Bethel Town Hall Roof
Will Be Fixed: Guaranteed
By Chris Costanzo

The big surprise at Bethel's town meeting was a pledge from Charlene Bostrom that she and her husband Ken would make up any shortfall between money available in the town hall fund and the cost of replacing the roof of the building.  

Amy Bergamo, chair of the town hall finance committee, had reported that the town hall fund currently has $86,694.79, including recent private donations of about $20,000. Bergamo noted that the additional $25,000 would place the town close to the $124,000 estimate to replace the town hall roof.

Bostrom, whose family has been in Bethel for several generations, rose to support the appropriation, characterizing the town hall building as "Bethel's jewel," that she has loved all her life. She then made her family's commitment to make up any shortfall in replacing the roof.

"Whatever the town is short of we will make up the difference," she said 

The $25,000 appropriation then passed overwhelmingly by a paper vote of 116 to 55. Afterwards, Bergamo declared herself "ecstatic" over the outcome.

Davis Dimock, a town hall restoration activist for many years, later commented, "There are now no more obstacles to getting a new roof for the town hall building."

Selectman Neal Fox survived a challenge by Chris Hemond for his selectboard seat. Fox spoke on the selectboard's success in keeping taxes reasonable by prioritizing town projects and using common sense. Hemond noted that people are conditioned to certain negative reactions by such words as "taxation." He said he wanted to go past any reflex reactions and move forward into new areas beneficial to the town's future.

In the end, the voters reelected Fox for a new three-year term by 117 to 74.

The rest of town meeting proceeded quietly. The proposed town budget, which will require $813,236 to be collected by taxes, sailed through by a voice vote. There was no dissent or discussion, even though the budget, when combined with additional appropriations, will raise Bethel's municipal 12-month property tax rate by 20%, from $0.75 last year to $0.90 this year. 

Perhaps the best explanation for voter acquiescence to the new budget is that over the past five years the town's tax rate has barely budged, so the voters seemed to accept the inevitable this year.

The appropriations for local human services agencies (including the state-wide Vermont Association for the Blind) totaled $14,550 (up from $13,725 last year), and passed without dissent. 

The $88,018 appropriation requested by the White River Valley Ambulance (WRVA) service predictably engendered some discussion since it represents a 42% increase over last year's $61,968. Louise Ferris-Burt offered an amendment to lower the request by $8,000 on the grounds that the WRVA had overestimated its real estate taxes in its projected budget. However, voters seemed to side with Don Hyde, who felt it unwise to start disputing specific line items, and the amendment failed.

Selectboard chair Neal Fox told the voters that he was "not thrilled" about the increases in the WRVA appropriation, but said he and the selectboard must share the blame for inadequate oversight. Bethel's representative on the WRVA board pledged that henceforth he will personally ensure that the selectboard receives periodic financial reports from the WRVA. The upshot was that the voters approved the $88,018 ambulance service assessment by a paper vote of 95 to 52.

The voters reëlected moderator Carroll Ketchum for a 23rd year and town clerk Jean Burnham was reëlected for a 38th year in the post. The voters also elected Mimi Burstein as a lister to replace Bev Washburn, who did not run for reëlection. Kent Batcheller and Deb Leahy were reëlected grand juror and town agent respectively. There were no nominations for a town auditor to succeed Rosella Leonard, who is not running again, so the selectmen will name a new auditor at a later date.