2.8 % Of Registered Fairfax Voters Attend Today's Town Meeting

[Henry]

Very, Very small crowd at today's Town Meeting.  Thank God for the Austrailian Ballot, so that at least a few more people express themselves at the polls.

Fairfax has 3290 registered voters and 93 came today to either the school or the town or both as they all registered when they came in.,

[Henry]

Since I don't hear well, would be happy to read other attendees reports on what transpired there.

[Henry]

There are a few items that I personally feel should be explained to the voters of Fairfax, that I don't feel capable of trying to explain.  One of the items was brought up by Pat McNall at the end of the meeting and has something to do with Anticipated Income of around $59,000. If you look at your Fairfax Town Report on page 12 down near the bottom of the page from what I could understand this anticipated income of circa $59,000 was not in the report.  I believe, again if I understood correctly that we have been getting this every year, so that things are not quite as dismal as they appear.

Another point that was brought up in the meeting is that no money was allotted to different people that requested money from the town.  One of them brought up by Barbara Murphy which was the visiting nurses association.  Barb, maybe you would like to explain what you were saying as I don't feel comfortable in trying to explain this.  I believe that nothing was given to anybody which did not set well.

Also, a very long and complicated discussion took place over an attempt to require the Selectboard and other departments to give a more detailed report of their expenses.  This proposed article got so complicated that not only I, a senior citizen, but many others could not understand it and felt the article would be too complicated to bring to a vote.

I think it is important, expecially with less than 3 % of the voters at the meeting that these items be explained somewhere and I am sure they will never make the local media in time to do any good before people vote on it, so maybe, just maybe they can be explained here.

[Barbara]

The Select board made the decision to not fund any of the Social Service requests that were made.  They felt it was each citizen's choice to make private donations.  Whether I agree with that decision or not, it is one the Board has the right to make.  I am concerned for the reputation of our community when a letter of request that includes contact information AND a follow up phone call to ensure the select board has the information it needs were not honestly responded to.  The Franklin County Home Health Agency requested about $8,700 from Fairfax taxpayers in support of its mission to provide care to every client whether they can pay or not.  The number is arrived at by using the 2010 Census figures for residents of the town and asking for $2 a person.  This was requested of all the member towns of our county.  Not only is Franklin County Home Health Agency a non-profit supported by many volunteers, it wrote off $600,000 worth of services to Franklin county residents last year.  I know from the testimonials I hear throughout the year, but especially at Town Meeting, how well supported the Agency is by Fairfax.   I will recommend the request be made as an article for next year so that the community can show its support.  Unfortunately the discourtesy shown by the Select Board in its lack of a timely response to the current request means the Agency will not be able to take that action for this year.
Barbara S Murphy, vice chair, FCHHA

[Henry]

I received a call from Bob Horr in regards to my request on the forum for someone to explain the $58,000 that Pat McNall was talking about yesterday.  Below is what he told me:

“Vermont has a program called Current Use and that term is given to land that is used primarily for wood lots and agricultural purposes.  If you adhere to the regulations as to how that land is used(ie cannot be developed), the property owners get a reduced tax rate on that property.  If this land has been enrolled in this Current Use Program and in this case Pat McNall suggests that there is a significant amount of land enrolled, the state reimburses the town the amount that they cannot collect from the tax payers.  The number that she was quoting was approximately $58,000.   Neither Bob, or any of the other selectboard members, were aware that this money comes to the town every year in late summer and has been for the past 10 years, therefore, they did not know that they could enter that into the anticipated revenue budget.  It will be in the future.”

A special thanks to Bob for giving me a call and telling me what to type in an effort to make sure the voters are aware of what this anticipated $58,000 is that was not included in the anticipated revenue.