Opposition shows up, but ‘yes’ vote carries

By Jason Starr and Karson Petty

Not since 2008 has there been a Williston town budget vote as close as Tuesday’s.

After three weeks of early voting, a full day at the polls and a half-hour of vote-tallying, town officials announced the 971-to-788 passage of the town’s $13.1 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The budget’s $1.6 million (14 percent) increase over the current year — with funding for nine new firefighters and a new energy coordinator — stirred up a level of opposition among residents not seen in 14 years. The budget is estimated to create a tax increase of 15 percent, amounting to an increase of roughly $115 on the annual property tax bill for the median-priced home ($300,000) in Williston.

“On behalf of the members of the Williston Fire Department — thank you, Williston,” Fire Chief Aaron Collette said. “The addition of the firefighter/emergency medical technician positions included in the budget will have a direct impact on fire and life safety for the Town of Williston. They will enhance the fire department’s ability to meet our mission and protect our public.”

The hiring process for the new positions is already underway.

“We look forward to welcoming them to our emergency services team,” Collette said.

In total, 1,774 ballots were cast, 23 percent of the total number of registered Williston voters.

*Voters maintain socilal distancing at the Williston Armory on March 1st, 2022. Observer Photo by Al Frey.*

John Shook, a retired UPS driver and Williston resident of 32 years, couldn’t bring himself to say yes to the town budget.

“For the first time, I voted it down,” he said.

But it wasn’t so much the budget increase that swayed Shook’s opinion. He is more unhappy with the current direction of land development in town. Most benefits of recent development projects go to landowners, he said, instead of the greater Williston community.

“Everybody else is sort of getting the shaft,” said Shook. “It’s just not equitable at all.”

He feels his responsibility as a Williston resident to give input on town development, but admitted to not attending many planning meetings.

“I need to go to those meetings,” he said.

Shook did vote yes on the school budget, joining with the 3,395-to-2,204 majority across the Champlain Valley School District’s five towns in supporting the $89 million spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year.

The school budget increases spending by $4.1 million (4.8 percent) over the current year, enough new funding for 11 new educators and administrators, including four full-timers in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. The tax impact of the school budget for Williston residents is estimated to be an increase of 2 percent — roughly $93 on a median-priced home.

In a statement Wednesday morning, the Champlain Valley School Board thanked voters for the financial support.

“Our community, once again, came together in support of public education,” it said. “As the CVSD board moves out of the planning and development phase of the budget cycle and into the implementation, your voice remains an important part of the process.”

David Howell, a Williston parent, voted yes on both town and school budgets.

“I support the energy coordinator role and I want to make sure we’re adequately covered for our fire safety staff,” he said. “All the expenses requested seemed reasonable to me.”

It makes sense that town and school budgets are increasing since the cost of everything else seems to be rising, he said. As a father, Howell wants the best possible education for his child.

“I want to see the school thrive and be able to educate all our children there,” he said.

School district voters approved a $7.5 million bond (4,040 to 1,530) to pay for a variety of upgrades across five of the district’s six school buildings. In Williston, that means a cafeteria floor upgrade, sidewalk repair, a card access system and fire alarm upgrades at Williston Central School. Voters also approved $210,000 in borrowing for two new school buses.

Williston’s Tony O’Rourke supported the school’s budget.

“I thought it was a reasonable budget considering the constraints and the obstacles that the school district is faced with,” he said.

But he voted against the town budget, saying he supports the fire department staffing expansion, but wants other expenses to be reconsidered.

“My vote is not a complete ‘no’,” O’Rourke said. “There are some aspects that I support. It’s just a ‘no’ as (the budget) stands.”

In other results, Ted Kenney won a new three-year seat on the selectboard and Greta D’Agostino won a new two-year seat in uncontested elections. Angela Arsenault won a new three-year seat on the Champlain Valley School Board.

Town voters also approved — 1,311 to 454 — up to $280,000 in borrowing for a new ambulance.

Original story can be found at the Williston Observer.