The legal voters of the Vernon Town are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Vernon Elementary School Pavilion, 381 Governor Hunt Road, at 2:00 pm on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in said Town to act upon Articles 6 through 33 below. Articles 1 through 5 were voted by Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, with the remainder of the articles to be considered at an in-person gathering of the Town voters, once such a gathering was permitted under State guidelines in the COVID-19 pandemic.
If necessary to comply with regulations on gatherings, the Selectboard may continue this meeting to a future date, in which case the voters will be notified through direct mail to all addresses in the Town, postings at Town Hall and Town website updates at https://VernonVT.org.
The Town Report and Auditor’s Report of the Year Ended June 30, 2021 are available in the Town Clerk’s Office and on the website.
Article 6: Shall the voters authorize Town General Fund expenditure for operating expenses of $1,992,571.08 of which $1,698,121.08 shall be raised by taxes, and $294,450,000.00 by estimated income with no carry over from FY 21-22?
Article 7: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $95,823.00 to be raised by taxes for administration of the Vernon Free Library?
Article 8: To elect a Library Trustee to fill the expired term of three years through Town Meeting of March of 2025.
Article 9: To elect a Library Trustee to fill the expired term of three years through Town Meeting of March of 2025.
Article 10: To elect a Library Trustee to fill the unexpired term of three years through Town Meeting of March 2024.
Article 11: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $1,100.00 to be raised by taxes, to fund Vernon Historians, Inc. for the expenditures related to Vernon’s historic preservation, educational promotion and required insurance?
Article 12: Shall the voters exempt the Pond Road Chapel from school and municipal taxes for the period of 2023 to 2027?
Article 13: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $25,000.00 to be raised by taxes to fund the “Professional Services Fund”?
Article 14: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to be raised by taxes to fund the “Emergency Repair/Replacement Fund”?
Article 15: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $100,000.00 to be raised by taxes to fund the “Town Road Upgrading Fund”?
Article 16: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $40,000.00 to be raised by taxes to fund the “Town Culvert Fund”?
Article 17: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $2,500.00 to be raised by taxes to fund the “Town Parking Lots Maintenance Fund”?
Article 18: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to be raised by taxes to fund the previously established “Elderly Assistance Fund”?
Article 19: Shall the voters discontinue the James Cusick Scholarship Fund with the balance being expended for the 2022-2023 school year?
Article 20: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $40,000.00 to be raised by taxes for the previously established “The Town of Vernon, James Cusick Scholarship Fund.” The funds to be distributed in accordance with the Vernon Scholarship Requirements
Article 21: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $195,385 for the funding of items approved in the Capital Plan of which $195,385 is to be raised by taxes?
Article 22: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $14,518 to be raised by taxes for the Windham Solid Waste District Assessment to be raised by taxes to fund the previously established “Solid Waste Fund”?
As a member of the WSWMD the Town is assessed an annual fee, which in FY 22 will be $14,518. This cost has remained the same as last year. The Town is obligated to pay this annual assessment unless it officially withdraws from WSWMD, which will take 2 years in accordance with the WSWMD charter from the State of Vermont. Due to significant state mandates, particularly providing two household hazard waste collection events per year, most towns decide to remain members of WSWMD rather than provide the mandated services on their own.
Article 23: Shall the Town continue to provide curbside trash collection (Pay-As-You-Throw)?
Article 24: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $29,689.23 to be raised by taxes to fund the current (Pay-As-You-Throw) deficit?
Article 25: If the Town votes NO on Article 21, Shall the voters authorize the town to dissolve the Pay-As-You-Throw fund and cover the negative expenditure from the Solid Waste Fund up to $70,000.00? If the Town votes to discontinue the trash and recycling collection, the Pay-As-You-Throw Fund will no longer be needed.
Article 26: Shall the Town continue curbside recycling if Pay As You Throw is discontinued? The Town could continue to provide curbside recycling without curbside trash collection. However, the Town is not allowed to provide curbside trash collection without curbside recycling in accordance with Vermont Act 148, Universal Recycle law.
Article 27: Shall the voters appropriate funding for curbside recycling and municipal building refuse collection to be raised by taxes to fund the previously established “Solid Waste Fund”? If the Town votes to continue curbside recycling, the estimated annual cost will be $108,000.00 and $6,985.00 for municipal building refuse collection.
Article 28: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $7,100.00 be raised by taxes to support the following Human Service organizations: Senior Solutions of Southeastern Vermont in the amount of $1,000.00, The Gathering Place in the amount of $750.00, Southeastern Vermont Community Action in the amount of $2,100.00 and VT & NH Visiting Nurse and Hospice in the amount of $3,250.00?
Article 29: Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $15,000.00 to be raised by taxes for the operation of the Emergency Management Office?
Article 30: Shall the voters authorize payment of Real and Personal Property taxes to the Town Treasurer in three installments, with the due dates being September 15, 2022, January 12, 2023 and May 4, 2023?
Article 31: Shall the voters approve the provision of notice of availability of the Town Report and Auditor’s Report by “postcard, mailed to all registered voters” at least 30 days prior to Town Meeting, in lieu of mailing or otherwise distributing the Town Report and Auditor’s Report as authorized by Vermont law and 24 V.S.A. § 1682(a)(2)?
Article 32: Shall the voters authorize the formation of a Conservation Commission, with the powers and duties outlined by the Vermont Statutes, Title 24, Chapter 18, Sections 4501, et seq.?
Article 33: To transact any other business that may lawfully come before said meeting.
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS BELOW:
Bring your own lawn chairs, refreshments and snacks. No alcohol is allowed on Town property.
The Town of Vernon follows the State of Vermont mandates for COVID.
Questions? Call us at 257-0292, email clerk@vernonvt.org, or check the website VernonVT.org.
New Residents Welcome!