By JOHN S. MCCRIGHT
LEICESTER — Voters in Leicester seemed to be in an agreeable mood in Town Meeting Day voting. They approved everything on the warning by comfortable margins.
The largest dollar-value item on the ballot also was the item that passed with the largest vote total — the town budget. Leicester residents voted 150-24 in favor of spending of $798,562 for town expenses, which represents an increase of $36,296, or 4.8%, from the figure approved last year. The meeting warning broke out that proposed spending at $330,972 for general town spending and $467,590 for roads.
Despite that hike in spending, the projected property taxes would actually slide almost $5,000, or 1%, to $590,319.
Voters also approved donating $1,000 apiece to the Addison County Economic Development Corp. and Turning Point Center of Addison County. They both earned 138 yes votes, which was about 100 more than the nays.
The only thing that could be called contentious was a petitioned item that asked voters to approve or deny the town authority to spend town funds to the Otter Creek Watershed Insect Control District (formerly the BLSG) to spay for mosquitoes — the petition didn’t specify an amount that could be spent. There was ample discussion on this article at Monday night’s in-person informational meeting. But when it came to voting, 131 residents said yes and 45 said no.
A slate of incumbents won uncontested elections for town office. They included John Rouse and Tom Barker winning three- and two-year seats on the Leicester selectboard, respectively. Town Clerk and Treasurer Julie Delphia was returned to those positions for three years. Beth Ripley got a one-year term as delinquent tax collector.
Also on that Tuesday, Leicester voters weighed in on a proposed Otter Valley Unified Union School District spending plan of $24,174,395, which will result in education spending of $18,629 per equalized pupil — 9.27% higher than spending for the current year. Across the six towns in the district — Brandon, Goshen, Leicester, Pittsford, Sudbury and Whiting — residents voted 755 in favor, 701 opposed.
Winning seats on the OVUUS school board where Kevin Thornton in Brandon, Fernanda Canales in Goshen, Brett Mullins in Pittsford and two at-large candidates, Brent Scarborough and Paul Lathrop. An open seat in Leicester did not earn enough write-in votes (10) to gain a winning candidate.
