Woodstock approves operating budget and multiple capital reserve and infrastructure measures at March 11 town meeting

Woodstock voters on March 11 approved the town’s recommended operating budget and a slate of capital reserve and infrastructure articles, the moderator announced, continuing the town’s regular annual business session.

The town accepted the budget committee’s recommended operating budget of $5,738,134, and approved funding and capital-reserve deposits across departments including water, sewer, highways, fire and police equipment, the library and town buildings. Town Moderator Kenneth Chapman read the articles, called for motions and put each item to a voice or card vote; he then declared the results after the polls for some items were closed.

The budget measure matters because it sets the town’s spending plan for municipal services, and voters also approved several borrowing-authority articles that authorize the Select Board to issue bonds, notes, or lease agreements and to apply for state and federal aid where available.

Key votes and measures

Votes at a glance (amounts are as read into the meeting; vote totals are the ones announced in the transcript where specified; where a tally was not recorded in the transcript the result is reported as “passed” per the moderator’s announcement):

- Article 6 — Operating budget: Approve $5,738,134 for the town operating budget. Outcome: passed (moderator announced no opposition at the voice vote).

- Article 21 — Water department capital reserve deposit: Approve $170,000 to be placed in the existing water department capital reserve fund,…