Williston Observer 12-13-18

Page 1

CVU Redhawks Roundup pages 9-16

ECRWSS PRSRT STD US Postage

PAID

Permit #15 Williston,VT 05495 POSTAL CUSTOMER

DECEMBER 13, 2018

WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985

Spending up $2.1 million in school budget proposal By Jason Starr Observer staff

Champlain Valley School District administrators are recommending a $79 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year that increases spending by $2.16 million — 2.8 percent — over the current year. The Champlain Valley School Board plans a series of public meetings in the coming weeks to consider the budget’s details before finalizing a proposal for voter consideration at Town Meeting Day, March 5. The spending increase came in higher than the board’s 2.6 percent target and higher than the Vermont Tax Department’s guidance released Nov. 30. The department is asking school boards statewide to limit their collective spending increases to 1.7 percent. The board’s target is based on

WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM

Snow skaters

anticipated inflation measured by the national Consumer Price Index and the New England Economic Partnership. Last year — the first time the board prepared an annual budget after merging five school districts into one in 2016 — the budget did align with inflation. Reducing the increase to 2.6 percent would mean removing $168,000 from the proposal, according to school district Chief Financial Officer Jeanne Jensen. “We couldn’t get to 2.6 percent despite an awful lot of work to get there,” Jensen told the board at its Dec. 4 meeting. “You decide if that will be acceptable, and if not, we will go back and figure out how to take it out.” The increase is driven by an anticipated 11 percent increase in employee health care costs. That increase is subject to negotiations see SCHOOL BUDGET page 2

Town budget carries 3.3 percent spending increase Two new full-time positions proposed for upcoming fiscal year By Jason Starr Observer staff

The Town of Williston’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year includes a spending increase of 3.3 percent over the current year that would result in a roughly 1 cent increase in the municipal property tax rate. Town Manager Rick McGuire introduced the proposal at the Wil-

liston Selectboard’s Dec. 4 meeting. The board plans to finalize the proposal over the coming weeks to present to voters at Town Meeting Day, March 5. The $11,482,345 plan has $371,310 more in spending than the current budget. The resulting tax increase would set the municipal tax rate at 27.5 cents for every $100 of assessed value. The increase would cost the owners of a $300,000 home, for example, an additional $18 on their annual property tax bill. The budget includes the addition see TOWN BUDGET page 2

OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY

Above, Wylie Tharp executes a kick flip while snow skating a hill Saturday in Williston. Below left, George Francisco gets a little air. Below right, Danny Hunt goes for a run down the hill.

OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY

OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY

Give the gift of better hearing. Call 876-7167 today!

802.876.7167 64 Knight Lane | Williston

Conveniently located off Route 2A Handicap Accessible

Ample parking


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.