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Amendment to remove Williamstown Fire Department from general budget fails
Summary
A paper-ballot amendment to extract the Fire Department from the general budget failed 57 NO to 25 YES; the general budget ($1,477,834.30) was then approved by paper ballot (56 YES, 24 NO). Residents sought separate votes and itemized fire-department costs.
Voters debated whether to remove the Fire Department appropriation from the Town’s General Budget. Danielle Moffatt moved to amend the budget article to extract the Fire Department; the amendment prompted requests for itemized fire-department costs, the chief’s salary, and greater transparency.
The amendment was decided by paper ballot after a roll-call-style request; results recorded in the minutes show 57 NO and 25 YES, so the amendment failed. The main motion to approve the General Budget of $1,477,834.30 was then put to a paper ballot (requested by Winston Chambers) and passed, reported as 56 YES and 24 NO. Meeting discussion included history that the Selectboard assumed oversight of the Fire Department after the Prudential Committee was dissolved in the late 1990s. Residents urged greater selectboard engagement and transparency on fire apparatus repair costs and department staffing.
“Jackie Higgins explained where in the Town Report that you would find that information,” the minutes record, and procedural history about governance of the Fire Department was summarized by Barbara Graham.
