Strafford Eyes Spot For New Town Office Voters To Choose Between Two Selex Candidates

Strafford voters have a lot to think about as they go to the polls on Town Meeting Day, including whether to authorize funding for a new town office and to choose candidates in some of the White River Valley’s only contested races.

Strafford Town House, Strafford, Vermont.

In particular, the proposed purchase of the Tilles property at 7 Justin Morrill Highway for a new town office caused a good deal of debate between residents and town officials during Saturday’s informational meeting.

That topic is taken up in Article 9 on the town warning, which asks voters to choose whether the selectboard can go ahead with the purchase of the Tilles property, behind Barrett Hall, for $300,000. The purchase would be contingent on a feasibility study to determine if the site is suitable as a new home to the town offices, which are currently located on the other side of town near the Town House.

If Article 9 passes, that feasibility study could cost between $5,000 and $50,000, according to the selectboard. The study would be released to the public upon completion.

The Tilles property consists of a house, garage, and barn on about an acre of land. The current plan for the property is for the garage to be torn down and replaced with a vault and space for the listers’ office, while the barn would turn into a meeting space for the selectboard.

The current town office has been deemed inadequate for the needs of town officials due to a lack of workspace, and inadequate meeting spaces. A new space would also offer an opportunity for improved audio/visual technologies, and a dedicated space for an Emergency Management Unit, according to the selectboard. In a 2019 report, the town looked into the possibility of renovating the current town office, setting aside a budget of $400,000. These renovations, according to a Town Office Planning Committee Report released on September 8, would not address all the needs for the town office and would likely cost more.

The selectboard estimated the town could raise $100,000 through ADA grants to go towards the purchase of the Tilles property.

At Saturday’s informational meeting, the selectboard shared a chart breaking down the anticipated costs associated with the Tilles property. That chart estimates that sale of certain town properties, including one on Miller Pond Road (.5 acres), Freeman Road (5.77 acres with deed restrictions), and O’Neil Lane (2.94 acres), along with the current town-office property on Blanchard Road (.82 acres) may offset the cost of purchasing the Tilles property by $290,900. Those sales, combined with an estimated ADA grant and the existing and budgeted funds for the town-offices project could pay for all but about $30,000 of the total purchase and renovation price of the Tilles property, selectboard members said.

If Article 9 is voted down, the existing town office would begin renovations.

Contested Seats

Voters will be asked to choose between John Freitag and Brian Johnson for a two-year term on the selectboard. David Paganelli is running uncontested for a three-year seat. Those two seats are being vacated by Rett Emerson and Patrik Kelly.

The contested race has sparked at least some controversy on the Strafford Listserv. Toni Pippy, a current selectboard member, indicated she would resign on March 2 if Freitag is elected into office. She stated in her January 17 post that she “cannot go through the stress and anxiety that working with him causes.” Pippy, whose term is set to expire in 2024, posted that a day after Freitag announced his candidacy on the listserv.

Gigi Graner, in a subsequent listserv post, said she, too, felt similarly challenged working with Freitag on the board of listers.

In a post seemingly responding to Pippy’s, Freitag noted his previous service on the selectboard and as a lister when a position needed filling unexpectedly.

“I am willing to bring up hard issues that can make some people uncomfortable,” he wrote, adding “I am deeply committed to transparency by our town- and school-governing bodies which for some has also caused distress. There have also been occasions … when I have been too passionate in advocating for what I feel is best for this town we all love. Hopefully I have learned over time how to do things better.”

Freitag has also served as a Herald correspondent, submitting news items to the paper regularly.

Voters will also choose between Sherm Wilson (incumbent) and Lauri Berkenkamp (challenger) for a three-year term as one of five cemetery commissioners.

All other elections are uncontested, including Kerrie Bushway for a three-year lister term, June Solsaa for auditor (three years), Sarah North for trustee of public funds (three years), Miriam Newman for a two-year library-trustee seat, Jeanne Castro for delinquent tax collector (one year), and Lisa Bragg for a one-year term as the agent to deed real estate.

Money Matters

At the February 18 informational meeting, the selectboard went over the general fund budget highlights. The municipal tax rate for 2022 is slated to decrease from 0.6939% to 0.6914%, according to the selectboard’s presentation. The proposed 2022 budget is $1,146,710, just $924 higher than the prior year.

The selectboard noted that a highway reconstruction bond the town has been paying off for many years will have its final payment this year. The town will also receive $318,476 as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Plans for spending the money must be made by 2024 and the funds must be spent by 2026. The selectboard will hold meetings with the Strafford community to decide on the use of the funds, which come along with certain restrictions.

Another item that caught the attention of some voters during the informational meeting was $4,800 proposed to go annually toward a pocket park fund. The funds would be used to hire a gardener to tend to the park and oversee community workdays. This article was added due to suggestions from the current volunteer caretakers and citizens.

Some citizens commented that volunteers should be used to take care of the park instead of a hired gardener. Others mentioned that volunteers can be unreliable and unrealistic which affects the upkeep of the park.

School District

There will be some musical chairs among the Strafford School District members. Sarah Root’s three-year term expires this year and she’s running for a return to the board, but this time in a twoyear seat, which is being vacated by Aaron Dotter. Maggie Hooker is on the ballot to finish out two years of a three-year term, replacing Glenn Wylie. Root’s three-year term is open and will be looking for a write-in.

Voters will decide if the school board can spend $3,545,997 for the next fiscal year—$19,573 per equalized student. That total is $191,878 higher than the current year’s budget, or a 5.72% increase. Despite the rise in the budget, Strafford’s residential school tax rate is actually expected to go down by nearly eight cents, to $1.66.

Strafford’s annual town meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 1 virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ballots were sent out to voters after being finalized on February 9. Voters can still vote in person at the town office on March 1.

Original story can be found at The Herald.