, the Task Force preliminarily narrowed the list to 13 items at its October 28 meeting. However, the list remains a work-in-progress. The Task Force plans to hold three drafting sessions as it further develops the list and report. The first meeting is at 7 PM on November 4, at Continue reading Article 36 Task Force lists potential action items, invites public input→

Town Meeting Article 11 – Incentive or gift to solar farms?

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The text of Article 11 is convoluted. However, its intent is clear – to eliminate municipal property taxes on solar farms. The Energy Committee’s recommendation to the Selectboard says it wants “to set their municipal taxes as close to $0 as possible.” To what end? The most important question to ask about a tax break is whether it will make a difference.** Will the tax incentive cause a developer to build a solar farm, when it would have otherwise passed Continue reading Town Meeting Article 11 – Incentive or gift to solar farms?→

Is it a good idea to have the Town Manager select four members to the Article 36 Task Force?

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The Selectboard gave a first reading approval to the Article 36 Task Force proposed by Selectboard Vice Chair Roger Arnold at its last meeting. Overall, a task force is a good idea. However, one aspect of the proposal troubles me. The Town Manager selects four members to the nine member Task Force. That novel approach seems to lack transparency. Public participation is also lost. To be accurate, the Town Manager “recommends” each person. Then, the Selectboard does the appointing. But, Continue reading Is it a good idea to have the Town Manager select four members to the Article 36 Task Force?→

Selectboard to consider adding six citizen petitions to Town Meeting ballot

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On Monday, January 18, the Selectboard plans to finalize the warning for Town Meeting 2021. At that time, the Selectboard will consider at least nine proposed Articles, including six citizen petitions submitted by residents Pam Smith and Doug Wilberding. In addition to those six, discussed below, the Selectboard plans to consider two Articles proposed by the Energy Committee. An Article regarding the Beaver Meadow Road sidewalk project is also possible, say the draft meeting minutes from January 13. The Energy Continue reading Selectboard to consider adding six citizen petitions to Town Meeting ballot→

[Update] Think Big Norwich: Why Not Community Geothermal?

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One of the reasons I plan to vote against Article 8 is that the Town Facilities Working Group gave no consideration to a geothermal heating district. Unbeknownst to me, the Energy Committee backed the idea of a heating district for the Village in a 2010 report. That report, as well as a pilot project in Massachusetts, are the reasons for this update. Time to dust off that 2010 report and do some legwork! Back in February, I wrote a blog Continue reading [Update] Think Big Norwich: Why Not Community Geothermal?→

Article 8 – voting no, as a renovation project

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I posted the following on the listserv today regarding the re-vote on the Tracy Hall geothermal project. Thought I would share it here. Following the listserv post, I add below an additional, out-of-box thought about the Tracy Hall cupola. Listserv post Public officials tout the Tracy Hall geothermal project as a renovation project, primarily because approximately $1 million of the cost is dedicated to improving the ventilation system at Tracy Hall. However, viewed in that light, the project proposal strikes Continue reading Article 8 – voting no, as a renovation project→

Selectboard says ‘no’ to agenda item on saving $450,000 on Tracy Hall geothermal project

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A proposal to save up to $450,000 on the Tracy Hall geothermal project will not get an airing by the Selectboard. Why? Not enough interest by Board members to place the item on the agenda. The facts as I understand them follow. At no cost to the Town, former Selectboard member Steve Flanders has been working with two consultants reviewing the project proposal by EEI. In a memorandum to the Selectboard, Mr. Flanders wrote: “Communication with two engineering experts in Continue reading Selectboard says ‘no’ to agenda item on saving $450,000 on Tracy Hall geothermal project→