By Josh O’Gorman
Rutland Herald
STAFF WRITER | December 05,2013
STAFF WRITER | December 05,2013
KILLINGTON — From energy efficiency and the
restoration of the Teen Center to the creation of a five-member Select
Board and a change to the option tax, Killington’s March ballot has the
potential to be interesting.
During a meeting Tuesday night, the Select Board discussed a pair of topics. These included a request by the Sherburne Historians for $169,000 to restore the building that was previously home to the Killington Teen Center, and voter consent for the town to enter into a program allowing residents to borrow money to make efficiency upgrades to their homes.
The efficiency program — known as PACE, or Property Assessed Clean Energy — is offered through Efficiency Vermont. It allows a homeowner, including the owner of a condominium but not a condo association, to borrow as much as 15 percent of the value of his or her property — up to $30,000 — to make the home more energy efficient.
Efficiency Vermont would handle the financing and the homeowner would make payments on the loan twice a year, at the same time his or her property taxes are due to the town. And much like property taxes, if a homeowner doesn’t repay the loan, the property can be sold.
Currently, 35 cities and towns have voted to become “PACE districts.” None of the towns are in Rutland County.
Jim Haff raised the question of who would be responsible for the sale: the town, Efficiency Vermont or the bank, the National Bank of Middlebury.
Aside from this question, the town’s only other responsibilities would be providing a description of the property and checking to see if there are any existing liens or back taxes owed.
The proposal received broad support across the board, with Selectman Bernard Rome saying the biggest issue will be coming up with language for the ballot that will make sense to the voters.
A slightly more contentious issue was the request from the Sherburne Historians, who are seeking a home for its historical collection.
“My feeling is, it’s a question that should be put to the public, and the Historians have the right to ask the public for approval,” Rome said. “But, saying all that, I think it’s a terrible idea.”
Rome said he had no idea of the quality of the historical items in question. Selectwoman Patty McGrath said if the board decided not to put the item on the ballot, the town would most likely receive a petition with the needed voter signatures to force the question.
“I think it will be heading toward the ballot irregardless, so we should let it happen,” she said.
Switching gears, Haff asked the board to consider a ballot item to remove the sales tax portion of the 1 percent option tax, but keep the rooms and meals tax.
“I hope you’ll save me the trouble of going out and getting the signatures,” Haff said.
Bianchi also briefly floated the idea of a ballot item to reconfigure the current three-person Select Board so it would have five members.
The Select Board ballot question, and possibly the option tax, will be topics for future meetings. The next Select Board meeting is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Town Offices on River Road.
@Tagline:josh.ogorman @rutlandherald.com
During a meeting Tuesday night, the Select Board discussed a pair of topics. These included a request by the Sherburne Historians for $169,000 to restore the building that was previously home to the Killington Teen Center, and voter consent for the town to enter into a program allowing residents to borrow money to make efficiency upgrades to their homes.
The efficiency program — known as PACE, or Property Assessed Clean Energy — is offered through Efficiency Vermont. It allows a homeowner, including the owner of a condominium but not a condo association, to borrow as much as 15 percent of the value of his or her property — up to $30,000 — to make the home more energy efficient.
Efficiency Vermont would handle the financing and the homeowner would make payments on the loan twice a year, at the same time his or her property taxes are due to the town. And much like property taxes, if a homeowner doesn’t repay the loan, the property can be sold.
Currently, 35 cities and towns have voted to become “PACE districts.” None of the towns are in Rutland County.
Jim Haff raised the question of who would be responsible for the sale: the town, Efficiency Vermont or the bank, the National Bank of Middlebury.
Aside from this question, the town’s only other responsibilities would be providing a description of the property and checking to see if there are any existing liens or back taxes owed.
The proposal received broad support across the board, with Selectman Bernard Rome saying the biggest issue will be coming up with language for the ballot that will make sense to the voters.
A slightly more contentious issue was the request from the Sherburne Historians, who are seeking a home for its historical collection.
“My feeling is, it’s a question that should be put to the public, and the Historians have the right to ask the public for approval,” Rome said. “But, saying all that, I think it’s a terrible idea.”
Rome said he had no idea of the quality of the historical items in question. Selectwoman Patty McGrath said if the board decided not to put the item on the ballot, the town would most likely receive a petition with the needed voter signatures to force the question.
“I think it will be heading toward the ballot irregardless, so we should let it happen,” she said.
Switching gears, Haff asked the board to consider a ballot item to remove the sales tax portion of the 1 percent option tax, but keep the rooms and meals tax.
“I hope you’ll save me the trouble of going out and getting the signatures,” Haff said.
Bianchi also briefly floated the idea of a ballot item to reconfigure the current three-person Select Board so it would have five members.
The Select Board ballot question, and possibly the option tax, will be topics for future meetings. The next Select Board meeting is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Town Offices on River Road.
@Tagline:josh.ogorman @rutlandherald.com
Comment: What is not mentioned regarding the historical society's request is that in March, when they approached the Selectboard for a $250 loan, they stated they would not be seeking funds from the town and would seek grants and outside funding to restore the building. Apparently those efforts were either not fruitful or not attempted. Furthermore, the apparently town would be saddled with future operating costs for the building.
I have no problem putting this on the ballot. If there are enough people in town who feel this is important enough to spend that much money on to house the preservation of our town's history then so be it.
However, there are other options for the historical society. The Chamber of Commerce via Bill Mercier, publicly offered space for the society at Bill's Country Store during a Select Board meeting this year.
I have no problem putting this on the ballot. If there are enough people in town who feel this is important enough to spend that much money on to house the preservation of our town's history then so be it.
However, there are other options for the historical society. The Chamber of Commerce via Bill Mercier, publicly offered space for the society at Bill's Country Store during a Select Board meeting this year.
With all the budgetary pressures and the tax rate going up 5 cents on the state side and the Selectboard all but committed to a 2 cent increase on the Municipal side on just the roads budget, this large a expenditure seems to me to be unwarranted, especially in light of less costly (if not free) option if Bill Mercier's offer is legitimate.
There are plenty of other increases being currently considered by the Select board. such as hiring a fulltime Recreation Director, ~$15,0000 and redoing all the town signs, $35,000.
Stating the obvious, with Jim Haff not there to stem the spendthrift ways of our town government our tax rate will no longer remain flat. Simply because of the decisions made by the board regarding the road budget our municipal taxes will be going up every year by 2 cents for the next few years for that one budget item alone. At Tuesday's meeting it seemed every agenda item involved increasing the town's spending and increasing our taxes.
Vito
No comments:
Post a Comment