#MiddleburyCT #Referendum
By MARJORIE NEEDHAM
Middlebury’s newest selectman, Jennifer Mahr, holds an opposing view from Middlebury’s first selectman, Edward B. St. John, and its next to newest selectman, J. Paul Vance, when it comes to the Wednesday, May 8, vote on three ballot items. Mahr announced she is voting against the town and capital projects budget and for the school budget. St. John and Vance support voting for all three items on the ballot.
Middlebury’s budget referendum will be Wednesday, May 8, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center at 1172 Whittemore Road.
UPDATE: Order of ballot questions changed with thanks to Dr. Romano.
The following three questions will be on the ballot:
Question 1: “Shall the 2024-2025 proposed Town of Middlebury Municipal Budget in the amount of $13,101,011.60 be approved?” ___Yes ___ No
Question 2: “Shall the proposed 2024-2025 Budget of the Pomperaug Regional School District #15 in the amount of $87,166,507 be adopted?” ___Yes ___ No
Question 3: “Shall the Town of Middlebury appropriate $2,488,000 for 2024-2025 Pay As You Go Infrastructure / Capital / Reserves from State Grants, Revenue and Undesignated Fund Balance?” ___ Yes ___ No
Mahr announced her intentions at a Board of Selectmen meeting and at the joint meeting of the selectmen and the Board of Finance, in a letter to the editor published in “Voices,” and in more than one Facebook post. She is urging others to also vote down the town and capital projects budgets. We believe this is the first time in Middlebury’s history that a sitting selectman has openly stated they will not support a town or capital projects budget and also is urging others to vote against them.
In a May 7 social media post, Mahr stated, “I have made no value judgement about the things either budget wants to pay for. In the abstract, everything has value and purpose.” Instead, she said she objects to the process that was used to arrive at the budget and capital projects numbers mainly because she says the process was not transparent and did not follow the town charter. Also in a May 7 post on social media, Mahr said she would be present at the polls most of the day Wednesday to “make myself available to any voters wishing to stop by and say hello, ask questions, or check in with their thoughts about Middlebury.”
Vance posted on social media that the town budget increase of just over $400,000 (a 3.41% increase) is more than 50% contractual obligations for salary increases and the addition of one new police officer and that most of the remainder of the increase is inflation related. He noted the capital projects are almost entirely paid for out of the rainy day fund and budget surpluses placed in an account to be used only for capital projects.
St. John also posted on social media, asking for support for the town and capital projects budget and noting that public safety is a major part of the town budget. He noted it includes a much needed police officer, an unfunded state mandated police department accreditation manager, and supporting the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department with personnel training and equipment upgrades along with other fiscally responsible town departments providing first class protection and services.
The budget procedure used this year did not differ from that of previous years when no objections to the procedure were voiced. Should both budgets be defeated May 8, cuts will be made to them before they are again presented at a referendum.
Will voters feel the alleged lack of transparency merits a “no” vote? If so, which items on the two budgets do voters want to see cut? Some things can’t be cut, like the salaries to union employees that are a contractual obligation to the town. Looking at the town budget, should funding for an additional police officer be cut? Should the MRA be shut down for the season? That would save over $100,000 in salaries alone.
In capital projects, unfunded state mandates for the police department to have a juvenile detention room and a different setup for the evidence room can’t be cut. Which of the town roads scheduled for crack sealing and chip sealing should be cut from the list? Which road drainage work or bridge repairs should be cut? Do voters want to forego upgrades to the town’s security systems or perhaps the funds for MRA upgrades? Do voters want to take away the funds for an automatic fire protection system and dealing with building heat loss at the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department headquarters? Or should Middlebury turn to bonding to pay for these projects?
All these questions will be on the table if the town and capital projects budgets are voted down Wednesday.
