DRAFT MINUTES OF 2010 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
PAGE TWO
At 7:00, Moderator John Luther announced for voters to go to the Supervisors of the checklist to obtain secret ballots for the upcoming meeting.
Moderator John Luther called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at the Acworth Town Hall. He announced again for any voter that did not have their secret ballots to obtain them at this time from the Supervisors of the checklist. John announced that the polls would be open after the meeting for those who still had not voted. He then asked all to stand and join him in the pledge of allegiance.
Before Moderator began reading the warrant, Jim Brown moved that no item of the agenda may be brought up for reconsideration except at a properly warned adjournment of this meeting to take place on a date no sooner than March 18, 2011.
After brief discussion, 5 legal voters made a request, to vote by secret ballot, which Moderator granted. Request went to vote by secret ballot using letter "A". Meeting recessed briefly to count ballots.
Results of ballots cast:
YES 98 NO 40
REQUEST PASSED
Moderator then began reading the warrant.
ARTICLE SIX: To see if the Town will accept the minutes of the Town Meeting of March 9th, 2010.
Article six moved by Jim Brown. Seconded by Rob Vogel.
Peter Toner moved to amend the minutes in the town report of 2010 Town Meeting in regards to article nine as acted upon at the 2010 Town Meeting to include the discussion that made reference to the loader being a 1998 John Deere Model 544E with 15,237 hours of use and to be purchased from Nortrax Co. of Springfield, VT and that this information to become part of the town of Acworth’s permanent records.
After brief discussion, amendment was moved to vote by voice vote.
Moderator was unsure of vote so asked to vote again by show of hands.
Results of hand cont:
YES 45 No 78
AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE SIX FAILED
With no further discussion, article six was moved to vote by voice vote.
ARTICLE SIX PASSED
ARTICLE SEVEN: To see if the Town will empower the Selectmen to serve as pound keepers, measurers of wood and fence viewers.
Article seven moved by Ralph Balla. Seconded by Brian Gendron.
With no discussion, article seven was moved to vote by voice vote.
ARTICLE SEVEN PASSED
ARTICLE EIGHT: To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to borrow money in anticipation of taxes.
Article eight moved by Marianne Nevelson. Seconded by Sally Eaton.
With no discussion, article eight was moved by voice vote.
ARTICLE EIGHT PASSED
ARTICLE NINE: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate sixty two thousand nine hundred dollars ($62,900) for the purpose of purchasing an excavator as listed in the 2011 Capital Improvement Plan for the Town. The Budget Committee recommends this article.
Article nine moved by David Lacasse. Seconded by Marcie Maynard.
After much discussion, Bruce Bascom, motioned to move the question. Seconded by Lyman Young.
Moving the question was passed by voice vote.
Moderator announced there was a request by 5 legal voters to vote by secret ballot and to use letter "B". Meeting recessed briefly to count ballots.
Results of ballots cast:
YES 59 NO 86
ARTICLE NINE FAILED
ARTICLE TEN: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) to be placed in the Highway Equipment capital reserve fund. It is the intent of the Selectmen to take up and consider this article only if Article 9 is defeated. The Budget Committee and the Selectmen recommend this article.
Article ten moved by Rob Vogel. Seconded by Ralph Balla.
After much discussion, Jim Jennison moved to amend the article to $30,000.00. Seconded by Jim Brown.
After further discussion on the amendment, Ralph Balla motioned to move the question. Seconded by Rudy Klein.
Moving the question of the amendment was passed by voice vote.
Amendment was moved to vote by voice vote.
Moderator was unsure of vote so asked to vote again by show of hands.
Results of show of hands:
YES 82 NO 52
AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE TEN PASSED
After further discussion and clarification from the budget committee on the article, David Bascom moved the question. Seconded by Ralph Balla.
Moving the question was passed by voice vote.
Article ten as amended was moved to vote. Moderator announced there was a request by 5 legal voters to vote by secret ballot and to use letter "C". Meeting recessed briefly to count ballots and to distribute additional secret ballots in case needed.
YES 81 NO 65
ARTICLE TEN AS AMENDED PASSED
ARTICLE ELEVEN: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the Budget Committee recommended sum of $1,080,226 for general municipal operations with $81,000 to be applied to general municipal operations from fund balance. This article does not include Special or Individual articles addressed. The Budget Committee recommends this article.
Article eleven moved by Marianne Nevelson. Seconded by Jim Brown.
After much discussion, and questions on various budget line items, Bruce Bascom motioned to move the question. Seconded by Mary Lord.
Moving the question was not passed by voice vote.
Tom Esslinger motioned to amend this article to increase the budget by 15,000 for salt for a total of $1,095,226. Seconded by Marianne Nevelson.
After some discussion Ralph Balla moved question. Seconded by Ed Metsack.
Moving the question was passed by voice vote.
Amendment was moved to vote by voice vote.
AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE ELEVEN FAILED
After further discussion on the budget, Brian Gendron motioned to move the question. Seconded by Ralph Balla.
Moving the question passed by voice vote.
Article Ten was moved to vote by voice vote.
ARTICLE ELEVEN PASSED