In March, Duxbury approved a municipal tax rate of $0.478, up $0.16 from the last two years. According to Duxbury Select Board chair Dick Charland, this increase is too much. “I feel like we have to make an adjustment,” Charland said.
The town will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, August 15, at 7 p.m. at CrossettBrookMiddle School that is open to all who are residents and registered voters. At the meeting, the select board will ask townspeople to approve several articles that would allow the town to take money from its Capital Reserve Fund and take out a loan to help pay for outstanding repairs and stabilize the tax rate.
Specifically, Article 1 asks voters to approve the disbursement of funds not exceeding $35,000 from the Capital Reserve Fund to match the town’s Agency of Transportation grant and cover the town’s share of repairs to the Pollander Brook culvert and bridge #41 on Camel’s Hump Road.
Article 2 asks voters to approve the disbursement of $60,000 from the Capital Reserve Fund to repair erosion caused by the WinooskiRiver on River Road.
Article 3 asks voters to approve the disbursement of funds not exceeding $75,000 from the Capital Reserve Fund to purchase a 1.5-ton truck to replace the town’s 2004 Chevy Silverado pickup truck.
And Article 4 asks voters to approve the town taking out a loan not exceeding $250,000 and for no longer than a five-year term that would help supplement the current budget and thus lower this year’s municipal tax rate.
At a select board meeting that took place on July 9, town treasurer Ken Scott and town certified public accountant Bill Yacavoni proposed a retrenchment of the 2012 budget that they believe will eliminate or reduce the town’s borrowing needs.
The board did not comment on this alternative plan at the time, although Charland has stated that he feels it does not take into account all of the town’s various needs and expenses.
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