Wolcott amends budget, still needs assessor

The idea was pitched to save towns money and improve property assessment accuracy by sharing one dedicated assessor across a cluster of towns whose work was informed by but not reliant on town listers.

That proposal now only involves half of those towns, both in Lamoille County. According to Wolcott town clerk Belinda Clegg, Wolcott has abandoned the idea and is now faced with how to one day conduct a townwide reappraisal when scores of other Vermont towns are all clamoring to hire from a small pool of certified assessors.

Voters approved the budget minus the $11,440 allocated for the assessor on a voice vote.

Voters also agreed to table an article calling for the purchase of a .34-acre sliver of land that is part of the parking lot on Route 15 next to the post office. Clegg said the property is owned by Champlain Oil Company and there are too many unknown variables — including how spoiled the soil may be — to enter a purchase negotiation.

There was talk, though, about how the town could one day install electric car chargers in the parking lot.

“Someone traveling along Route 15 could stop and do a quick charge,” Clegg said.

All the 19 social service agencies requesting funding from the town received it, as part of an $18,560 package deal.

In non-binding business, Clegg said Sen. Rich Westman spoke of the importance for providing greater access to technical education for area youth.

There was also a small, aspirational discussion about the state someday taking over responsibility for North Wolcott Road, Clegg said.

Elections were done by Australian ballot and there were no contested seats.

Linda Martin and Allen Carpenter were re-elected to the selectboard for, respectively, three- and two-year terms.

Deborah Klein was elected lister, Amy Colbeth and Renee Brochu were elected as library trustees, and Krista Peck won a write-in vote for the cemetery commission.

Moderator Joe Ingram also garnered enough write-in votes to win re-election.