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Town report approved as residents raise alarm over health-insurance and sheriff costs
Summary
The Town Report was approved after suggestions to improve budget-column headers. Residents pressed town officials about rising employee health-insurance costs and the county sheriff contract; the town manager said a local police department would cost more than $500,000 annually.
Voters approved the Town Officers' reports after Winston Chambers moved and John Pepin seconded the motion to accept the reports as written. Charlotte Mills asked that next year’s Town Report include a header above budget columns to make the numbers easier to follow; the motion passed by voice vote.
Discussion centered on employee health insurance and public-safety contracting. Winston Chambers noted that health-insurance costs have “almost doubled.” Town Manager Jackie Higgins said, “The Town offers 100% health insurance to employees. The cost for a single person plan is $1300 a month and the 2-person plan is $2600 a month.” On policing, Danielle Moffatt questioned the Orange County Sheriff’s budget, saying the town pays roughly $100,000 for 30 hours of coverage and suggested a local sheriff might cost $60,000 for 40 hours. Jackie Higgins said she had looked into having a local police department and that the cost would exceed $500,000 a year, adding the county figure rose from $70,000 to $101,400 when hours increased from 20 to 30.
The comments did not result in immediate changes to the warrant articles; the report approval concluded that item of business. Officials noted budget and coverage questions would be part of future selectboard discussion and budgeting cycles.
