SoRo Selex Urge
Passage of Articles

We would like to take this opportunity to inform the voters of the Town of Royalton about three important public questions, which will be decided via paper ballot on Town Meeting day. We placed these articles on the warning in accordance with Vermont State Statutes, which calls for them to be decided by Australian ballot. This means that there can be no discussion of the articles during Town Meeting.

Discussions will take place during pre-Town Meetings, February 27, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Royalton Academy Building. The Board urges Royalton citizens to mark their calendars for this meeting, which will include reviews of the town and school warnings and their budgets.

The tree articles ask voters to eliminate the office of town auditors, limit the power and authority of the constables, and adopt the Town Plan.

Board members are asking voters to act favorably on all three questions.

For several years now, there have been vacancies on the board of auditors. During the past decade, the citizens that were elected or that volunteered to be on the Board did not serve full three-year terms. Advertisements to fill the positions have gone unanswered and as a result, currently there is only one auditor. As statutes call for a board of three, the ability of one member to take action is thus illegal.

Another factor in the selectboard’s decision to eliminate the positions is the fact that during the duration of the Chelsea Street bridge bond, a term of 30 years, the town is required to contract with professional auditing firm to review the town accounts. The selectboard is confident that the professional audit firm conducts thorough, independent investigations for the town financial records and works with the treasurer to improve accounting methods. The budgeting suggestions offered to the selectboard have also proved to be helpful.

In the past, the Board of Auditors has taken on the responsibility of putting together the annual town report. The selectboard feels this function can be efficiently and effectively performed through the cooperative efforts of the town clerk and our administrative assistant. They have willingly taken on the responsibility to produce this year’s report and have ideas for improvements to future editions.

For these reasons, the selectboard urges voters to approve the elimination of the office of auditor.

The second Australian ballot question asks to prohibit the constables from exercising any law enforcement authority. The selectboard established the Royalton Police Department during 2006 and appointed Robert Hull as police chief. Chief Hull reports to the selectboard and regularly shares information regarding the level of coverage needed and desired for the town.

Through joint efforts, a full set of policies and procedures for the department have been established. This level of communication is proving to provide a line of security coverage for the community that the board feels is very appropriate for the town. As the department is funded through the general fund, there are no funds to support activities performed by constables.

Constables will still be elected and may perform duties as listed in the statutes. These duties include service of civil or criminal process, destruction of animals, killing of injured deer, assistance to the health officer, service as a district court officer, and removal of disorderly people from town meeting. Reimbursement to the constables for performing any of these activities would require approval by the police chief.

The third question is approval of the Town Plan. The Planning Commission and the selectboard urge voters to approve this minor rewrite, which contains clerical changes. The commission is about to embark on a rewrite of the Town Plan based on input reviewed at hearing held over the past year and hopes to have a new document available for voter action next year.

Please do not hesitate to contact anyone of us, if you would like to discuss any of the above-mentioned items.

Peggy Ainsworth

John Dumville

Peg Trombly

Larry Trottier

____________