By STEVEN JUPITER
BRANDON—At its regular meeting on Monday evening, the Brandon Selectboard unanimously approved the total tax rate for FY25, which comprises both the municipal rate for the town budget and the education rate for the school budget.
The total residential tax rate for FY25 will be 2.6691, an increase of 0.2794 (11.69%) over FY24. The total nonresidential tax rate for FY25 will be 2.8594, an increase of 0.2497 (9.566%) over FY25.
The residential tax rate applies to primary residences, while the nonresidential rate applies to all other taxable real property.
A rate of X means that a homeowner will pay $X per $100 of assessed property value. To calculate the tax liability for any residence, divide the assessed value by 100 and then multiply the result by the applicable tax rate. So, if a primary residence is assessed on the Grand List at $100,000, for example, then the tax bill on that house will be $2,669.10 (100,000/100 = 1,000. 1,000 x 2.6691 = 2,669.10). A vacation house that is assessed at $357,000 on the Grand List will have a tax liability of $10,208.06 (357,000/100 = 3,570. 3,570 x 2.8594 = 10,208.06).
However, the final tax bill for a primary residence will also depend on the income of the household, because the state will adjust the tax liability based on “income sensitivity.” This program lowers the tax liability for households whose total annual income does not exceed $128,000. The maximum credit for the education portion of the tax bill is $5,600, while the maximum credit for the municipal portion is $2,400. The state will calculate the credit and notify both the homeowner and the town in which they domicile. The credit is then applied toward the homeowner’s tax liability and will be reflected in the tax bill issued by the town.
Town Manager’s Report
Brandon Town Manager Seth Hopkins presented his report to the Selectboard. The report is reprinted in full in this issue of The Reporter.
Of particular note was Mr. Hopkins’s statement that town spending and revenues for FY24, which ended on June 30, were in line with the projections in the budget for that fiscal year.
Also of note was Mr. Hopkins’s recommendation that the board hold onto $100K in unspent paving funds left over from FY24 until the paving bids for FY25 paving projects come in and the board gets a clearer picture of actual vs. estimated costs.
That “extra” $100K resulted from savings on the Arnold District Road paving project last year. The project had been estimated to cost $350K. The actual cost of the project was $250K, because the town’s Highway Department was able to complete much of the work that it had initially expected to contract out. $200K of that cost was covered by a paving grant and the town used $50K of a $150K Highway Department carryover from FY23. This leaves $100K in unspent paving funds that the town can use either to fill funding gaps in planned paving projects this year or to complete smaller paving projects around town.
Recreation Department Report
Rec Director Bill Moore presented his report to the board. The full report can be found on the town website in the Selectboard packet for 7/22/24.
Of note was a discussion regarding the reimplementation by Brandon Rec of tackle football for middle-school kids. The Vermont Principals Association (VPA), which oversees school athletics throughout the state, had decided to allow tackle football for middle schoolers once again after it had previously prohibited it in favor of flag football.
Board member Tim Guiles asked Mr. Moore about the safety of the decision, given the attention that has been paid recently to the potential damage caused by tackling. He also asked about the town’s legal liability in case of injury. Board Chair Doug Bailey echoed those concerns.
Mr. Moore stated that the prohibition of tackle football in Vermont middle schools had triggered the formation of independent, unregulated football clubs where proper supervision couldn’t be guaranteed. The VPA had wanted to bring those kids back into an environment where they could play tackle football with proper supervision. Mr. Moore explained that a similar rationale guided the Rec Dept’s own decision.
Board member Heather Nelson expressed gratitude to the Rec Department for its summer theater program, Camp Broadway, which her daughter had greatly enjoyed.
Appointments
Following a brief executive session during which the board interviewed applicants, the board voted unanimously to appoint Shirley Markland to the Historic Preservation Commission for an indefinite term and Olya Hopkins to the Otter Creek Watershed Insect Control District for a term ending at Town Meeting in 2025.
Warrants
The board unanimously approved two warrants in the amounts of $65,803.70 and $111,364.42 to cover obligations and expenses. The town paid two warrants because it is still settling expenses from FY24, which ended on June 30.
Board member Brian Coolidge expressed regret at not having spoken more forcefully at a previous meeting against the installation of two water fountains on Seminary Hill, one in the dog park and one in the playground. He called the fountains an unnecessary expense, even with the Water District paying half the $7,200 cost and donations covering $2,500 of the remaining amount. He suggested that a spigot would be sufficient and would reduce the likelihood of vandalism.
Deputy Town Manager and Rec Director Bill Moore countered that a spigot would be unsafe, impractical (it can be left open), and unbecoming. He stated that significant effort had been put into the parks on Seminary Hill and the fountains would help improve the facilities.
Ms. Nelson added that the fountains would help improve accessibility for those with mobility issues.
