Voters in Greensboro and Craftsbury turned out last week to approve their towns’ proposed spending — and then some.
Greensboro
Greensboro declared itself a pollinator-friendly town, gave extra money to the Hardwick Rescue Squad and passed its budget.
The mononymous MacNeil beat out the absent incumbent Gary Circosta for a three-year selectboard seat, 58-50, and incumbent Ellen Celnik returned to the board for two more years after also defeating Circosta.
Various fund transfers were passed by voice vote with the Hardwick Rescue Squad appropriation being raised from $30,800 to $32,800. A slightly altered budget of just over $2.253 million, was also passed by voice vote.
The nature conservancy withdrew a proposal to use town gravel as base material for parking lot at the trailhead of the Barr Hill Nature Preserve, but the town approved a proposal to officially make Greensboro a pollinator-friendly town with a resolution that will see it acknowledge the necessity of bees and by avoiding insecticides wherever possible, planting more pollinator-supporting plants, reducing mowing frequency and promoting native plant species.
Patrick Shattuck of Rural Edge, a development company, revealed early details about the residential renovations planned for Greensboro Town Hall to address the town’s lack of affordable housing. The $10 million project would create 20 apartment units in the building by 2026.
Many town meeting day attendees arrived concerned about the survival of Lakeview Elementary School in Greensboro where the meeting was held, according to the University of Vermont’s Community News Service, following recent discussions to close the school.
Voters in the Orleans South Supervisory Union towns of Hardwick, Greensboro, Stannard and Woodbury voted to keep the school open, according to WCAX-TV.
Craftsbury
Craftsbury elected a new board, passed its budget and a slew of various appropriations.
A total of $1.175 million in spending was approved if each individually approved appropriation is tallied up along with the $960,863 base budget.
Though there was an attempt to reduce the Craftsbury Saplings child care center appropriation from $6,000 to $1,400, it failed. Another $12,000 was set aside for the Craftsbury Community Care Center senior home.
Though not feeling as generous to the Hardwick Rescue Squad as its neighbors in Greensboro, the town still approved more than $25,000 for the emergency service, as well as $75,000 for the Craftsbury Fire Department.
Alison Blaney beat Lucas Schulz, 88-68, for a three-year selectboard seat and Harry Miller was elected to the board after running unopposed.
Craftsbury residents also chose to elect their officers by Australian ballot in the future elections.
Voters also passed a reduced budget for the Craftsbury School Board, amended on the floor from just over $5.7 million to $5.3 million, 132-41.
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