Giviunigde G A Williston community philanthropy guide
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OCTOBER 31, 2024
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
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School board sets $103 million budget target BY JASON STARR Observer staff
Under the first-year direction of Interim Superintendent Adam Bunting, the Champlain Valley School District is getting a head start on budgeting for the upcoming fiscal year. Administrators and board members are anticipating a challenging budget cycle of tax increases and staff reductions and are engaging residents in the five-town district in the process earlier than in year’s
past, in hopes of getting voter approval on Town Meeting Day in March. Last March, for the first time in the district’s seven-year history, voters defeated the district’s initial budget proposal, approving a reduced proposal in April. Bunting and board members conducted a community budget forum at CVU last Tuesday, a week after the board endorsed a budget target of $103 million. “This is more work than has ever been done by Oct. 15,” said one school board member.
Donations sought for families moving into shelter BY JASON STARR Observer staff
Up to seven unhoused families with children will be taking up residence in the former Vermont State Police barracks on Route 2A in Williston starting next week as the Vermont Agency of Human Services stands up a temporary shelter ahead of the cold weather months. The shelter is one of three the state is opening as hundreds of people face eviction this fall under new limits in the state’s motel voucher program. In Williston, the retrofit has involved creating private and communal spaces in what used to house state trooper offices and equipment storage. The state police vacated the building last winter after constructing a new headquarters up the road, on the south side of Interstate 89’s Exit 12 interchange. Town Manager Erik Wells recently toured the shelter and is putting out a call to community members to donate household items to ease the families’ transition. Needed
The budget target was first presented to the board’s finance subcommittee in September, following a summer of number-crunching by Bunting and district Chief Operation Officer Gary Marckres. The district has also already surveyed community members on their hopes and concerns for the upcoming budget cycle and received 215 responses. “The goal is to navigate this year’s process (in a) balanced, empathetic, proactive, transparent and collaborative manner,” Bunting
said. For example, the ground rules for last week’s community budget forum included: “assume positive intentions … agree to disagree … focus on solutions … (and use) evidence and experience-based arguments.” The $103 million target would increase spending over the current fiscal year by $2.2 million (1.2 percent). Yet — due to anticipated increases in staff pay and benefit costs, state-level education fund variables and general inflation — it would require the elimination of roughly 30
school district jobs, Marckres said. To keep the current level of service, the budget would have to increase about $6.2 million. The target, Bunting said, would “preserve vital resources” and “remediate the tax burden on our community the best we can.” Marckres estimates the property tax increase associated with the targeted budget increase to be roughly 6 percent. The estimate is subject to state education funding calculations that will become known over the see SCHOOL BOARD page 24
are nonperishable foods, household cleaning products, a few portable cribs and dozens of children’s books. Items can be donated at Town Hall during business hours, Wells said.
Needed are nonperishable foods, household cleaning products, a few portable cribs and dozens of children’s books. Items can be donated at Town Hall. “I encourage folks to welcome members of the community who will be joining us in that shelter on a temporary basis,” Wells said. “I’ll keep the community updated if there are additional needs.” Other shelters are under consee SHELTER page 24
Everything is boo-tiful Ghosts and ghouls have moved into Williston as homes in various neighborhoods festoon their yards with the creepy, the crawly and things that go bump in the night. More Halloween pictures on page 4. OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY
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