Pat Austin returns to select board
by Peggy Stevens
CHARLESTON — The three-way race for Charleston select board was the most newsworthy event of this year’s Charleston Town Meeting. Charleston Town Clerk Teri Gray said she could not specifically recall the last time there were three competitors for the same office. Peter Moskovites, who has served on the select board for many years, decided not to run again, so his position was open. Pat Austin of West Charleston, who was defeated by Terry Rollins in last year’s select board election, returned to make another run for it. Other nominees were Bob Devaney from “middle Charleston” and Tom Wagner of East Charleston.
Each nominee had a chance to introduce himself and offer his qualifications for the job. A paper vote was called for, and once the one hundred and one votes were counted, Mr. Austin was declared the winner, with 51 votes to 35 for Mr. Wagner and 15 for Mr. Devaney.
Otherwise, the meeting ran with all other articles decided by voice vote. Perennial moderator for both the school and town meetings, Jean Wilson, was absent this year, and so John Kellogg stepped up to fill her shoes with the unanimous consent of those present.
After running through the rules of order for the meeting, Mr. Kellogg turned to the business of the Charleston Elementary School. Teri Gray was re-elected as the school treasurer, and Sarah Jenness was reelected to another three-year term on the school board, both without opposition.
Next, school board chair Mary Esposito gave a run down on the $3,289,069 proposed school budget for 2025-2026. The per- pupil cost is $13,885, an increase of 1.82 percent. State funding of $11,820 per student, combined with other funding streams, resulted in the lowest per pupil spending in the supervisory union, Ms. Esposito said.
At first, Ms. Esposito admitted, the board was concerned it would need to make cuts in teachers or staff, but she said she was pleased to report that the budget process resulted in no need to make any cuts in personnel or resources.
In fact, the budget includes a new dishwasher, continued Farm-to-School, and Encore after-school programs, and continued winter programming at Burke Mountain and NorthWoods at no cost to students.
The good news for taxpayers is that there will be a 12 cent decrease in the tax rate!
Thus it was no surprise that the school budget was then passed unanimously by voice vote. Thanks for the good work of the Charleston School Board were offered from the floor.
Next, came the business of the town. Once the select board vote was settled, Mr. Moskovites received a warm round of applause, led by Mr. Austin, for his valued service to the town.
On to other town officers. Lister Steve Wilson was reelected, while a seat vacated by the death of Lister John Westinghouse in 2025 remained unfilled for now, as no one stepped up to replace him. All other officers were reelected unopposed, except for the delinquent tax collector.
Moderator Kellogg explained that, because the job has become much more complicated in recent years, the town has decided to make that a paid position, employing the person who takes it on at an hourly rate, with all money collected going to the town. After making sure that Grace Frizzell, the most recent delinquent tax collector, was declining to run again, voters approved the new plan. Then, they set Friday, October 24, 2025, as the due date for taxes.
Turning to the town budget, the request for $999,320.90 for select board, highway, and cemetery costs met little resistance. One question from the meeting inquiring about when costs for road work might decrease was fielded by Mr. Moskovites. After explaining that the town has used Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Better Roads, and other grants to repair town roads, he said, “The roads will never be done. We make road repairs, and then every ten years we turn around and do them again.”
Another questioner asked why storm repairs are not budgeted. Assistant Town Clerk Colleen Kellogg said the town doesn’t budget for storm repairs that may or may not be anticipated or required in the future. The town will cross that bridge when it comes to it, she said. Voters approved the transfer of the 2024 road surplus — $26,798.68 — to the Road Equipment Reserve Fund.
Blair “Tommy” Moulton, chief of the Charleston Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD), reported that future costs will include replacing turnout gear and other equipment as it expires. Also, Chief Moulton noted, “The CVFD is one of only two fully volunteer fire departments in the state. No one is compensated.”
He thanked the town for its great individual donations and support for CVFD fundraisers like the pig roast and traditional annual oyster supper.
The oyster supper was cancelled last year due to circumstances beyond the department’s control, but will return this year by popular demand. The fire station is being upgraded to provide space for the supper at the station next fall. Voters unanimously approved $55,609 for the CVFD for the coming year.
An audience member rose to declare, in colorful language, that the volunteers should be compensated. The moderator as is his duty, reminded the gentleman that Roberts Rules do not allow for inappropriate language.
Finally, the appropriations for various organizations were bundled into a single request for $11,174, as has been being done for several years running. Pat Austin stood to ask that the Charleston Historical Society appropriation be doubled from the requested $500 since it is a town resource. He was countered by another voter who pointed out that all requests for donations benefit the town and townspeople and should all be respected as such. Another person objected to the increase, saying any requests for increases should be made by petition, as was Dailey Memorial Library’s request for a higher contribution.
Moderator Kellogg resolved the question by having the town vote on the amendment first. It was approved. Then the total request for donations passed by voice vote. The final request by the Dailey Memorial Library for $1,350 was approved as well.
In new business, Peggy Stevens, Charleston primary representative to the Northeast Kingdom Broadband (NEKBB) Governance Board, spoke to the town about progress being made in bringing expanded, high-speed, high-quality internet service, at competitive prices, to rural Charleston. She pointed to a list of over 300 residences on 41 roads in Charleston, that are anticipated to be connected in 2025 and 2026.
Ms. Stevens urged support for Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program grant funding that is being sought in order to bring NEKBB service to the many Charleston roads and folks that are not on the list for 2025-2026 connection. A petition was available for townspeople to sign. Folks were also reminded that, even if they have service now from another internet provider, they can switch to NEKBB service, which is more affordable, offers as good or better quality as other service providers, and offers monthly service and installation discounts to income eligible households.
Finally, Ms. Stevens reported that NEKBB is hiring for various positions and that the North Country Career Center will be providing training and workforce development opportunities for those 18 and older. A Network Construction technician course will be offered Apil 30 and May 17 in Newport. Contact North Country Career Center for more information at (802) 334-5469.
The meeting was then adjourned in time for lunch, provided by the Charleston parents organization Mustang Community In Action (MCIA), funded by a grant from the North Country Supervisory Union Community Schools and Encore programs. The three-year grant will ensure funding for the next two years as well. Funding is available to every school in the supervisory union that applies for it.
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