Rochester OKs Professional Audit,
Instead of Electing Auditors
By Martha Slater

Rochester Selectboard chair Larry Straus (left) makes a point at Rochester's Town Meeting Monday night, while fellow board member, Norm Prat, listens. (Herald / Tim Calabro)

For well over three hours Monday evening, Rochester voters flexed their democratic muscles on a wide range of issues.

After Selectboard Chair Larry Straus announced that town moderator Ethan Bowen was unable to attend this year and had indicated that he was no longer able to serve, Alan Bond was elected to that position.

After Straus thanked Norm Pratt (who had decided to retire) for his service on the selectboard, Bond reviewed Robert’s Rules of Order and the voters got down to business.

Marvin Harvey was elected as a selectboard member for a three-year term, and Joanne McDonnell was re-elected as town clerk and town treasurer. Also elected were Louis Donnet, lister, and Tom Schnabel, auditor, each for three-year terms; Rebecca Klein, auditor for a two-year term; Lisa Steventon, collector of delinquent taxes for a one-year term; and Jolanta Labejsza, library trustee for a five-year term.

In addition, Sandy Haas and Barbara Dehart were elected grand jurors, and Susan Disbrow as the town’s agent to prosecute and defend suits. Erik Baier was elected agent to convey real estate for a one-year term; Mike Harvey, trustee of public funds for a three-year term, and Tom Paquette, cemetery commissioner for a five-year term.

Budget Approved

The proposed town budget of $827,561; with $519,251 of that to be raised by property taxes, was approved on a voice vote. Straus noted that this was about a 4% increase over last year.

Fourteen agencies and organizations had requested appropriations totaling $124,289 under Article 8. Representatives of several of them rose to explain what the money would support, and the article eventually passed on a voice vote.

Voters also approved $10,000 to continue funding the Rochester Fire Dept. building reserve fund; $15,000 to continue funding the reappraisal reserve fund; and $10,000 for the Rochester Fire Dept. equipment reserve fund. An article requesting $45,000 to continue funding the town’s highway equipment reserve fund, passed on a voice vote, as did $5,000 for the cemetery reserve fund; for $1,000 for the emergency management reserve fund; and $8,000 for the records preservation reserve fund.

Auditors Eliminated

Considerable discussion was generated by a proposal to eliminate the office of the elected town auditor and authorize the selectboard to contract with a licensed CPA to perform an annual financial audit of all town funds. Straus explained that, as the finances of the town had become more complex and keeping the accounts had become more demanding, the board and the budget and finance committee had, for several years, discussed this possibility.

Many people expressed their opinions for and against the article, with maintaining local control appearing to be one of the big issues. The article initially passed on a voice vote, but was challenged and went to a paper ballot, passing by a vote of 79-46.

Article 17, asking support for the proposed ECFibernet project, also inspired a lot of discussion. Local resident Tucker Cruikshank spoke as a representative of that project, pointing out that approval of the article would not make the town financially liable in any way, and noting other areas where similar projects had been successful. He also answered a number of questions about rates, services, contracts, project financing and coverage areas.

The wording of the article was amended by Tim Crowley to read "consider" instead of "enter into" (referring to the proposed interlocal contract) and the amended version passed on a voice vote.

Voters also agreed to a non-binding resolution on Vermont education financing and property tax reform, and a new five-year exemption from property taxes for the Park House.

At the end of the meeting, Jerusalem Hill resident Becky Klein rose to express her appreciation for the hard work of the town road crew in keeping the roads clear. Norm Pratt also expressed his appreciation for the many years of service provided to the town by the late Donald Harvey, who died during the past year.

Rep. Sandy Haas reported that the legislature was having "a very busy year," noting that, with the current recession, "the biggest challenge is putting together a budget that doesn’t short the things we really want to do here in Vermont." She encouraged everyone to fill out the Doyle Poll, and said she particularly wanted to get their opinion on an item asking whether they would be willing to have a penny or two added to the gas tax to go toward fixing the state’s roads.

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