Town Warning - This is the official website of Woodstock Vermont

WARNING
TOWN OF WOODSTOCK, VERMONT
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
February 24, 2024, And March 5, 2024

The legal voters of the Town of Woodstock, County of Windsor, State of Vermont are hereby notified and warned to meet on February 24th at 10:00 am, for an informational Meeting on Zoom and in person meeting in Town Hall, and on Tuesday the 5th day of March 2024 between the hours of 7:00 am until 7:00 pm to act on the following:

The legal voters of the Town of Woodstock are further notified that the informational hearing that will be held is for the purpose of explaining the articles that will be voted on by Australian Ballot. No changes to the articles can be made during these meetings. Due to Act 1 (H.42) of 2023, voted on by a majority of the Select Board all articles will be voted on by Australian Ballot.

FEBRUARY 24th at 10:00 AM
PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING
TUESDAY, MARCH 5th, 2024: AUSTRALIAN BALLOT – 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM

ARTICLE 1: To see if the Town will vote to collect the Town General, Highway, School Taxes and State Education Taxes on real property and all other taxes levied through the Treasurer under the provisions of Title 32 VSA Chapter 133 and fix the dates of payments as November 1, 2024 and May 2, 2025 and to require payment to be received by the Town Office by close of business on those dates.

ARTICLE 2: To see if the Town will vote to pay the Town Officers in accordance with Title 24 VSA, Section 932 as follows:
Select Board $1,000.00 per year
Town Treasurer $13,000.00 per year
Listers $28.15 per hour
Constable $25.76 per hour
Town Clerk $35.47 per hour
Moderator $100.00 each time serves

ARTICLE 3: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of Eight Million Twenty Thousand Three Hundred Fifteen Dollars ($8,020,315) which includes the specified sums of money to operate each department; and to raise by taxation the amount of Six Million Six Hundred Three Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy Five Dollars ($6,603,975) which is the necessary sum to defray operating costs for FY 2024-2025.

Culture and Recreation 461,500
Town Hall Building 83,000
General Government 826,504
Planning and Zoning 193,367
Town Clerk 233,237
Town Highways 2,268,006
Cemetery Maintenance 18,500
Sanitation 33,528
Welcome Center 80,581
Ambulance Department 1,470,724
Health Officer 3,700
Fire Department 661,399
Communications – Dispatch 495,583
Constable 10,850
Town Police 459,486
Select Board Contingency 315,250
Irene Bond 55,100
Economic Development Commission 350,000
Total $8,020,315

ARTICLE 4: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of One Million Three Hundred Thirty Five Thousand Five Hundred Thirty Eight Dollars ($1,335,538), which includes One Million Three Hundred Four Thousand Seventy Five Dollars ($1,304,,075) from user fees and Thirty One Thousand Four Hundred Sixty Four Dollars ($31,464) from other revenues, to pay the current expenses and debt of the sewer department for FY 2024-2025.

ARTICLE 5: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of Nine Hundred Dollars ($900) and pay each of the Trustees Three Hundred Dollars ($300) for the purpose of paying the Trustees of Public Funds for services rendered and approve the expenditure from the income of the Trust Funds for that purpose.

ARTICLE 6: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500) for the purpose of having the Public Trust Funds audited and approve the expenditure of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500) from income of the Trust Funds to pay for the Annual Audit.

ARTICLE 7: The election of Town Officers for the ensuing year as required by law including:
Select Board (3-year term)
Select Board (2-year term)
Select Board (1-year term)
Moderator (1-year term)
Lister (3-year term)
Auditor (1-year term)
Auditor (2-year term)
Auditor (3-year term)
Cemetery Commissioner (3-year term)
Trustee of Public Funds (3-year term)
Grand Juror (1-year term)
First Constable (1-year term)
Town Agent (1-year term)
Mountain View School District (3-year term)
Mountain View School District (3-year term)

ARTICLE 8: To see if the Town will assess a one percent (1%) local options sales tax in accordance with 24 V.S.A. Section 138 with proceeds to be allocated towards infrastructure costs with each expenditure approved and voted on by the Select Board at a warned public meeting.

ARTICLE 9: Shall the town vote to appropriate the sum of Fifty One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($51,250) for the Norman Williams Public Library to help support the operations and maintenance of the library.

ARTICLE 10: Shall the Town of Woodstock vote to raise, appropriate, and expend the sum of $1,800 for the support of The Special Needs Support Center to provide services to residents of the Town.

ARTICLE 11: Shall the Town of Woodstock appropriate the sum of Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000) for the Ottauquechee Health Foundation (OHF). OHF is a nonprofit community resource that provides funding and support for individuals with limited financial means to help meet critical health and wellness needs such as medical and dental care, eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures, prescription co-payments and short-term caregiver services.

ARTICLE 12: To see if the Town will vote either or both of the exemptions listed for the buildings known as Mertens House, located on land owned by The Homestead Inc, for a period of five years.
A) Exemption from all local property taxes including local education, highway, and town general.
B) Exemption from the state education property taxes and to raise by property taxation a sum of money to pay the exempted amount to the appropriate entity.

ARTICLE 13: Shall the Town of Woodstock appropriate the sum of $2,500 (two thousand five hundred dollars) to Windsor County Mentors for youth mentoring services provided to the children of Windsor County.

ARTICLE 14: Shall the Town of Woodstock appropriate the sum of $500 (five hundred dollars) to Green Mountain RSVP & Volunteer Center of Windsor County to develop opportunities for people age 55 and older to positively impact the quality of life in the community of Woodstock through volunteer service.

ARTICLE 15: Shall the Town of Woodstock vote to raise, appropriate and expend $3,500 (Three Thousand Five Hundred dollars) for Senior Solutions, the nonprofit area agency on aging serving Southeastern Vermont, to serve older Vermonters and younger disabled Vermonters with nutrition and wellness programs, application assistance for state and federal benefit programs, Medicare enrollment guidance, long term care Medicaid program care coordination, Volunteer Visitor programs, and more, in accordance with 24 V.S.A Section 2691 (social services for town residents).

ARTICLE 16: Shall the Town of Woodstock appropriate the sum of $10,000 for the Woodstock History Center in support of their educational mission.

ARTICLE 17: To see if the Town will vote to either or both of the exemptions listed for the building known as Simmons Building, owned by the Ottauquechee Health Foundation, for a period of 5 years.
A) Exemption from all local property taxes including local education, highway, and town general.
B) Exemption from the state education property taxes and raise by property taxation a sum of money to pay the exempted amount to the appropriate entity.

ARTICLE 18: Shall the Town appropriate the sum of twelve hundred and fifty dollars ($1,250) to support programming of the Spectrum Teen Center. Our objective is to engage teens in healthy activities and make youth feel supported, welcomed, and included. There is no charge to attend our program.

ARTICLE 19: To see if the Town will vote either or both of the exemptions listed below for the building known as the Prosper Community House for a period of five years.
A) Exemption from all local property taxes including local education, highway, and town general.
B) Exemption from state education property taxes and to raise by property taxation a sum of money to pay the exempted amount to the appropriate entity.

ARTICLE 20: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of three thousand dollars ($3,000) to support the mission of WISE providing free and confidential 24-hour crisis support services and advocacy to victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, human trafficking, and stalking.

ARTICLE 21: To see if the Woodstock Voters will vote either or both of the exemptions listed below for the land and buildings owned by the Woodstock Associates now known as the Woodstock Recreation Center for a period of 5 years.
A) Exemption from all local property taxes including education, highway, and town general.
B) Exemption from the educational property taxes and to raise by property taxation a sum of money to pay the exempted amount to the appropriate entity.

ARTICLE 22: Shall the Town of Woodstock vote to raise, appropriate and expend the sum of $42,000 for the support of Pentangle Arts, founded in 1974 to provide arts programming for area schools, live performances, and feature film screenings 42 weekends for audiences of all ages.

ARTICLE 23: To see if the Town will vote either or both of the exemptions listed below for the land and buildings owned by the Woodstock Masonic Association Inc. for a period of five years.
A) Exemption from all local property taxes including education, highway, and town general.
B) Exemption from the educational property taxes and to raise by property taxation a sum of money to pay the exempted amount to the appropriate entity.

ARTICLE 24: Shall the Town of Woodstock vote to raise, appropriate and expend the sum of $20,000 for the support of Woodstock Area Adult Day Services dba Scotland House Adult Day Care to provide services to residents of the Town.

ARTICLE 25: Shall the Town of Woodstock vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Forty-Three Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($43,200), for the support of services of the Woodstock Area Council on Aging doing The Thompson Senior Center. The Thompson is an important community resource – providing daily meals, medical and area transportation, and an array of health, educational and social services that assist residents to age well.

ARTICLE 26: To see if the Town will vote either or both of the exemptions listed below for The Homestead Inc. for a period of five years.
A) Exemption from all local property taxes including education, highway, and town general.
B) Exemption from the educational property taxes and to raise by property taxation a sum of money to pay the exempted amount to the appropriate entity.

Dated at Woodstock, County of Windsor, State of Vermont on this 23rd day of January 2024.

By the Select Board members of the TOWN OF WOODSTOCK:

Ray Bourgeois, Chair

Susan Ford, Vice-Chair

Keri Cole

Greg Fullerton

Laura Powell

F. Charles Degener, III
Town Clerk

NOTICE TO VOTERS

Woodstock residents not on the voter checklist may register to vote at the Town Clerk’s office in the Town Hall.

Absentee ballots are available from the Town clerk prior to 12:00 pm on March 1, 2024. A voter who expects to be an early or absentee voter may apply for an early voter absentee ballot until 12:00 pm at the Town Clerk’s Office.