Roads Are All the Rage
At Brookfield Meeting
By Norman Runnion

The mounds of snow outside were huge, the zero-degree winds howled, stripping the sunny sky of any semblance of warmth, and the rhetoric inside occasionally became vaguely heated, as befitting the sacred First Tuesday in March. This all meant that Brookfield had a vintage town meeting.

"It was all about Vermont," said one townee. No impeachment votes, no anti-war sentiments.

The big world outside couldn’t penetrate the cold. Oh yes, there was a mention or two of global warming, as in weatherproofing homes, but mostly that discussion reflected a recent New Yorker cartoon—"Long range, I worry about global warming. Short range, I’m freezing my butt off."

In elections, all incumbents were returned to office and the town and school budgets passed easily.

The focus of the day-long meeting in the elementary school was on town roads—whether just to maintain them or to rebuild a couple of particularly bad sections, and if so, who should do it? Outside contractors or the town’s three-person road crew? The selectmen wanted outside expertise, and their arguments carried the day.

As for money, voters approved a $732,235 town budget plus a $3000 contribution to assist repairs to the Chandler Music Hall in Randolph. Some people thought the money could be used elsewhere in town, while others successfully argued that Chandler’s programs, including those for area students, were a blessing and an asset.

While there was discussion about Chandler’s $3000, there was not a peep about the area’s White River Valley Ambulance service, whose increased budget requests caused controversy in other county towns. When Brookfield voters passed the town budget, they automatically approved a line item of $56,323 for "ambulance service." Last year the town’s contribution was $38,479.

A total of $10,385 also was approved, without debate, for various organizations which had requested Brookfield dollars, ranging from $3,050 for the visiting nurses program to $1000 for the widely used Randolph Senior Center and $100 for Interfaith Caregivers.

Roads, Roads, Roads

But it was the condition of town roads that led to a discussion of more than an hour. At issue was a proposal by the selectmen for an expenditure of up to $20,000 for reconstruction of Class 2 roads in Brookfield, specifically a 2.4-mile stretch of the lower part of West Street, and of the Crossover Road which runs from Ridge Road to the upper portion of West Street. The $20,000 is 20% of the projected cost, with the state willing to pick up the remaining 80%.

Leading the charge against the idea were two new candidates for selectmen, Justin Poulin, who lives on Bear Hill Road, and Sidney Cushing, whose property is on Stone Road. Both thought the town road crew could do the job for less money.

Sid Cushing highlighted Vermont Town Meeting at its best when he rose to support an amendment, offered by Poulin, that would put the rebuilding in the hands of the town crew rather than an outside contractor. It was his third attempt to speak, and Moderator Richard Mallary ruled him out of order, saying it was state tradition for voters to speak only twice on one subject.

Cushing was stunned and indignant. "It’s a free country," he told Mallary. "I pay my taxes. I have a right to speak at Town Meeting."

So Mallary put it to a vote, asking Cushing’s neighbors in town if they wanted him to continue speaking his views. By an overwhelming voice vote they said yes. But by an equally loud voice vote, they proceded to reject the amendment Cushing was supporting.

The case for rebuilding those two stretches of road, rather than just fixing them up, was made by Selectman John Benson, who is an engineer by profession, the town fire chief, and a new member of the board appointed to replace Bill Johnson who moved to Williamstown. Benson and Poulin, who wanted to replace him, could have been playing ping pong the way they bounced balls at each other.

In the end, voters turned down the idea of local option.

Poulin, however, walked the walk. He noted that the parking lot of the elementary school needed work and that a school facility review committee has recommended two options—pave with asphalt at a cost of $27-34,000, or with stay mat/hard pack for $19,000. Poulin said if the school would buy the stay mat, he would bring his own equipment down and do the rest of the job for free. Board chair Linda Runnion replied happily, in effect, "Let’s talk."

Incumbents Prevail

Although Poulin and Cushing led an interesting and thought-provoking discussion on roads, it didn’t pay off for them at the polls which opened before the talking points of the meeting. Incumbent Benson defeated Poulin in balloting, 123 to 59, and incumbent McPhetres beat Cushing 149 to 33.

There were no other contested races, and no candidates for such offices as second constable or agent to deed land. Mallary easily was chosen again as town and school moderator. And in a "love thy neighbor" moment, the names of 18 townspeople were written in for a vacancy as town grand juror, and another 17 had their names offered for second constable.

As for school issues, Kristen Husher, the only candidate, was elected to a three-year term on the school board, replacing Mike Fiorillo, who chose not to run again.

School Budget

The school budget of $1,314, 918 passed handily, 122-70. The school board carefully scrutinized the proposed budget and, with the help of principal Bob Rosane and business manager Robin Pembroke, came up with a figure that was a startling 4.1% less than last year. Voters also approved $20,000 for support of the school bus replacement fund, 151-41, and $40,429 for support of the building maintenance fund.

In years past the school portion of town meetings often was the most contentious, but that changed—unfortunately, some people argue—when Brookfield went to Australian balloting, which means an up or down vote with no discussion. Still, problems do loom, and they surfaced during an hour-long discussion of recommendations to the board by the eight-member Facility Review Committee.

It noted, for example, that the oil tank must be replaced as soon as possible, that the roof leaks, and that windows need to be replaced.

Those present Tuesday came up with a fist-full of other suggestions for the board to consider, including a contention that the playground is "unsafe," that new and more comfortable chairs (which are used by large adults at town meetings) should be purchased, and that the present carpet, which gets dirty, should be replaced by tiles "that can be cleaned with a mop."