Bennington voters passed all warrant articles Tuesday despite low turnout: only 19 percent of registered voters in town cast a ballot, Town Clerk Kristie LaPlante said.
“Things went well yesterday,” she said, “the Selectmen worked very hard to develop a budget that was in the town’s best interest,” she said, allocating dollars to where they were needed. Voters invested in themselves by approving a $32,000 cardiac monitor, new technology for the town’s first responders, she said.
Voters rejected the ConVal budget on the same day. Residents have registered their school budget concerns with the town, LaPlante said, and have voiced concerns about its “astronomical” impact on local tax rates. Fifty-three percent of 2020 taxes went to ConVal versus 37 percent to town operations, according to a recent post from the Bennington municipal Facebook account.
Select Board member James Cleary handily defended his seat on the Select Board.
■Article 2 asked voters to accept an operating budget of $1,790,488. PASSED 141 to 70
■Article 3 asked voters to spend $25,000 to add to the Fire Truck capital reserve fund. PASSED 143 to 66
■Article 4 asked voters to spend $2,500 to add to the Rescue Vehicle capital reserve fund. PASSED 152 to 59
■Article 5 asked voters to spend $12,000 to add to the Police Cruiser capital reserve fund. PASSED 125 to 86
■Article 6 asked voters to spend $40,000 to add to the Highway Heavy Equipment capital reserve fund. PASSED 143 to 68
■Article 7 asked voters to spend $1,000 to add to the Mower capital reserve fund. PASSED 139 to 72
■Article 8 asked voters to spend $25,000 to add to the Town Buildings expendable trust fund. PASSED 127 to 81
■Article 9 asked voters to spend $5,000 to add to the Dodge Memorial Library capital reserve fund. PASSED 136 to 76
■Article 10 asked voters to spend $15,000 to add to the Road Rehabilitation capital reserve fund. PASSED 147 to 63
■Article 11 asked voters to spend $25,000 to add to the Water Department Maintenance and Repairs capital reserve fund. PASSED 136 to 73
■Article 12 asked voters to spend $1,000 to add to the Sidewalk capital reserve fund. PASSED 117 to 92
■Article 13 asked voters to spend $10,000 to add to the Bridge Maintenance expendable trust fund. PASSED 147 to 61
■Article 14 asked voters to spend $2,000 to add to the Fire Department Breathing Apparatus capital reserve fund. PASSED 160 to 48
■Article 15 asked voters to spend $6,000 to add to the Fire Department Protective Gear capital reserve fund. PASSED 156 to 53
■Article 16 asked voters to spend $12,000 to add to the Revaluation capital reserve fund. PASSED 115 to 94
Article 17 asked voters to spend $45,000 on Highway Department road maintenance projects. PASSED 134 to 75
■Article 18 asked voters to spend $32,000 to by a cardiac monitor for the Fire Department. PASSED 128 to 80
■Article 19 asked voters to use $6,177 from the unassigned fund balance towards the Conservation Commission fund, 50 percent of the past year’s timber tax revenue. PASSED 135 to 75
■Article 20 asked voters to use $389 of the unassigned fund balance towards the Conservation Commission fund, representing half the income of the past year’s excavation tax revenue. PASSED 139 to 70
■Article 21 asked voters to spend $1,000 on End 68 Hours of Hunger. PASSED 147 to 60
Article 22 asked voters to spend $6,000 on the Grapevine Family and Community Resource Center. PASSED 143 to 64
■Article 23 asked voters to spend $500 on the Community Volunteer Transportation Company. PASSED 148 to 57
■Article 24 asked voters to spend $600 on Court Appointed Special Advocates. PASSED 145 to 63
■Article 25 asked voters to spend $1,100 on the Child Advocacy Center of Hillsborough County. PASSED
■Article 26 asked voters to spend $300 on the Contoocook Housing Trust. PASSED 137 to 71
■Article 27 asked voters to spend $700 on the American Red Cross. PASSED 140 to 68
■Article 28 asked voters to spend $500 on Hundred Nights Shelter. PASSED 137 to 68