Albany Town Meeting

Voters decide to keep listers

by Hannah Marvyl Pearce

ALBANY — Moderator Gary Heath Mason welcomed a record-setting 130 residents to Albany Town Hall on Tuesday morning, March 4, for the Albany Town Meeting.  Dedicating the day’s gathering in the memory of Pastor Nathan Strong, Mr. Mason celebrated his service to the community in his 31 years as pastor in Albany.  After being re-elected as moderator, Mr. Mason also paid recognition to two townspeople for their service to the community. Chris Jacobs was thanked for his decades of service in a variety of positions, including select board member, school director, planning commission member, justice of the peace, and participant in countless projects benefiting his community.  Jeff Potter was also honored for his 30 years as Albany Community School custodian, a role he has held since before the building of Albany’s beloved schoolhouse.

An article proposing the elimination of the elected position of lister to be replaced by an assessor hired by the select board became the most contentious and discussed topic in Albany this year. This change was brought to the warning by residents, namely two property owners, who were dissatisfied with the outcome of their lister card, the grievance process, and accused the elected listers of inconsistent assessments, overtaxing property improvements, and negligence in their roles.

Lister Michele Reed defended herself and other current and former serving listers, clarifying that though errors in multiple assessments were identified through the grievance process, they were rectified by the listers. Errors included an error in input, and the lack of awareness of a particular technical bulletin for state listers that affects certain building types.

Former Town Clerk Debra Ann Geoffroy reminded voters of the importance of reviewing their lister cards when received, and beginning the grievance process in the timeframe allowed. Town Attorney Angela Ross cautioned voters that many small towns that have hired outside assessors that she has communicated with have been regretful of the decision to do so.

With concerns about the likely higher and unknown cost of hiring outside assessment, and questions of whether those hired would be satisfyingly competent, voters voted down the article with 111 against and 12 in favor.

History was made not just in the number of voters in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting, but also in the elected positions.  The town voters elected Heather Lafont as selectman for a term of two years, making her the first woman to be elected to that office.  She will be finishing the three-year term Chris Jacobs resigned from in late 2024, a position she was appointed to fill on an interim basis before this election.  Before the uncontested elections of Marina Carleton as auditor for a term of three years, and Matt Wimmer as first constable for a term of one year, there were three contested elections voters decided by Australian ballot.  A close election of 63 to 59 votes put Phil Beaudry into office for another term of three years as a select board member over Katt Tolman, who was then elected to the office of lister for a term of three years. Sue Richardson was re-elected as Lister for a term of two years.

The lengthy discussion and many ballots counted perhaps influenced the voters’ attitudes towards the article brought forth by the select board to make all town officer positions be decided by Australian ballot.  That change would require any resident who desired to be elected to put themselves up for the position by petition, and for the town to hold the election through balloting.  Many residents felt this would dissuade engagement in, and take away a piece of the time honored democracy of Town Meeting Day.  The proposed change was voted down almost unanimously.

Along with those articles which needed discussion, debate, and the steady leadership of the moderator, many others were efficiently voted on as usual.  Voters agreed to raise the sums of $16,965 for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, $33,518.27 for Orleans Emergency Unit and Glover Ambulance Squad, $40,000 for the Albany Municipal Volunteer Fire Department operating budget, and $50,000 for the department’s vehicle replacement fund which will be used this year to replace to an out-of-commission engine.

Voters approved $175,000 for the expenses of the General Fund, $15,509 for requested appropriations, $18,000 for the town library, $5,000 towards the Albany Food Share site, $8,000 to finance Recycling, $200 for the observance of Memorial Day, $18,000 for the maintenance of the town cemeteries and town sexton, and $5,000 for the cleaning or repairing of cemetery headstones.

To maintain town roads, voters approved $355,000 for the maintenance of Class 2 and 3 town highways, $30,000 for the Highway Equipment Reserve Fund, $20,000 for the purpose of blacktop and gravel resurfacing, and $5,000 for the summer maintenance of Class 4 roads.  The town also voted to establish a Highway Repair Reserve Fund to provide local matching funds for state and federally funded town highway projects, which will be started with the surplus funds left after the higher than expected reimbursements after the 2023 floods totaling $54,823.  Ten thousand dollars were also added to the maintenance and repair fund for town buildings.

To reach the expected expense of the contracted 2026 town reappraisal, voters agreed to approve $5,000 towards the reappraisal account.

Lively conversations, contested elections, and history-making votes marked another excellent Albany Town Meeting.