Randolph Hope Voters
In a Good Mood
At Town Meeting
By M. D. Drysdale

A year ago Randolph voters, in a rare display of ire, turned down no fewer than six municipal budgets—both high school budgets, the elementary school budget, the town government budget, the police budget, and the capital budget.

School budgets were approved on the second try, but passing the town budgets took three tries, finally being accomplished in June.

This year town and school officials are cautiously optomistic. They've been encouraged by thumping approvals for the high school and technical school budgets—and by a budget committee report that is far different from last year's.

The three-person budget committee last year took the unusual step of opposing the town budgets, but this year, the group—with two new members—issued a short and generally positive report.

In fact, the general government budget being proposed by the selectboard at $1,388,838 is down from the $1,449,000 proposed last year, and the tax impact is less as well.

The proposed highway budget, at $1,211,747 is 6.5% higher than last year's $1,138,000, mostly because of the increasing cost of fuel.

The police budget, which received an especial whipping in 2006, is about even with last year's.

Last year's capital budget took a steep climb to $975,117, and the newly proposed capital budget is a step beyond that, at $1,080,845.

The proposed capital budget—50% of it for past debt service—no longer has expenditures for the Chelsea Road, which is finally complete, but it includes $136,359 to complete the town's share of the Main Street Bridge.

Revenue of $200,000 from the Landfill Fund and $164,000 from surplus will lower the tax impact of the capital budget approximately to last year's figures.

The other big question before Randolph voters will be a proposal for a 20-year bond of $750,000 to bring Chandler Music Hall into its second century. (See separate story.)

Two New Requests

Requests for "Special Appropriations" include 17 that have been funded previously by voters plus two new requests. The Randolph Chamber of Commerce is requesting $2500 to help with its Fourth of July parade, especially for policing, and the White River Craft Center is making a first-time request of $3500.

The Chamber request was added to the ballot by the Selectboard even though the organization had failed to obtain enough signatures to put it on the ballot by petition.

That appeared to fly in the face of a previou Selectboard policy that any new request must be supported by a petition before it would be placed on the ballot. Selectmen Jim Hutchinson and Larry Townsend, however, said they thought he policy was flexible and exceptions had been made previously.

There are no contests for town offices. Kenneth Goss is running for the selectman's seat being vacated by Tom Schersten, and Selectman Larry Townsend is running to repeat.

School Meeting

There will, however, be one contested election in the school meeting. Gary Tallman is stepping down after several years of service. Brooke Dingledine is switching from the two-year term to the three-year term, leaving the two-year term open.

Running for that school board slot are Wally Caswell and Justin Johnson. (See separate story.)

Linda Minsinger is running to continue as one of Randolph's representatives on the Randolph Union High School board.

The school board's budget request of $4,364,796 for the operation of the elementary school is about $80,000 less than last year.

The board is also requesting that $45,000 of last year's surplus be transferred to a Venicle Replacement Fund and that the rest, $151,545 be designated for the Building Maintenance Fund.

Information Meeting Is Monday

Randolph's Town Meeting has been warned for 10 a.m. at Chandler Music Hall on Main Street.

All budget items and elections in Randolph are voted, not at the Town Meeting itself but in Australian balloting during the day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Chandler Gallery in the same building.

A public informational meeting on the budget and all warned articles will be held the previous day, Monday, March 5 at 7 p.m. in the Music Hall. By law, discussion on Australian ballot issues is not permitted during the Town Meeting itself, so those with questions should be sure to attend Monday.

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