WELD — Residents at Saturday’s annual town meeting voted to take the next steps toward building a new firehouse and to use surplus funds to reduce taxes, while also increasing appropriations for several accounts.
More than 70 people, including families with young children, gathered at Town Hall, with more than 60 voting on most articles. The state estimates Weld’s population at 423.
Three articles related to a new firehouse generated lively discussion.
Michael Graham, a former selectman, told those gathered for the meeting that Weld should consider regionalizing its Fire Department.
“One fire truck today can cost $1.5 million,” he said, “and we could wind up with debt of more than $1 million for a new firehouse.”
Fire Chief Corey Hutchinson replied: “We’re an isolated town. The best case is that we’re 20 minutes from help (from another fire department).”
He said as much as 75 percent of the estimated $2 million cost of the firehouse could be covered by a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant, which would leave the town paying about $500,000 for the building.
Tom Saviello, a Franklin County commissioner and former legislator, told the meeting the town might be eligible for financial help because the Weld Fire Department serves two unorganized territories — Perkins Township and Washington Township — that include Tumbledown Mountain.
Tom Skolfield, the meeting’s moderator and another Franklin County commissioner, said the county might increase its spending for the unorganized territories, which would ease the burden on the town.
At least two steps have been taken to hold down the cost of the firehouse. Selectwoman Lisa Miller, who chairs Weld’s Fire Department Building Committee, said the septic system at the proposed site has been upgraded, and Hutchinson said the Fire Department and public works would share a wash station, reducing costs for both.
The site, known as the town garage and ballfield, is on Back Road, just off Phillips Road, which is also Route 142.
“We know this will be a tax increase,” Miller said.
She said that if the town had to borrow $500,000, taxes on a $175,000 property would increase by $57.49 a year on a 20‑year bond.
If the loan were $1 million, taxes on a $175,000 property would rise by $114.49 a year.
She said the town would begin paying on the bond in 2028.
In a secret ballot, as required for grants and borrowing, residents voted 56-7 to authorize the Select Board to apply for the USDA Rural Development grant.
In a 56-0 vote, the town also authorized the Select Board to borrow up to $1 million for the firehouse.
Select Board Chair Dina Walker said the board would have to ask the town to approve any loan amount and payback schedule.
Residents also voted to raise the proposed allocation for the Fire Department for the coming fiscal year. The increase boosts the stipends for the fire chief and assistant chief by $1,000 each above what the Select Board had recommended.
Hutchinson will receive $5,000 next year and Assistant Chief Stanley Wilcox will receive $4,000. They now receive $3,000 and $2,000, respectively.
Stipends to firefighters were increased by $2,000 above the $12,000 suggested by the Select Board. Voters also added $6,000 for small equipment for the Fire Department.
The increases will come mostly from surplus. Laureen Pratt, a member of the Budget Committee, said the town has $592,000 in surplus, which is more than the amount needed to run town government for three months. Skolfield said the town needs $300,000 to $350,000 to operate for that period.
The total public safety budget is $137,241, with $18,000 coming from surplus and the rest from taxation.
Residents also voted to increase the appropriation for general government by $3,200. Miller requested the money to cover training costs for a new town clerk who will succeed Carol Cochran, who is retiring this year after 50 years as town clerk and 49 years as tax collector.
Taxation will account for $104,548 of the $321,938 appropriated to operate town government. The remaining $217,390 will be covered by rentals, fees, tree‑growth reimbursements and state revenue sharing.
Two articles dealing with large gifts and expenses generated long discussions. Resident Richard Doughty and former Selectman Graham both said the Select Board needs to come to the town, at an annual or special town meeting, to approve large expenses.
An article to allow the Select Board to accept gifts and donations was defeated 30‑27, which means the board will have to ask the town to accept large gifts.
Walker said the town had “had issues” with an offer of $20,000 in equipment and money for the Fire Department, so the board asked for permission to accept such gifts without going to a regular or special town meeting. She said holding a town meeting costs between $1,000 and $2,000.
It was noted that the board could accept such gifts “subject to town meeting approval.”
On an article requiring town approval for large purchases made with reserve funds, Graham said Weld “needs to get back to the town authorizing large expenses.”
At issue was the board’s purchase of an excavator valued at $68,000, made without town approval and funded with reserve funds. Doughty said that when the town puts money into a reserve fund, it is not automatically authorizing any of the money to be spent.
Reserve funds help reduce the burden of large purchases by setting aside money each year in anticipation of future needs.
Walker replied that the board “had to move fast to get the best price” on the excavator.
Walker also said the excavator is being used “a lot,” and its use helped the town secure $600,000 in Federal Emergency Management Agency cleanup funds.
Answering a question from Skolfield, she said Weld has no ordinance requiring large purchases to go out to bid.
Residents voted by a show of hands to require the board to bring all future purchases of $10,000 or more from a reserve fund to the town for approval.
In elections held Tuesday, Miller, who ran unopposed for another term on the Select Board, received 59 votes.
Others elected included Stanley Wilcox to the Planning Board, with 60 votes (unopposed); Russell Banton, the incumbent, to a three‑year term on the Budget Committee, with 51 votes (unopposed); and Ernestine Hutchinson to a one‑year term on the Budget Committee, with 32 votes, followed by Stanley Wilcox, 29 votes.
Deborah Smith, an incumbent on the Regional School Unit 9 (Mt. Blue) board of directors, received 13 write‑in votes. No one filed to run for the seat.
Cochran said Smith has agreed to serve one year of the three‑year term so the town does not go without a school director. When Smith resigns, the position will be up for election in 2027.
The cover illustration for the town’s annual report was drawn by 8‑year‑old Evalyn Upton. Her artwork features a bee with the dates 1816-2026 on its belly, commemorating Weld’s 210th anniversary as a town.
She also helped during the meeting by carrying the microphone to residents who wished to speak on the articles. Skolfield “swore her in” so she could perform the task.
The town report was dedicated to Cochran, and residents honored her with a standing ovation. The town also plans to hold a retirement party for her and voted to allow the board to accept contributions for the event.
