Town Meeting results from the Mad River Valley
March 5, 2022 | By Lisa Scagliotti Here’s a recap of Town Meeting results from neighboring communities of Fayston, Waitsfield and Warren. Moretown results are in a separate post here.
FAYSTON | Retail cannabis popular among modest turnout
Turnout was just 17% of the town’s 1,293 registered voters on Town Meeting Day, but those casting ballots approved all of the items presented this year, according to Town Clerk Patti Lewis.
The town budget of $1,440,458 passed with a vote of 200-10. Town officials explained that at their informational meeting prior to the election that an error in the final version of the budget resulted in a figure $8,000 higher than necessary due to a duplicated line item under road department expenses.
Voters also approved a $10,000 increase for the Mad River Valley Recreation District for a total appropriation of $40,000.
Two questions asked voters to weigh in on whether the town should authorize cannabis retailers and integrated licensees when the new state-regulated legal cannabis marketplace commences later this year. Voters said yes to retailers 140-78, and yes to licensees 172-38.
None of the town officer positions on the ballot were contested. Lewis won re-election as town clerk, treasurer, and delinquent tax collector. Selectboard member Chuck Martel won re-election to a three-year term.
WAITSFIELD | Over 30% vote, approving all articles including retail cannabis
Just over 30% of Waitsfield’s 1,489 voters cast ballots on Town Meeting Day and decided their one contested race by reelecting incumbent Selectboard member Jordan Gonda to a three-year term.
Town Clerk Jennifer Peterson said all other ballot articles passed on Tuesday including a measure asking whether the town should allow for retail cannabis businesses to operate once the state-regulated legal cannabis marketplace commences later this year. Voters said yes, 297-160.
Voters approved the proposed town budget of $2,408,896 by a vote of 364-90, Peterson said.
Other articles that also received voter approval were:
Article 4 to appropriate $10,000 to the Mad River Recreation District as long as the voters in Warren and Fayston contributed as well.
Article 5 to add $10,000 to the town Conservation Commission’s “restroom-recreation-conservation” reserve fund.
Article 6 to create and put $10,000 into a reserve fund to manage impacts of invasive species such as knotweed and emerald ash borer.
Article 7 renews and extends for up to three years (ending March 31, 2025) the Agricultural Tax Stabilization Agreement for farmlands.
Article 8 to exempt the Masonic Lodge at 4376 Main Street from property taxes for five years.
Waitsfield also sets quarterly property tax payments for the year. Those dates for fiscal year 2022-23 will be Sept. 15 and Nov. 15, 2022, and Feb. 15 and May 15, 2023.
All other offices on the ballot are uncontested.
WARREN | Voters on board as budget returns to pre-pandemic level
Voters overwhelmingly passed a budget of $3,977,724 which represents a 21% increase over the $3.27 million budget they approved in 2021.
Town officials, however, explained at informational meetings ahead of Town Meeting Day, that the increase actually is just 2% over the 2019 budget approved before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Town Clerk Reta Goss provided results from Tuesday’s vote where 313 ballots were cast, a turnout of 20% of the town’s registered voters.
Warren had the only contest to fill its open seat on the Harwood Unified Union School Board. Two write-in candidates stepped up after the filing deadline with voters choosing Ashley Woods with 91 votes to Ellen Kucera with 56.
The budget won approval 261-37. This year’s spending plan includes increases in wages and benefits for town employees and stipends for firefighters. It also returns some $240,000 for paving which was postponed due to the pandemic.
Voters agreed to set property tax payment dates for July 15, Aug. 15, and Nov. 15 this year.
All other articles passed, Goss said.
Article 5 allocates funds the town receives from the Green Mountain National Forest to the Warren Elementary School PTO. That sum has been just over $20,000 for the past two years, according to the town annual report.
Article 6 gives the select board permission to accept any land if donated to the town and to purchase land within the town.
Voters re-elected four unopposed members of the town select board: Robert Ackland and Devin Klein Corrigan to two-year seats; Camilla Behn and Andrew Cunningham to three-year seats.
None of the other offices on the ballot were contested.