RUTLAND — Voters had a lot of decisions to make as they went to the polls for the annual town election on May 8, the biggest being the $2 million Proposition 2½ override vote.
The budget passed at the May 6 town meeting will stand, since voters approved the override, by a vote of 856 to 650. The budget had passed May 6 contingent upon passage of the override at the election.
The town was facing numerous cuts to municipal services had the override failed, with town budgets pressured by increased costs that included school assessments.
Winning Select Board seats were Jennifer Leger, Paul Mattson and Harry Sechman, with a majority of the board elected May 8.
All three of those elected to the Select Board are new to the board. But they have some experience within town government.
Leger serves on the Historical Commission, Mattson chairs the Cable Advisory Committee and works in the cable department, and Sechman chairs the Capital Improvement Planning Committee.
The other two Select Board members include Leah Whiteman, the veteran on the board, and Tom Galvin, who was a write-in candidate last year.
A total of 1,509 voters decided seats on the Select Board that constitute a majority of the members. Voters picked two of the three candidates for the two three-year seats and one of the two seeking a one-year seat.
In the first Select Board race, voters chose Leger (847) and Mattson (710), with incumbent Leroy C. “Skip” Clark (695) polling out of the running.
In the second Select Board contest, to fill the remaining year of a three-year term, voters chose Sechman (687) over Jason E. Taylor (510).
In the Planning Board race, for one seat for five years: Keith M. Tuttle (738) out-polled Britton James Bradford (519).
Other positions on the ballot without contests and tallies in the preliminary results: Moderator, one position for one year, Randy E. Jordan (1,273 votes); Board of Health, one seat for three years, Elliott L. Nadeau Jr. (1,101); Library Trustees, two seats for three years, incumbent Tressa J. Santillo (991) and Anita I Byron (859).
The success of the override ballot question let town departments breathe a sign of relief.
“We are pleased with the faith and trust of the residents for supporting the entire town operations, and this will allow the fire department to continue to strive to provide the highest quality service possible to the town,” Fire Chief Seth Knipe said.
“I am very excited that the community came together to support town services. To the library it means a fulltime children’s librarian and the continuation of the quality library service Rutland residents have grown accustomed to. A community the size of Rutland deserves the dedication of a full-time children’s librarian,” said Kerry Remington, library director.
“The passing of this override will allow for long-awaited and much needed increases in staff hours as well as extended hours for programming and events. These increases will provide for additional services, resulting in better physical, mental and social well-being of our expanding aging demographic,” said Nancy Nichols, director of the Council on Aging.
“I am thankful that the citizens of Rutland voted to support the override. With the support of a fully funded budget, we will be able to provide a level of services that is consistent with what our community needs and deserves. Our fiscal 2023 expense budget was under- funded to the point that it was fully expended less than halfway through the fiscal year. The budget passed by the override will allow us to meet all our needs throughout the coming fiscal year, and will allow us a staffing level that promotes better responsiveness, increased public safety and increased officer safety,” Police Chief Nicholas A. Monaco said.
The question to change the town clerk position from elected to appointed was approved at town meeting. The ballot question was not needed but remained on the ballot. It passed 852 to 591.
There was no candidate on the ballot for assessor, one seat for three years.
