ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – On Tuesday, Jan. 18, the Rockingham Selectboard approved the FY2023 tax rate at $1.0783 as well as the proposed budget.
Municipal Manager Scott Pickup said the town had submitted four out of six requests from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, hoping that $660,000 would be reimbursed.
Chair Peter Golec said that, for the budget, they recommended $100,000 from the general fund and $100,000 from the highway fund to reduce the current tax rate.
Susan Hammond wanted to ensure that the recommended 20% for the general fund was maintained.
Golec suggested adding $25,000 more from each fund to save another cent explaining that $50,000 was .01 on the tax rate. He said that this budget would not increase taxes, but there were three articles on the warning that could. Golec saw that the $200,000 was still in the town’s fund balance, a misallocation that belonged in the Village Water fund. Pickup noted they were waiting on approval.
Hammond asked, if something did not pass, would the board still allocate funds. Pickup said they can appropriate funds as a board, combining other money to complete projects.
Bonnie North asked where the approach should be if voters said no. She was not comfortable with the way it looked if something was not passed and then the board approved it later on. Hammond agreed and suggested they take the truck out of the warning.
Rick Cowan wondered if it would be wise to take more from the general fund now.
Hammond said that the town had “survived Irene and the storm last year because of a healthy fund balance,” and recommended keeping it between 20-25%.
Pickup said, “Fiscal prudence is also being responsible.”
North said there were two incomes that were not reflected as revenue yet: the solar panels and upcoming tax sales.
Finance Director Alyssa Harlow said if they removed more from the general and highway funds to include the truck in the budget that would leave the general fund below 15%.
Golec moved to adopt the FY23 budget and warning as is.
Elijah Zimmer asked if they needed to purchase the truck now or if it could wait until next year. Pickup said if they wanted the truck in 6-12 months it needed to be ordered now.
Cowan questioned the large increase in paving, mentioning that this was a huge investment. Hammond said they were supposed to be adding $50,000 every year for the last five years but had not and explained that was “the problem when you get off your plan.” She recommended the equipment schedule be maintained.
Golec made the motion to accept the budget at $6,353,627 with $5,079,264 to be raised by taxes. Hammond seconded the motion and the board passed the budget unanimously.
The Town Meeting is Monday, Feb. 28 with elections on Tuesday, March 1. Rockingham Selectboard meetings are on the first Wednesday and third Tuesday of the month in the Lower Theater of the Bellows Falls Opera House at 6 p.m.