Windsor Selectboard candidate handled ‘gotcha moment’ well

I am writing in support of Thomas Demasi for Windsor Selectboard. After watching the “Meet the Candidates” forum and the shameful “gotcha moment” aimed directly at Thomas (“Town Meeting: Windsor Selectboard candidate’s photo from Capitol riot raised at forum,” March 1), I was impressed by his calm demeanor, and response. I have heard it said several times lately that the Windsor board needs more adults in the room, people who don’t have meltdowns and tantrums when issues that they are espousing are questioned. Thomas appears to be that adult. With his engineering background, he seems like the ideal candidate to help Windsor to continue to move forward.

Jeffrey A. White

Windsor

Mount Ascutney School District tax rate response

We feel it is important to correct the misinformation included in Daniel Worts’ letter to the editor of Feb. 28 (“Yes on Mount Ascutney school board challenger, no on budget increase”). In it, Mr. Worts wrongly claimed that Mount Ascutney School District’s spending has increased by 16.5%. This is inaccurate. The school district budget being voted on for fiscal year 2024 has an increase of 3.55%, less than half the current rate of inflation.

The 16.5% actually refers to the equalized pupil spending rate, which rose because our district’s student number fell in the last year. Total spending per equalized pupil remains roughly $2,000 below the state’s excess spending cap.

Tax rates are projected to be $1.66 for West Windsor and $1.51 for Windsor. Again, these are projections, based on all of the information we have right now. A year ago, when faced with a steeper climb in spending, we were able to buy down the tax rate using part of the budget surplus; unfortunately, we do not have a surplus this year, so we are not able to provide the same relief.

It is our wish to provide voters and members of our educational community with accurate information, so that they may make informed decisions at the polls on Town Meeting Day.

Please remember to vote this coming Tuesday, March 7!

For a more detailed discussion, please visit WOA https://woa-tv.org/site/ where a video of the district’s annual budget meeting will be posted.

Mount Ascutney School District School Board Members

Support renewable energy in Dresden, Hanover votes

When Hanover and Norwich voters go to the polls on Tuesday, March 7, they will see articles on the Dresden (Article 5) and Hanover (Article 9) school warrants pertaining to renewable energy. These articles call for the schools to transition to renewable energy with “strategies (that) seek effective and sustainable outcomes while being fiscally responsible.”

By voting yes on these articles, voters will voice their support for the Hanover and Dresden School Boards to establish policies for our school facilities and operations to increase energy efficiency and transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources. This is an important step for our schools to achieve the clean energy goals adopted by the communities that they serve. A strong demonstration of community support will also be helpful for pursuing school energy upgrade funding available from sources such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

For schools as for other organizations and businesses, a well-managed transition to higher efficiencies and renewable energy sources will create budget savings and produce a better-quality, healthier environment indoors and out.

Please vote on Tuesday, March 7, from 7 am to 7 pm. Hanover voters will vote at the Hanover High School cafeteria; Norwich voters at Tracy Hall.

Yolanda Baumgartner

Hanover

Linda Gray

Norwich

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