Bennington voters approved all articles on the warrant during Tuesday’s SB2 voting, during which 199 residents cast ballots for an 18 percent voter turnout.
Residents Mark and Joan Tazelaar said that although there wasn’t a specific ballot item important to them, they were voting in support of the town and School District. Both are retired teachers: Mark taught at ConVal and Joan taught at Peterborough Elementary School.
“Now it’s our turn to support them,” Joan said.
The warrant article discussing a solar installation at ConVal High School was the most important item on the ballot for Supervisor of the Checklist Victoria Turner.
“Why school districts didn’t invest in conservation decades ago is baffling to me,” Turner said.
Bennington voters passed every ConVal article, including the solar articles. All ConVal warrant articles passed overall, as well.
John J. Cronin III was reelected as Town Moderator. With twenty years of experience, he is still the moderator with the shortest tenure out of just three who have filled the position since 1939, he said. John “Punk” Weston held the position until 1972, and Jim Dodge served from 1972 to 2000, Cronin said. He brought the gavel he received from Dodge to polling hours on Tuesday, which is engraved with Dodge’s years of service and Cronin’s first year.
To Cronin, his role as Moderator is a necessary civic service, and as a lawyer, he said he sees that duty as even more important.
“People have a responsibility to give back,” he said, whether that’s serving in a public role, or voting.
He described Tuesday’s turnout as “pathetic,” and said he’d prefer residents to get informed on the issues by coming to deliberative sessions and to turn out and vote.
Voters approved a solar tax exemption, amended a zoning ordinance, and appropriated funds towards existing fire truck, rescue vehicle, police cruiser, highway heavy equipment, mower, town buildings, revaluation and library capital reserve funds, as well as funds for maintaining roads, water infrastructure, sidewalks, and bridges, and funds for fire department protective gear and breathing apparatus. The warrants additionally appropriated funds for nonprofits serving the town.