TOWN OF MIDDLESEX
2006 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
MINUTES
3/7/2006

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

Town Clerk
June Lakin

Susan Clark brought the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m.

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

 Neely Washington moved to nominate Susan Clark. Bill Callnan seconded.       Mary Just Skinner moved to close nominations. Leroy Carlson seconded.  Vote was taken.  Susan Clark was nominated as Town Moderator for the ensuing year.

ARTICLE 2: To elect a Grand Juror and Town Agent for the ensuing year.
Mark Bushnell moved to nominate Larry Mandell,   Gordon Grunder seconded. Larry Mandell was elected Grand Juror/Town Agent for the ensuing year.

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

Town Clerk
Treasurer
Trustee of Public Funds
Selectperson
Selectperson
Budget Committee Member
Budget Committee Member
Auditor
Auditor
Lister
Delinquent Tax Collector
Cemetery Commissioner
Cemetery Commissioner
Cemetery Commissioner
Planning Commissioner

1 year term
1 year term
1 year term
3 year term
2 year term
3 year term
2 year term
3 year term
2 year term
3 year term
1 year term
3 year term
2 year term
1 year term
3 year term


Leroy Carlson moved to pass over Article 3. Peter Hood seconded.  Motion passed.

ARTICLE 4: To receive and act upon the reports of the Town Officers.
Dave Shepard moved to accept the reports as written.  Eric Benedict seconded.  Motion passed.

ARTICLE 5: To see if the Town will vote a discount of 2% or a lesser amount on real taxes if paid in full within 30 days of issuance of the tax bill. (32 VSA Sec. 4773)
Peter Hood moved to accept Article 5 as written. Ronald Krauth
seconded. Discussion ensued.  Article passed.

ARTICLE 6: To see if the Town will continue to have all taxes paid to the Treasurer, set the date as November 20, 2006 and charge interest at the rate of .7% per month or fraction thereof on overdue taxes from the due date of the tax. (32 VSA Sec. 4773)
Leroy Carlson moved to accept Article 6 as written. Kim Hagan seconded. 
Discussion ensued.   Motion passed.

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 accept the Article as written.  Mary Hood seconded.  
Peter Hood directed the voters attention to the Selectboard Report as is written
on Page 15 of the Middlesex Annual Town Report.   He stated that fuel
increases in both heating of the buildings and running of the equipment were
key components to the increase in the town budget as well as health insurance
increases for the town’s employees.  Leroy Carlson moved to amend the Article
to reflect the budget amount of $763,646.  Kim Cheney seconded.  Amendment
passed.  Vote was taken on the amended Article.  Article 7 passed.
 
ARTICLE 8: Shall the Town of Middlesex authorize an additional contribution of $5,000 to the Middlesex Conservation Fund. (By Selectboard)

Barry Goodman moved to accept Article 8 as written.  Martin Pincus
seconded.  Dave Shepard spoke to the Article.  He stated that the Conservation
Fund was established in 2004 with the idea that the Fund would grow over time. 
Discussion ensued on possible uses of the Fund.   Motion to call question was
heard and seconded.  Vote was in favor of calling question.  Vote on Article was
taken.  Article passed, noes were heard.

ARTICLE 9: Shall the Town of Middlesex authorize an additional contribution of $25,000 to the Middlesex Building Fund. (By Selectboard)

Motion to accept Article 9 was heard. Michael Legendre seconded.  Peter Hood
spoke to this Article.   He stated that like the Conservation Fund,  this Fund was
established in 2004 with the idea that the Fund would grow over time.  This
Fund would be used to study, and help implement needs to the town facilities. 
Leroy Carlson moved to call question.  Mary Hood Alexander seconded. 
Question was called.  Vote on the Article was taken.  Article 9 passed as written.

ARTICLE 10: Shall the town of Middlesex vote to allow the use of vote tabulating machines? (By Selectboard)

Peter Hood moved to accept Article 10 as written.  Ronald Krauth seconded. 
Discussion ensued.   Many negative comments were heard.  Request for more
information was heard.  Leroy Carlson moved to call question.  Eric Benedict
seconded.  Voice vote was taken.  Results inconclusive.  Standing vote was
taken, question was called.  Vote on Article 10 was taken and defeated.

ARTICLE 11: Shall the Town of Middlesex appropriate the sum of $2,000 for the support of Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice. (By Petition)

Mary Just Skinner moved to accept Article 11 as written.  Liz Fortman
seconded.  Mary Skinner spoke to the Article referring to the CVHHH annual
report in the Middlesex Town Report.  Vote was taken, Article 11 passed.


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

Kim Hagen moved to accept Article 12.  Leroy Carlson seconded.  Article
 passed.

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

David Lawrence moved to accept Article 13.  Motion was seconded.  Article
13 passed.

ARTICLE 14: Shall the Town Voters authorize expenditures of $1000 for student scholarships and to support student and community participation in Middlesex Community Connections programs? (By Petition)

Jessica Hill moved to accept Article 14.  Leroy Carlson seconded.  Many spoke in support of this Article.  It was suggested that the Rumney Community Connections should consider increasing their rates to individuals.  David Lawrence moved to increase the appropriation to Community Connections from $1,000 to $1,500.  Martin Pincus seconded.  Vote on the amendment passed.   Vote on the amended Article passed.  Rumney Community Connections will be appropriated $1,500.

ARTICLE 15: Shall the Town of Middlesex appropriate the sum of $13,166 for the support of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library? (By Petition)

Eric Benedict moved to accept Article 15.  Leroy Carlson seconded.   George Fox spoke of his concern for the accounting of the funds that the library receives.  Mary Hood spoke to this Article.  She stated that there had been a recent meeting at the library, and that this subject had been brought to the table.  It was agreed that better accounting of funds needed to be addressed.  Support and opposition alike were heard from the floor.  Elliot Burg moved to increase the Kellogg-Hubbard library appropriation from $13,166 to $16,000.  Chris McVeigh seconded.  There was more discussion of support and opposition.  It was moved to call question.  David Lawrence seconded.  Question was called.  Vote was taken on the amendment.  Amendment passed.  Vote was taken on the amended Article.  This too passed. Noes were heard.  The Kellogg-Hubbard Library will be appropriated the amount of $16,000.

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? (By Petition)

Leroy Carlson moved to accept Article 16, David Lawrence seconded.  Nancee Rahill spoke to this Article.  The Family Center of Washington County annual report was referred to in the Middlesex Annual Town Report.  Vote was taken and passed.  One ‘no’ was heard.

ARTICLE 17: Shall the Town of Middlesex appropriate the sum of $500 to support Central Vermont Economic Development Corp? (By Petition)

Greg Whitchurch moved to accept Article 17.  Abe Lewis seconded.  The annual report of the CVEDC as is published in the Middlesex Town Report was referred to.  Vote was taken.  Article 17 passed.

ARTICLE 18: To see if the Town of Middlesex will appropriate a sum not to exceed  $2439 to support the following organizations:

Vt. Green Up
Montpelier Vermont Veterans Council
Washington County Youth Service Bureau
Vermont Center for Independent Living
Central Vermont Crime Stoppers
Washington County Diversion Program
Montpelier Senior Center
People’s Health & Wellness Clinic
Northern Vt. Resource Conservation and Development Corporation.
U32 Project Graduation
Sexual Assault Crisis Team
CV Community Action Council
Community Capital of Vermont
Green Mountain Youth Symphony
Vermont Cares

$100.
$100.
$175.
$195.
$199.
$200.
$200.
$100.
$ 75.
$200
$195
$200
$200
$200
$100


Michael Legendre moved to accept Article 18.  Dave Shepard seconded
Hearing no discussion, the Article was voted and passed.

 To transact any other business that may legally come before the meeting.

David Feldman requested that the Selectboard consider a “plan” of some sort
should the Pandemic Virus (Bird Flu) come to Middlesex.  He would like to see
the board call a public meeting in the future for this discussion.

Leroy Carlson moved to adjourn the 2006 Annual Town of Middlesex Town
Meeting.   Anita Krauth seconded.   Meeting adjourned at 7:15 pm.

Dated this 8th  day of March 2006.

Respectfully submitted,

June Blake Lakin
Middlesex Town Clerk
 

Minutes approved on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 by the Middlesex Selectboard at a duly warned meeting.

____________________________.
Peter Hood, Chair

____________________________.
Mary Hood Alexander

____________________________.
William Callnan

____________________________.
Walter Kelley

____________________________.
Mary Just Skinner