SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Only a handful of public participants were in attendance at the Monday, Jan. 15, public hearing and presentation of the town budget for fiscal year 2025.
Town manager Jeff Mobus reported that the proposed budget represents a 5.1% increase in gross expenditures, and a 9.3% increase in gross non-tax revenues, resulting in an increase to the amount to be raised by the taxpayers of 3.87%.
The budget does not fund any new positions, but does include a 4% cost of living adjustment for all town employees, and step increases as required by union contracts, Mobus stated.
Historically, the selectboard has added articles to the warning for paving and sidewalks. Last year, the paving article was $750,000, and this year’s article proposes $825,000. For sidewalk repairs, the amount remains the same at $100,000.
Springfield resident Jean Bolaski of Walker Road was at the meeting to present the board with her complaints about lack of paving and maintenance to her road. After some back and forth, the board said they would take her comments into consideration.
Discussing rising costs and declining road conditions, the board called on town treasurer Barbara Courchesne to report on several petitions for additional appropriations that would potentially add to the yearly cost. These include Springfield Community Players’ request for $2,500, Springfield Chorus’ for $1,500, and the Bellows Falls Community Bike Program, who petitioned for $1,000. Courchesne said the petitions were not final yet, and the organizations had until Jan. 18 to complete them.
Board member Walter Martone remarked that the special requests may not be approved, but if the petitions qualify for the ballot they are likely to pass. “That means the increase could be even larger than what we are talking about here,” Martone said.
Mobus felt, at a total of $5,000 for all three, the impact of the additional appropriations on the overall budget would be minimal.
Following the discussion, Board Chair Kristi Morris looked to the three citizens participating via Zoom for questions before addressing Bolaski, commenting, “We only had one public participant? To your credit, thank you for coming in.”
Morris closed the public hearing at 6:39 p.m.
The board motioned to approve the fiscal year 2025 budget, with a gross appropriation that the voters will vote on at Town Meeting, at $15,009,263.
Board member Everett Hammond, who had expressed a need for a larger allotment of funds to go toward paving costs earlier, spoke up again, defending his recommendation that $50,000 be added to the paving article. Alternatively, Hammond suggested splitting that amount between the article and the regular budget, adding $25,000 to each.
Vice Chair Michael Martin agreed with Hammond’s request to further increase paving funds, stating, “I have long been a proponent of increasing our paving budget, since I got on to the board, and I’ve championed increases to our paving budget each year.” Martin said the voters have typically “stepped up to the challenge,” and agreed to the proposed increases.
John Bond, BAC chair, commented that the added expenses thus far have increased the percentage to almost 4%, and adding $50,000 would have them “creeping toward 5%. I think it’s a little insensitive and not in keeping with our bigger goal of marketing Springfield and getting people to move here,” Bond said, expressing his concern that a higher tax rate makes Springfield less competitive.
Ultimately, the board voted unanimously to approve the proposed budget at gross appropriation set at $15,009,263, and the paving and sidewalk articles as presented.
The selectboard will next meet on Monday, Jan. 22.