Mar 11

Mar 11 RESULTS: Winooski write-in candidate wins; voters approve retail cannabis, budgets

Town Meeting Day results are in: Winooski voters elected two City Councilors, approved retail cannabis, city and school budgets, and urged a halt to F-35 training flights, among other items.

Here’s what happened at the polls:

Mayor Kristine Lott, Winooski’s first female mayor, was re-elected in an uncontested race. Jim Duncan was re-elected to City Council with 607 votes.

In an interview on Feb. 23, Duncan said he wants to continue the work he has started around housing affordability and equity — and that those issues will be his priority for the next round of work in the city budget.

Write-in candidate Bryn Oakleaf won the second seat on City Council with 355 votes.

Oakleaf hopes to address increasing tax rates in the city during her term, and hopes to address this through “smart growth” by attracting more residents and businesses to the city “in a very mindful and strategic way.”

Voters decided to allow for the operation of cannabis retailers in the city—the article passing with 804 votes for, and 262 votes against.

The city will urge the state to halt F-35 training flights over Winooski—with the article receiving 723 votes for, and 354 votes against.

The city budget of $8,213,695.35 for the fiscal year of 2022 passed with 789 votes for, and 269 votes against. $6,085,223.26 will be raised from property taxes.

The provision that “City Council be authorized to apply for and accept funds from sources other than property taxation, and to expend the same for the benefit of the City,” passed with 983 votes for, and 73 votes against.

In decisions for the School District, Steven Berbeco, Alexander Yin, and Kamal Dahal were each elected as School Trustees. All ran uncontested.

All three articles for the School District were passed by voters. These articles concerned the budget, funds for the support of compensatory education and special programs, and a decision for solar panels to be installed on the roof of the Middle/High School.

For the Water District, Jonathan Stockbridge was elected for Champlain Water District Commissioner, running uncontested—and voters decided that general obligation bonds of Champlain Water District in an amount not to exceed $1,090,607 be issued “for the purpose of funding the acquisition of various capital assets through the District's Capital Reserve Fund.”

This article passed with 841 votes for, and 129 votes against.

You can find this story published in The Winooski News.