Weare voters rejected the town operating budget but approved the school operating budget on Tuesday, and made a decision that leaves a decade-old debate about town-owned land on East Road even less settled than it was before.
Voters approved both warrant articles concerning use of 137 acres of land purchased by the town in 2013, even though the articles say different things. Article 24 would keep 20 acres on East Road, including a gravel pit, for continuing gravel pit extraction and “recreational purposes” with the rest covered by a conservation easement overseen by a regional group, while Article 26, by petition, would separate out a portion of flat land, including some used as a hay field, and also keep it for town “recreational purposes and ballfields” rather than conservation.
Both warrants were narrowly approved: 953-911 for Article 24 and 947-909 for Article 26.
It’s not clear what happens next with the land, which the town bought back in 2013. It may be that Article 24, approved by the select board, has precedence over Article 26 submitted by voter petition, but that isn’t certain. The select board is likely to discuss the matter at its next meeting.
In other votes, Weare residents overwhelmingly rejected a $8.57 million operating budget, up 9.3%, 1,174 no votes to 743 yes.
After his vote Harvey Letendre, 80, expressed what is probably a common sentiment: “They keep on going up on the taxes every year. Then the following year they want to spend, spend, spend, spend, spend,” he said. Letendre said that in 32 years taxes on his house have gone from $1,200 to $5,800 a year.
Voters OK’d, 959-870, a petitioned article that would limit all appointed positions on town boards and committees to two consecutive terms, with people not being eligible to serve again for three years.
Most articles passed, including a new police contract and pay hikes for highway, fire/rescue and non-union personnel in town.
Voters rejected turning a part-time library position into full-time, and also rejected a petitioned article that would have ended the practice of putting 75% of land-use change tax into the conservation fund, used to purchase land and keep it from development. The tax is paid when private property is taken out of the “current use” tax category in order to be developed.
A petitioned article would limit all appointed positions on town boards and committees to two consecutive terms, with people not being eligible to serve again for three years.
On the school ballot voters approved a $10.1 million school operating budget and a two-year teachers contract that will cost an estimated $231,000 more in the upcoming school year and $161,000 the following year.
In the only contested race on either the town or school ballot, Kristen Lundeen was elected supervisor of the checklist, 918-507 over Maria Fossiano.
