Halifax keeps bigger board, Roberts gets longer term
Original article written in the Brattleboro Reformer, May 4, 2022
HALIFAX — Despite the lack of candidates for the two additional seats approved last year, the Select Board will remain as a five-person board.
In an 84-75 vote Tuesday, residents rejected an article to return to a three-member body.
Select Board member Tristan Roberts said he thinks he will be resigning from his two-year seat to take the three-year seat he secured Tuesday after receiving 40 votes. He told residents on Front Porch Forum that if they like what he’s doing, then write in his name for the three-year term in case the two new seats were eliminated.
“It certainly surprised me that 40 people did that,” he said.
At an informational meeting last week, Select Board Vice Chairman Peter Silverberg said he’s “very disappointed we don’t have people running for the Select Board.“
“We had five people run last time,” he said. “This time, we don’t have any.”
School Board Chairman Homer “Chum” Sumner was reelected, as was Paul Blais, town and school district moderator. They had no competitors.
In a 96-61 vote, residents opted for bringing back elected auditors. Last year, the town voted 159-89 to eliminate the positions.
The proposed $1.6 million fiscal year 2023 budget passed 133-21 and totals about $7,000 less than the current year’s spending plan. The treasurer’s salary was set at $15,000 with an extra $4,000 for FY23 expenses.
Residents voted 93-56 to raise and appropriate $3,500 for the Halifax Historical Society to borrow for reprinting the first of two volumes of History of Halifax books. They also exempted the Trust for Wildlife and Halifax Volunteer Fire Company from property taxation.
In a 120-33 vote, residents approved establishing a maintenance reserve fund for Halifax School District. They also voted 107-25 to move $50,000 from the current surplus into the new fund.
The proposed $2.15 million school budget for FY23 passed 123-28.