Spurring discussion was the $1,000 stipend the town had been giving each year to the chairman of the planning board, whose pay was axed in the budget passed yesterday. Voters also scrutinized the $2,000 the library requested to hire a janitor, with some arguing that the librarian, aided by volunteers, should clean the building herself.
"The library trustees are saying, the library has a ton of volunteers, they make money downstairs. . . . I think we've got to cut this $2,000," said resident Brandon Giuda, who is also a state representative. After one of the library trustees, Carolee Davison, said that the librarian didn't have extra time to clean, resident Kathy Holmes responded by saying that "librarians have that job because they love books, work that's enjoyable, so I can't feel pity for them."
Voters ultimately gave the library trustees the money they wanted, but they weren't as generous when it came to paying planning board Chairman Thomas Jameson, who, apart from the selectmen, was the only board chairman getting a stipend for his work. That practice began before the planning board had a paid secretary, but given that change, the town's budget committee decided the stipend was no longer warranted, said committee member Jason Weir. "We don't want people who are down there for the money if they aren't willing to do it on a volunteer basis," Weir said.
But several people stood up to say that Jameson - who didn't speak yesterday - deserved compensation. Conservation commission Chairman Robert Mann said that while the other chairmen weren't paid, the planning chairman's position is "a little exceptional." "That person takes a lot of heat," he said. A motion was made to give the chairman a reduced stipend of $800. Voters rejected that amendment, leaving the budget line at zero.
Little else in the budget generated much debate yesterday, even as Moderator Doug Hall went through the proposal one department at a time and invited questions from voters. After the meeting, Hall said the 3½-hour session - which included a break for hot dogs and burgers prepared by the Chichester Cub Scouts - had been shorter than usual, though its focus wasn't out of the ordinary.
"It always seems the amount of debate is in reverse proportion" to the dollar amount in question, Hall said.
Under the budget approved yesterday, town spending on operating costs will decrease by about $7,000. But the town's portion of the tax rate is expected to increase by about 17 cents, which would mean an extra $34 in taxes for the owner of a home assessed at $200,000.
That anticipated increase takes into account warrant articles to spend $14,830 to replace the leaking roof on the community building and $9,640 to replace another on the Grange building. But it's also due to an expected drop in revenue, said Selectman Michael Paveglio. He said the final tax rate will depend on the accuracy of the town's revenue projections.
Residents yesterday also voted overwhelmingly in favor of a petition warrant article stating their opposition to the Northern Pass project, which would build high-voltage power lines through New Hampshire as part of its plan to carry hydroelectric power from Canada to southern New England. While the company's plans aren't definite, proposed routes would run through Chichester, and that "would be an economic disadvantage to this town," said Patty Humphrey, whose property is in the way of one of the possible routes.
Humphrey, who helped put the article on the warrant, told residents that the lines would lower property values and cause environmental damage, and others also stood up to voice their opposition to the project. The only person to offer a different viewpoint was Lou Barker, who said delaying the project would drive up the company's costs and the price of electricity for consumers, New Hampshire residents included. "Whether it's Massachusetts, Connecticut, it's all part of the power grid, and we'll see the price increase," Barker said. But Humphrey said that wasn't the case.
"We don't need this line," she said. "It will not be costing us any more to delay the project." Selectman Richard DeBold said the board is concerned about the project's impact on the town and has filed as an intervenor with the Department of Energy, which will allow the board to review documents related to the project and participate in hearings and any legal proceedings.
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