Explanation of 2022 Town Meeting Day Voting
Another year has passed and we seem to be no further from putting covid behind us then we were last year. The Selectboard has decided the safest way to conduct Town business in a timely manner is through an Australian ballot. With the absence of the annual in person Town Meeting, it is important for us to explain as much as we can about what you will be voting on this year.
A hard copy of the Town Report is available on request as usual, and it is also posted online under: www.bridportvt.org , Information, general information, Town Report 2021
Ballots will be given on a “request only” basis for absentee voting, which is our normal practice, as well as the polls being open from 7am to 7pm on March 1st, 2022. Ballots can be requested by calling the Town Office at 802-758-2483 or online at: www.bridportvt.org , documents/forms/applications, Early Absentee Request Form, or:
sos.vermont.gov/elections, Election Info & Resources, Early & Absentee Voting
The ballots will be multiple pages of Town business due to the fact that all things voted on the floor of Town Meeting will now appear on the ballot. All elected Officer voting will be on one ballot and all monetary items will be on a separate ballot.
We vote on support for the Fire Department, Town Line First Response and then a multitude of social services requesting town funds for their operations. This will be covered in articles 2 through 26. All of the social services provide us with a statement or finance page letting us know what funds are used for and roughly how many Bridport residents benefit from their services, if known. These pages are in the Town Report.
Article 27 is a request for the town to charge interest on unpaid taxes beginning the day after the tax due date. The current practice is that no interest is charged until the beginning of the following month after the due date.
Article 28 is the request for support for our town budgets, including the general fund and the Department of Public Works.
This budget will be the first annual fiscal year budget to be voted on. As you recall, the town supported the board’s request to convert from calendar year budget to a July1-June 30 fiscal year to streamline town revenues with expenses. We are just a few short months from completing the 18-month transition period. The final tax installment is due on May 10th, 2022 to complete the transition. Taxes will be due in 2 equal installments, November 10th and May 10th going forward.
In addition to this letter and the warning, the Selectboard will host a question-and-answer session on February 23rd, 2022 at 6:00 pm
Town of Bridport Informational Hearing
Wed, Feb 23, 2022 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (EST)
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Town of Bridport Selectboard
WARNING
TOWN OF BRIDPORT
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
The Legal Voters of the Town of Bridport are hereby warned and notified to meet at the Bridport Masonic/Community Hall on Tuesday March 1, 2022 to transact the following business. The polls for voting by Australian ballot will be open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. All business will be voted by Australian ballot.
Article 1. To elect the following officers by Australian ballot:
· Town Moderator for a term of one year.
· Selectboard member for a term of three years.
· Selectboard member for a term of two years.
· Auditor for a term of three years.
· Auditor for a remaining term of one year.
· Lister for a term of three years.
· Lister for the remaining term of two years.
· Water Commissioner to the Board of Water Commissioners of the Tri-Town Water
District #1 for a term of three years.
· First Constable for a term of one year.
· Second Constable for a term of one year.
· Cemetery Commissioner for a term of five years.
Article 2. Will the Voters approve of the reports of the Town Officers?
Article 3. Will the Voters appropriate $20,000.00 for the Bridport Fire Department?
Article 4. Will the Voters appropriate $10,000.00 for Townline First Response?
Article 5. Will the Voters appropriate $1,900.00 for Addison County Central Teens?
Article 6. Will the Voters appropriate $608.00 for Addison County Economic Development Corporation?
Article 7. Will the Voters appropriate $2,500.00 for Addison County Home Health and Hospice, Inc.?
Article 8. Will the Voters appropriate $500.00 for Addison County Humane Society?
Article 9. Will the Voters appropriate $1,600.00 for Addison County Parent/Child Center?
Article 10. Will the Voters appropriate $350.00 for Addison County Readers, Inc.?
Article 11. Will the Voters appropriate $400.00 for Addison County Restorative Justice Services?
Article 12. Will the Voters appropriate $2,000.00 for Age Well?
Article 13. Will the Voters appropriate $1,000.00 for Charter House Coalition?
Article 14. Will the Voters appropriate $1,750.00 for Counseling Service of Addison County?
Article 15. Will the Voters appropriate $700.00 for Elderly Services?
Article 16. Will the Voters appropriate $700.00 for John Graham Emergency Shelter?
Article 17. Will the Voters appropriate $12,180.00 for Middlebury Regional EMS?
Article 18. Will the Voters appropriate $850.00 for Open Door Clinic?
Article 19. Will the Voters appropriate $3,000.00 for Platt Memorial Library?
Article 20. Will the Voters appropriate $320.00 for Retired and Senior Volunteer Program?
Article 21. Will the Voters appropriate $760.00 for Tri-Valley Transit (formerly ACTR)?
Article 22. Will the Voters appropriate $500.00 for Vermont Adult Learning?
Article 23. Will the Voters appropriate $500.00 for Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired?
Article 24. Will the Voters appropriate $190.00 for Vermont Center for Independent Living?
Article 25. Will the Voters appropriate $250.00 for Vermont Family Network?
Article 26. Will the Voters appropriate $1,250.00 for WomenSafe?
Article 27. Will the Voters approve of there being due and payable on all property taxes remaining unpaid after their installment due date of interest thereafter at the rate of one percent per month or fraction thereof under Section 4873 of Vermont Statutes Annotated Title 32?
Article 28. For its July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 fiscal year, will the Voters approve the sums of $1,099,855.00 and $322,380.00 for the proposed expenses of the Department of Public Works and General Fund, respectively, for a total of $ 1,422,235.00; with up to $1,261,118.00 to be raised by property taxes in addition to other non-tax receipts; with each of these last three amounts being reduced by the respective amount from any of Articles 3 to 26 that are not approved; and with all property taxes to be paid its Treasurer in two equal installments on or before November 10, 2022 and on or before May 10, 2023?
NOTICE of AVAILABILITY of 2021 Bridport Annual Town Report
At the March 3, 2015 Town of Bridport Annual Town Meeting, the Voters authorized the Selectboard to give at least thirty days advance notice before the date of the Annual Town Meeting of the availability of the Bridport Annual Town Report.
The 2021 Town Report will be available for review and/or download on the Town of Bridport website (www.bridportvt.org) on or before February 18, 2022. In addition, printed copies of the Town Report will be made available at the Town Clerk’s Office on or before February 18, 2022. Any Town Voter or resident may request to receive a printed copy of the Town Report by requesting it at the Bridport Town Clerk’s Office. Residents may call 758-2483, email bridporttown@gmavt.net, mail a request to P.O. Box 27, Bridport, VT 05734. Please do not stop in the Town Offices to request a Town Report due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Dated January 28, 2022 by the Selectboard members of the Town of Bridport.
Tim Howlett-Chair Joan Huestis David Bronson
Robert Sunderland Steve Huestis