Interest was high and the attendance was only slightly below average at the 2020 Town Meeting in Francestown.
In his debut year as Town Moderator, Kevin Pobst opened the meeting with a review of the results of the town elections and the traditional thank you to retiring town officers: most notably Selectwoman Abigail Arnold for over 33 years of service to Francestown – three terms as Selectman and over two decades on the Planning Board – and Robert “Bub” Rokes for his 20 years on the Recreation Department.
As the meeting progressed, attendees unanimously approved spending $65,000 on improvements to town facilities, $215,000 on a new dump truck, and adding $450,000 to the town’s capital reserve funds; and almost unanimously (one nay) approved a 1.84 million dollars annual budget. Town Administrator Jamie Pike and Arnold and Henry Kunhardt provided background on each of the warrant articles under consideration.
All but one of the articles under consideration at Town Meeting were decided by voice vote. A secret ballot was requested on an article proposing a $10,000 expansion of the stipend program for the Francestown Volunteer Fire Department. Although most of the discussion was in favor of expanding stipends to more members of the department, there were suggestions on how to fund the program. Tom Anderson proposed drawing funds from the Mount Crotched Fund balance and Larry Labor suggested establishing a fee for service plan. No amendments to the article were proposed and the article passed by a vote of 79 Yay, 9 Nay.
Pobst ably guided voters through a spirited discussion, a number of motions, and a couple of proposed amendments to the significant road re-construction project on Bible Hill Road. Ultimately, voters unanimously approved a slightly amended article, authorizing proposed funding and an expanded plan for completing the multi-year road project.
The meeting drew to a close with a final vote authorizing $10,000 to fund Francestown’s 250th Anniversary Celebration, planned for 2022.
Francestown Town Meeting adjourned at 12:35 p.m.