TOWN OF BENNINGTON 2009 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING BENNINGTON FIRE FACILITY MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM - 3RD FLOOR 130 RIVER STREET BENNINGTON, VERMONT 05201 MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2009 MINUTES MODERATOR: James Colvin. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Lodie Colvin-Chair; John Zink-Vice-Chair; Matt Maroney; Joseph Krawczyk; Chris Oldham and Jason Morrissey. ALSO PRESENT: Stuart Hurd-Town Manager; Timothy Corcoran-Town Clerk; Joan Pinsonneault-Town Treasurer; Pam Santarcangelo; John Hill; Scott Mellinowski; Justine Scanlon; Bob Matteson; Anita Bellin; Amelia Silver; Mary Morrissey; Boy Scout Troop #353; +/- 25 other citizens and Nancy Lively-Recording Secretary. At 7:00 P.M., Moderator James Colvin called the meeting to order. A moment of silence was observed in the memory of all members of our community who had passed in 2008. Boy Scout Troop #353 led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Colvin read the Warning: "The residents of the Town of Bennington qualified by law to vote in Town Meeting are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Bennington Fire Facility on River Street (Lincoln Street entrance) in said Town on Monday, March 2, 2009, at 7:00 p.m., or immediately following the Bennington School District's Annual meeting should that run over, to transact the business specified to be done from the floor. If you are a resident of the Town of Bennington, intend to be present at the meeting and are hearing impaired, arrangements will be made for a sign interpreter to be present at this meeting. For necessary arrangements, please contact Stuart A. Hurd, Town Manager at the Bennington Town Offices, 205 South Street, P.O. Box 469, Bennington, VT - (802) 442-1037 no later than Friday, February 20, 2009. Following the completion of such business, the Meeting will stand adjourned to Tuesday, March 3, 2009, at The Bennington Fire Facility on River Street (Lincoln Street entrance). The Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. for the election of officers and voting on all ballot articles specified. However, those on the checklist to vote in the Village of North Bennington shall vote for the election of officers and on all ballot articles at the North Bennington Firehouse in that Village. The Bennington Fire Facility above mentioned, is hereby established as the central polling place for those on the checklist to vote in said Bennington. The deadline for registering to vote is February 25, 2009 at 5:00 P.M. at the Bennington Town Clerk's Office." BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED FROM THE FLOOR ARTICLE 1. TOWN REPORT: To hear the report of Town Officers and to take appropriate action thereon. It was moved and seconded to accept the Town Report as presented. The motion carried unanimously. ARTICLE 2. SELECT BOARD MEMBERS COMPENSATION: To determine what compensation shall be paid the Town Select Board Members. It was moved and seconded to have the Town Select Board Members compensation remain the same. The motion carried unanimously. ARTICLE 3. OTHER BUSINESS: To transact such other proper business when met. SELECT BOARD ELECTION. Two Select Board Members residing in the Town shall be elected for terms of three (3) years. ARTICLE 1. Shall the Town appropriate for the next fiscal year, July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, the total sum of $10,284,030. consisting of the following: $3,120,740. for the laying out, maintaining, and repairing of the highways and bridges of the Town; and $7,163,290. for the payment of the following: Any indebtedness not otherwise specifically provided for, interest on indebtedness, legally authorized State and County taxes, the prosecution and defense of the common rights and interests of the inhabitants of the Town, and for other necessary incidental expenses? The proposed budget includes $30,000. for Fire Equipment, $20,000. for parking improvements, and $162,850. for healthcare deductibles and workers compensation insurance, any unexpended portion of which will be reserved to subsequent years for that purpose. ARTICLE 2. Shall the voters of the Town of Bennington return the $50,000 Leonard J. Black Memorial Park Reserve to the General Fund as revenue? Ms. Colvin noted that the Select Board supports this Article and that a private individual will be developing and constructing tennis courts on the site. Mr. Hurd added that this project may, indeed, not go forward. There were flood plain issues that have been resolved, however, the Town is still waiting to hear from the developer if he is still going to proceed with the project. Mr. Morrissey stated that, it was his understanding, that the footprint of the project may have been changed but that it was not "dead" yet. Returning the $50,000 to the General Fund was one of the ways to lower the tax burden on the people. However, if they so chose, the voters could again create a reserve fund for the Park at a later date. Mr. Hurd further added that, because the Articles are voter approved, the dollars listed in Articles 2 thru 13 have yet to impact the budget figure. ARTICLE 3. Shall the voters increase the F.Y. 2010 General Fund by the sum of $25,000.00 for Bennington Coalition For The Homeless? No comments. ARTICLE 4. Shall the voters increase the F.Y. 2010 General Fund by the sum of $24,000.00 for Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice (Southwestern Vermont Health Care)? No comments. ARTICLE 5. Shall the voters increase the F.Y. 2010 General Fund by the sum of $11,000.00 for Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging, Inc.? No comments. ARTICLE 6. Shall the voters increase the F.Y. 2010 General Fund by the sum of $10,600.00 for Bennington Project Independence? Pam Santarcangelo expressed her thanks to the Town for its support and invited everyone to visit the new BPI building on Harwood Hill. ARTICLE 7. Shall the voters increase the F.Y. 2010 General Fund by the sum of $8,000.00 for Green Mountain Retired and Senior Volunteer Program? No comments. ARTICLE 8. Shall the voters increase the F.Y. 2010 General Fund by the sum of $8,000.00 for The Tutorial Center? No comments. ARTICLE 9. Shall the voters increase the F.Y. 2010 General Fund by the sum of $7,800.00 for BROC - Community Action in Southwestern Vermont? No comments. ARTICLE 10. Shall the voters increase the F.Y. 2010 General Fund by the sum of $3,500.00 for Project Against Violent Encounters? No comments. ARTICLE 11. Shall the voters increase the F.Y. 2010 General Fund by the sum of $3,000.00 for Center For Restorative Justice? No comments. ARTICLE 12. Shall the voters increase the F.Y. 2010 General Fund by the sum of $3,000.00 for Paran Recreation? No comments. ARTICLE 13. Shall the voters increase the F.Y. 2010 General Fund by the sum of $1,800.00 for Vermont Center For Independent Living? No comments. OTHER BUSINESS: Bob Matteson reiterated the importance of keeping the Town Meeting viable and didn't feel that it had been well publicized or well attended. Anita Bellin stated her dissatisfaction with the removal of ice and snow on Main Street. She also shared the story of an individual who had lost her job - and consequently her health care - became ill, and was unable to obtain Catamount Health Care because of a pre-existing condition. Ms. Bellin urged everyone to contact his or her legislators in the support of universal health care. John Hill stated that the treatment of the people that lost their home because of the Town's malfunctioning sewer system was "downright shameful" and asked why the Town is trying to put Jim Carroll out of business? Mr. Colvin noted that this was not the appropriate venue for those remarks and invited Mr. Hill to attend the next Select Board meeting to express his concerns. Scott Mellinowski asked if the money to build the sidewalk to connect Willow Park with Leonard J. Black Memorial Park is still available, and Mr. Hurd answered that there is $500,000 of federal money earmarked for that project that we have three years to use. $500,000 is a bit less than the project cost, but the State has given the Town an easement to construct this sidewalk, and it is a part of our Pathway Project. The hope is to begin the Pathway Project this year. It will start at the Bennington Station parking lot, follow the railroad right-of-way out to Northside Drive, then to Molly Stark School, and possibly beyond. At 7:25 P.M, Mary Morrissey moved and Justine Scanlon seconded to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Nancy H. Lively Secretary