The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 3

Sljr furlinyton Wednesday, March 7, 1979 National Tax-Cut Fever Has Little Effect By TED TEDFORD Free Press Staff Writer Tax-cut fever has swept some parts of the country, but when it came to local spending, Vermonters retained their independent frame of mind on Town Meeting Day Tuesday. Although Burlington voters defeated increases in their city and school tax rates, they approved $2.7 million for bonding for two connecting roads and $530,000 for a new fire station. That's the way it went in many communities around the state. Most of the budgets handed to the voters were approved without change, but in some towns the voters cut selected items and some even added a little. Two major exceptions were St.

Albans City and Colchester. St. Albans City voters rejected a 63-cent special school tax and a 57-cent special city tax. While they were at it, they also rejected a public kindergarten, binding arbitration for city employees and fluoridation of city water. Colchester voters Monday night rejected a $1.3 million town budget proposed by the selectmen.

Another vote is to be held within 30 days. Here is how the votes went in a smattering of towns where individual items were cut or where changes were made in town and school budgets: Faced with a problem of deficit spending in the selectmen and highway budgets, voters in Braintree cut their $247,072 school budget by $10,000. Town Clerk Helen Bowen said that even though the town spent $2,000 less than the $150,000 voted last year for town government and highways, the town was running in the red. So, she said, the voters agreed to proposals to reduce the Selectmen and Highway budgets to $90,000, but raise the town tax rate 40 cents. The tax rate last year was 95 cents and for the next year it will be $1.35.

The 42 voters in the town of Victory rejected the town budget and decided to stick with the same tax rate of $1.35 the town operated under last year. The voters apparently didn't have any definite figures to talk about, according to Town Clerk L.K. Stanley, because the grand list is not firmed up. He said he expects that will happen sometime in May. "It's awful hard to get a boost now," he said, because "everyone thinks we've just about got to a peak." West Fairlee voters were happy with their school budget, but not with two bond issues totalling $175,000 to renovate and add to the elementary school.

The issues were defeated 77-43. The board wanted to add classrooms plus a multipurpose room and a kitchen. Voters went along with the $107,092 school budget and the $38,100 town budget. Voters in Hyde Park rejected a $22,000 proposal for the Lamoille County Sheriffs Department to patrol the town when they learned the patrol might not be full-time. The town would have contracted with the sheriff to buy a cruiser and pay for the salary of a deputy to patrol the area, but Sheriff Gardner Man-osh was unable to guarantee the patrol would be full-time.

Stockbridge voters weren't hap-Turn to NATIONAL, Page 2B CCTA Wins Big; Shelburne Climbs On Bus Bandwagon t-' By ROB ELEY Free Press Staff Writer Vermont's only municipal bus company won a thundering endorsement from its four member communities Tuesday and is now on the way to an almost complete replacement of antiquated equipment. In addition, Shelburne residents voted 703-253 to become the fifth member of the Chittenden County Transportation Authority. Voters allocated $8,800 for the bus company. "I'm really, really ecstatic. I'm about four feet off the ground," said CCTA general mannager Ralph H.

Cramer. The bus company needed only a majority of the vote for approval of a $300,000 bond issue, but received support from 71.4 percent of those voting, according to unofficial returns. "All I want to do is live up to a mandate of the people and supply that service they voted for when they approved this bond," Cramer said. Burlington approved the question Essex, 318-55; South Burlington, 575 132; and Wi-nooski, 768-504. The bond issue will supply the company with 10 new buses, 20 bus shelters, 22 fareboxes, five two-way 3 B- Mi Sf A a3JL i mil Vermont Roundup Recount Possible As Mayor Godnick Wins Close Race Incumbent Gilbert Godnick appeared to have won a 30-vote victory over challenger John Daley in one of the closest mayoral races in Rutland history Tuesday.

With all of the city's nine wards tallied, Godnick led 2,468 to Daley's 2.438, with the third candidate, Alderman Ter-rence Barrett, trailing far behind. According to unofficial tallies from Rutland City Hall, Daley was ahead by 28 votes until about 400 absentee ballots were counted. Daley said late Tuesday will not concede defeat and said he is considering asking for a recount. Daley and Godnick traded leads throughout the long evening and the challenger said he felt optimistic with just one ward Ward 4 left to tally. But Daley didn't do as well as he expected in the largely working-class, Irish ward, beating Godnick there by only 46 votes.

Daley attributed his strong showing to an aggressive campaign and the suppprt of organized labor. He vowed that the unions that endorsed him would get better treatment from him than from Godnick. Seeking his fourth term, Godnick faced the strongest challenge of his career from Daley, a former Democratic lieutenant governor under Gov. Philip H. Hoff in the early 1960s.

Daley also served as Rutland's mayor in the early 1960s. He was defeated while attempting to hold both posts at once. Voters Turn Down Utility Study In Brattleboro The Associated Press BRATTLEBORO Brattleboro voters said "No" Tuesday to a proposed $25,000 feasibility study of a municipally owned electric utility. Rejection came on a vote of 1,100 to 800. Supporters of the proposal had waged an active campaign, claiming a municipal power company could offer lower rates than a private utility could.

But opponents led by the Central Vermont Public Service Corp. said the fragmentation of the power system could only prove more costly. Voters in Ludlow OK Fire Truck LUDLOW By Australian ballot, Tuesday voters approved a $332,346 town budget, a $353,829 school budget and a $45,000 bond for a new fire truck. Added to the town budget at the meeting was $15,400, most which will go a petitioned item on the warning to the renovation of the stage in Town Hall. Approved items on the warning by request were $2,463 for mental health; $1,000 for the Black River Acadamy; $600 for the Black River Health CenterGood Health Center van.

There were three contestants for a three-year term as lister. Patricia Martin won with 181 votes, Bernard Lacoy received 151 and Albeen Laitiner 55. House Burns In N. Hyde Park NORTH HYDE PARK Flames gutted the Fred Latour home early Tuesday. An overheated wood stove was believed to have been the cause.

Officials said the building was insulated with sawdust and wood chips. Fire departments from North Hyde Park, Hyde Park and Morristown were at the scene from about 1 a.m. to 5 a.m! No injuries were reported Ward 4 Switches, Picks Republicans CARROL FORD SPEAKS HIS MIND AT TOWN MEETING Winhall faced decision on uranium mining Anti-Uranium Mining Factions Score Points in Five Towns radios and make improvements to the Industrial Avenue garage and parking lot. Cramer said the CCTA will now make application for the matching $1.2 million in federal funds. The CCTA had looked to the bond issue as a turning point, one that would decide whether antique buses would continue limping along routes or be replaced by streamlined new vehicles.

Would the bus company rely on old fareboxes or substitute new machines that could help CCTA record the nature of its passengers and their destination as well as the mechanical condition of the bus down to the amount of oil used, they wondered. When coupled with the 10 General Motors Corp. buses coming to the CCTA under Urban Mass Transportation Administration grants tied to Burlington's Church Street Marketplace project, the company could have a completely new licet by fall, Before the vote, CCTA officials cringed when asked what would happen without the new buses puid for by the bond vote. They predicted disastrous overuse of the new marketplace buses and recurring eqiiip- Turn to CCTA, Page 2B election with 5.089 votes. Carol Brown, a recently announced write-in opponent, gathered 67.

In uncontested School Board races, Colin K. Ducolon, DWard 1, received 563 votes, Barbara Hotkert, D-Ward 2, received 425, and Glendon K. Fleurv, D-Ward 5, had 855. Francis Palm. Ward 3.

the only incumbent School Board member to run, was re-elected in an uncontested race. In uncontested aldermanic races, Maurice F. Mahoney Jr. picked up 588 votes to be the Democratic alderman from Ward 1 replacing Janet K. Stackpole, who is retiring from the board.

Former school commissioner Marian P. Fisher, a Democrat, garnered 436 votes in Ward 2. She is the mother of aldermanic President Paul J. Fisher, Ward 5. Democratic William J.

Blanchard won 848 votes to be re-elected in Ward 5. Republican Richard H. Wadhams Jr. had 799 votes to be re-elected Ward 6 alderman. percent of the city's eligible voters also turned down, 829-754, a proposal to establish a committee to study the feasibility of turning Bellows Free Academy into a public high school.

By a 941-653 margin, voters authorized the city council to spend $85,000 for a public works garage, which now is housed in the basement of City Hall and considered a health hazard. In one of the most one-sided election in city history, residents voted 1489 1 11 against "any additional or further development of penal institutions or jail of any typen Franklin County." Republicans Michael S. Fitzpatrick and Allen F. Gear broke precedent Tuesday in Burlington's Ward 4, a traditionally Democratic stronghold. Fitzpatrick beat Democratic candidate Frederick A.

"Al" Brooks in a bid for a School Board seat Gear won an alderman's seat with 1,222 votes to 977 for Democrat Robert S. MarClellan and 97 for independent Richard E. Sartelle. He will replace independent Ter-rence F. O'Brien, who resigned to take a job in Virginia.

In the only other contested School Board race, Alan R. Swanson topped Charles Novotny, 521-439, in Ward 6. Ward 6 is generally considered a Republican oasis in the Democratic city. In the other contested alderman races, incumbent Democrat Elaine M. Charboneau won a second term, beating Republican Grafton E.

Carlisle 475-200 in Ward 3. Four-term incumbent Democratic Mayor Gordon Paquette won re Voters in at least five Vermont towns adopted anti-uranium mining ordinances of varying strengths Tuesday and in at least one other town a protracted discussion led to a compromise resolution. By unanimous voice vote in Weston, residents at the town meeting agreed that any activity related to uranium be it prospecting, mining or processing be subject to a town vote. In Stratton, unanimous voice vote approval was given to a resolution that said, "Stratton, mindful of the dangers in uranium development to air and water, human life, our gardens and local wildlife, goes on record in support of a House bill which requires legislative approval before anyone can mine or mill uranium on private or public lands, or prosepct for uranium on state-owned lands. "Further, it is the sense of this meeting that House Bill 327 should be amended to require the record The Associated Press eventually a 34-14 vote in favor of a compromise: Selectmen will continue investigating the uranium prospecting question but will approve no contracts without a town vote on the matter.

At the other end of the state, the Lamoille County towns of Water-ville and Belvidere went on record against uranium. The Belvidere resolution, passed on a voice vote, put the town on record as opposing mining, processing, storage or transportation of uranium or waste from uranium mining in the town. There were two votes in Water-ville before a resolution opposing uranium transportation through the town was approved. The first vote was 41-40 against the proposed resolution, but a number of residents abstained from the voting and there was no majority. A second vote followed further discussion and the next vote was 46-39 in favor of the resolution.

the 34 cents would be used only to compensate for loss in state aid. The district expects to lose $371,000 in state aid. The 15 cents would have raised $300,000, leaving $71,000 worth of cuts to be made by the board. School officials said a portion of the 15 cents would have been used because a change in the state's distribution of state aid is slim. Although the board promised to use the 15 cents in 1980 to offset the state aid loss, the 15 cents would automatically have become part of the set tax rate in 1981.

The 19 cents sought by the board was meant t. cover increased operating costs 'and 7 percent salary increases for school personnel. St. Albans Voters Reject Plan to Fluoridate Water Town Meeting ing of any uranium leases in the towns affected." A similar resolution in support of the proposed state legislation was approved 58-22 in Jamaica. Mark Worthen, a leader of the uranium prospecting opposition in that town, said at least four exploration leases totaling about 1,400 acres have already been signed for land in Jamaica.

In Winhall, another southern Vermont community considering uranium mining Tuesday, there was a lengthy discussion of a proposed anti-uranium resolution. There was He said the board can go back to the voters, can try to make the necessary cuts, or can go with the approved budget until the money runs out. Bloomenthal said he does not know which alternative the board will favor. During the past few years, the schools have had trouble getting voter support for tax rate increases. Bloomenthal attributed the rejection to voter frustration with the schools coming back every year for more money.

The 34-cent increase would have increased the school tax rate to $3.45 on $100. The School Board, when it recommended the increase, said 15 of Burlington Rejects School Tax Hike ST. ALBANS Voters turned down a proposal Tuesday to fluoridate the city's water system, despite strong support for the plan from area dentists and pediatricians. Voters also rejected special city and school taxes, a public kindergarten and binding arbitration for city employees. The fluoridation proposal was defeated 876-733, which was much closer than the 2-1 margin of rejection in 1967.

The local medical community claimed the use of fluoride would result in decreased dental disease and therefore lower dentaj bills. The sparse turnout of about 30 By FRAN BROCK Free Press Staff Writer A 34-cent tax rate increase requested by the Burlington School Board was shot down Tuesday, 3.188 to 2,907. Board Chairman Herbert Bloomenthal said he was not surprised the taxpayers rejected the request. The board "did its darnest to present the issues," he said. But "people aren't interested in where their money is going." Bloomenthal, who said he will seek the chairmanship again at the board's annual meeting in April, said the board has three alternative for balancing the district's $8.5 million budget..