Windham County Sheriff's Department
~ Breaking News ~

By HOWARD WEISS-TISMAN, Reformer Staff
Brattleboro Reformer

The move, which passed by a 42-30 vote, will add 3 cents to the tax rate.

The total amended budget of approximately $1.6 million was later passed by a voice vote.

The vote to add the $90,000 to the budget was done by paper ballot after a motion was made from the floor.

The village trustees this year slashed the police force by 25 percent in an attempt to control a ballooning deficit.

The 2006-07 budget deficit will probably end up at somewhere near $100,000, even with the cut to police service in the past year.

The village is going to pay down this year's deficit with most of the $143,000 it is going to receive as part of the settlement with TransCanada over the value of the Bellows Falls dam.

But even after village residents rejected the budget last year and ordered the trustees to find a way to save money, a majority of the 72 people at this year's meeting approved adding the $90,000 to increase law enforcement in the village.

Most of the debate at Monday's meeting centered around spending and law enforcement.

"Why aren't we talking about economic development," argued Beth Stickney prior to the vote. "Let's not slit out throats by cutting police and fire."

But not all of the comments were made in favor of adding the money to the budget.

Jim McAuliffe said he was concerned that whatever amount was added to the budget, without proper management, could cause a deficit to crop up at some time.

"This is a management problem," McAuliffe said. "We have a real credibility issue here. You need to operate in that budget."

Doug MacPhee also voiced concern about the way the village was being managed.

"Last year when we agreed on the money I asked, 'Can we live within this budget?' And here we are again with a sizeable deficit."

Municipal Manager John Schempf said the police force went over budget last year because the chief was forced to pay overtime to provide service 24 hours a day.

Schempf said that with the extra $90,000 in the budget, acting Chief of Police John Dunfee would be able to hire the two new officers necessary to provide the around-the-clock service without paying overtime to do it.

Jim Mitchell said increasing law enforcement back to full time was a quality of life issue and he implored his fellow village residents to support the $90,000 amendment.

"Crime doesn't take a holiday. Crime is 24/7," said Mitchell. "The police department is our one fine line between right and wrong and we have to support them."

Registered voters in Bellows Falls vote today for three seats on the board of trustees. They will also decide on a $1.2 million bond for extending the water system into North Westminster.

The polls are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Masonic Temple.

Howard Weiss-Tisman can be reached at hwtisman@reform-er.com or 802-254-2311 ext. 279.