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TOWN OF MIDDLESEX
MINUTES FOR ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
MARCH 1, 2005

Selectboard Present:
Peter Hood, Chair
Mary Alexander
William Callnan
Walter Kelley
Mary Just Skinner

Town Clerk:
June Lakin

Moderator:
Susan Clark
 
Peter Hood announced that he would not be a candidate for Town Moderator this year.

Recognition of the Dedication of the 2005 Town Report to Gary Lamell, Road Commissioner was noted.

As the duly elected 2004 Town Moderator, Peter Hood called the 2005 Annual Town Meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.

ARTICLE 1: To elect a Moderator for the ensuing year.

Neely Washington nominated Susan Clark for Moderator. Michael Legendre seconded. Dale Klein moved to nominate Bill Callnan. Liz Fortman seconded. Vote was taken, being inconclusive, a Division of the House was called. Results were Susan..72, Bill…16. Susan Clark was elected Moderator for the ensuing year.

ARTICLE 2: To elect a Grand Juror and Town Agent for the ensuing year.

Bill Callnan nominated Larry Mandell for Town Agent/Grand Juror. Elliot Burg seconded. Voice vote was taken. Larry Mandell was elected.


ARTICLE 3: To elect all necessary officers for the ensuing year. (To be voted by Australian Ballot)

Sunny Knapp moved to pass over Article 3. Leroy Carlson seconded. Motion carried. Article 3 was passed over.

ARTICLE 4: To receive and act upon the reports of the Town Officers.

Mary Just Skinner moved to accept the reports of the Town Officers. Bill Rossmassler seconded. Reports were accepted.

ARTICLE 5: To see if the Town will vote a discount of 1.5 % or a lesser amount on real taxes if paid in full within 30 days of issuance of the tax bill. (32 VSA Sec. 4773)

Leroy Carlson moved to accept Article 5 as written. Michael Legendre seconded.  Motion carried. Article 5 passes.

ARTICLE 6: To see if the Town will continue to have all taxes paid to the Treasurer, set the date as November 21, 2005 and charge interest at the rate of .5% per month or fraction thereof on overdue taxes from the due date of the tax. (32 VSA Sec. 4773)

Bill Callnan moved to pass Article 6. Mary Alexander seconded. The Selectboard explained that the change in date was to ensure that the due date fell on a date when the Town Clerk’s Office is open. Article 6 passed. The due date for property taxes in 2005 will be Nov. 21, 2005.

ARTICLE 7: To vote a budget to meet the expenses and liabilities of the Town and authorize the Selectboard to set a tax rate sufficient to provide the same. (THIS ARICLE WILL BE CONSIDERED AS A SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS AT 5:15 PM)

Bill Callnan moved to approve Article 7. Walter Kelley
2nded.  Vote was taken and the 2005-2006 Town Budget in the amount of $726,634 was approved.

ARTICLE 8: Shall the Town of Middlesex authorize an additional contribution of $25,000 to the Middlesex Building Fund. (By Selectboard)

Bill Rossmassler moved to approve Article 8. Mark Tillinghast 2nd. Vote on the Article was taken. Article 8 passed.

ARTICLE 9: Shall the Town of Middlesex authorize an additional contribution of $5,000 to the Middlesex Conservation Fund. (By Selectboard)

Gregg Whitchurch moved to approve Article 9. Susan Warren seconded. Vote on Article 9 was taken, and passed.

ARTICLE 10: Shall the Town of Middlesex appropriate an amount not to exceed $1,000 to the Middlesex Recreation Department for the purchase of Soccer Goals. (By Selectboard)

Abe Lewis moved to approve Article 10. Bill Callnan seconded.  Vote on Article 10 was taken and passed unanimously.

ARTICLE 11: Shall the Town of Middlesex appropriate the sum of $1,000 for the support of Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice. (By Petition)

Liz Fortman moved to approve Article 11. Mary Just Skinner seconded. 

Liz Fortman moved to amend the Article to add an additional $1000 to the Central Vt. Home Health & Hospice request, making it a $2,000 donation. Mark Tillinghast seconded. Vote was taken on the amendment. Amendment passed. Nos were heard.

Vote was taken on the amended Article. Article passed. Nos were heard. The CV Home Health and Hospice will be allocated $2,000.

ARTICLE 12: Shall the Town of Middlesex appropriate the sum of $925 for the support of Central Vermont Council on Aging. (By Petition)

Michael Legendre moved to accept Article 12. Gregg Whitchurch seconded. Motion carried. Article 12 was passed.

ARTICLE 13: Shall the Town of Middlesex appropriate the sum of $500 for the support of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. (By Petition)

Mary Just Skinner moved to approve Article 13. Sunny Knapp seconded. Motion passed
 
ARTICLE 14: Shall the Town Voters authorize expenditures of $800 for student scholarships and to support student and community participation in Middlesex Community Connections programs? (By Petition)

Dave Shepard moved to approve Article 14. Bill Rossmassler seconded.  Article 14 passed.

ARTICLE 15: Shall the Town of Middlesex appropriate the sum of $12,403.00 for the support of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library?

Gregg Whitchurch moved to approve Article 15. Kim Cheney seconded. Article 15 passed.

ARTICLE 16: Shall the Town Voters authorize $500 to support The Family Center of Washington County’s playgroups, parent education and family support activities serving the Town of Middlesex?.

Eric Benedict moved to approve Article 16. Nancy Rahill seconded.  Vote was taken, Article 16 passed.

ARTICLE 17: To see if the Town of Middlesex will appropriate a sum not to exceed  $1544.00 to support the following organizations:

Rob LaClair moved to approve Article 17 as written. Mark Tillinghast seconded.

Jerry Martinez spoke in support of the Battered Women’s Services and Shelter organization.

Jerry Martinez moved to amend Article 17 and add Battered Women’s Services and Shelter to the list in the amount of $200. This brings the total for this Article to $1744. Eric Benedict seconded. Amendment was voted, and passed.

Paul Zabriske moved to amend Article 17 by adding CV Community Action in the amount of $200. Elliot Burg seconded. Vote was taken on the amendment. Amendment passed, bringing the Article to a total of $1944.

Vote on the amended Article was taken, and passed.

ARTICLE 18. To transact any other business that may legally come before he meeting.

Elliot Burg: Announced that there was a display in the entryway of the proposed new Bandstand at the recreation field. A sign up board is there for anyone who could help out.

Liz Fortman: A public thank you was given to Fire Chief Mark Tillinghast for his long hours of grant writing this year. 

Deb. Wolfe: Announced that the usual U32 surveys were in the back of the room ready to be filled out.

Dave Shepard: Announced a reminder that the Town Solutions Committee has a Town of Middlesex website. A public thank you was given to Tim Murphy who put this together and has been maintaining it. For the next 16 months, Gregg Whitchurch will take over these duties as Tim is being deployed to Afghanistan.

August Burns: Asked that while Tony Klein, State Representative was here, could we talk about health care. It was decided to adjourn the meeting, and to continue health care discussion for those who wanted to stay.

Peter Hood moved to adjourn the 2005 Town Meeting. Gordon Grounder seconded. Meeting adjourned at 6:40 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
June Lakin

Middlesex Selectboard:
Peter Hood, Chair
Mary AlexanderMiddlesex Town Clerk
William Callnan
Walter Kelley
Mary Just Skinner