PLYMOUTH, Vt. – The Town of Plymouth was among seven towns in the Mountain View School District (MVSD) to vote at their Town Meeting on the proposed $112 million bond for the new construction of Woodstock Union High School and Middle School. All of the towns’ ballots in the district, including Barnard, Bridgewater, Killington, Pomfret, Reading, and Woodstock, were combined for an overall district tally, which passed. Plymouth also passed the MVSD budget.
State Rep. Charlie Kimbell held a discussion after the meeting, regarding the “unfinished business” of Act 73. According to Vermont Agency of Education, the act “is a major Vermont education reform law designed to restructure school governance, funding, and quality. It aims to create more equitable and sustainable schools by implementing a weighted student funding formula, consolidating districts into larger regional entities, establishing minimum class sizes, and regulating public tuition payments.”
Kimbell reported the legislature is looking at much larger school districts, reducing the number from 119 to five. However, the process has been slow, Kimbell explained, as public sentiment is largely against forced mergers. “Map wars” have ensued as residents and legislators attempt to protect their own schools’ interests in the redistricting process. Kimbell confirmed at the meeting that, as the town was preparing for the bond vote the following day, they were in the redistricting map for Woodstock, and not Rutland.
Plymouth’s town moderator Thomas Harris brought Town Meeting to order, and went over Articles 1-5, which were all voted on by Australian ballot the following day, Tuesday, March 3. Harris was reappointed as town moderator, and Jay Kullman was reappointed to the selectboard for a three-year term.
Voters approved Article 2, to appropriate $150,000 annually, for three years, to a fire truck equipment reserve fund. During the meeting, Fire Chief Jim Allen expressed that the fire department is trying to “get ahead and prepare for future use” of the equipment. They are trying to be proactive, in order to purchase an automatic truck that would be more accessible and easier for anyone to drive.
Article 3 established a future emergency highway and natural disaster reserve fund for roads, culverts, and bridges, and Article 4 approved the amount of $100,000 to be appropriated to that fund.
Article 5 increased the tax exemption for eligible veterans from $10,000 to $40,000. The exemption only applies to homes that are owned by the veteran or survivor, and is their primary residence.
The remaining Articles 6-10 were voted on the floor at Town Meeting. The town approved $16,089.50 to human services and organizations, and an increase to the annual appropriation to Okemo Valley TV from $800 to $1,400.
Board Chair Jay Kullman made a presentation on the town’s budget, explaining that taxes are going down in 2027 as their new fire truck was paid off in 2024, 2025, and 2026. The general fund for 2026 is at $979,844, due to “conservative budgeting.” Kullman explained, “We probably collected a little bit more in taxes than we needed to, and spent a little less than we anticipated…We may be holding a little bit too much, and should think about how to put some of that into the reserve funds.”
Reserve funds for 2026 stand at $982,006, which will be used this year to replace the grader and to pay for the town’s reappraisal.
Kimbell expressed that he is “glad to hear the Plymouth Selectboard is putting money in the bank,” stating they can’t always rely on federal funds such as FEMA.
The town budget of $1,924,659.94, with $1,508,259.94 to be raised by taxes, was passed.
Article 9, to fix the salary for each selectboard member at $1,600, the same as last year, was passed. Finally, the installments of property taxes, to be due on Sept. 1, 2026, and Feb. 1, 2027, was approved.