Sunapee school and town operating budgets passed at annual elections

SUNAPEE — Voters at the annual Sunapee School District Election on March 13 passed the school operating budget of $12,300,094 on a vote of 426-251.

Aaron H. Simpson was elected to a one-year term for school moderator with 584 votes. Jim Borelli took the one-year school board post with 304 votes. Michael (Sy) Sisemore had 167 votes. Scott P. Ritzmann polled 498 votes to win the 3-year term on the school board. Alan W. Doherty was elected school treasurer for one year with 563 votes.

Three warrant articles that passed by wide margins included $25,000 for the Sunapee Central Elementary School Maintenance Capital Reserve; $25,000 for the School Facilities Capital Reserve Fund and $25,000 for the Sunapee Middle High School Roof Fund.

In all three cases the money will come from the unreserved fund balance at the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2018. No tax money will be involved.

Another article authorizes the School District Treasurer to appoint a Deputy Treasurer. That article was supported 449-218.

Article 8, submitted by petition, asked voters if contract negotiations between the Sunapee Teachers Association and Sunapee School Board should be conducted in public session so that both the teachers and the taxpayers can observe how their interests are being represented. The article is advisory only and non-binding. It passed, 433-233.

Town Voting

Moderator, 2 years, vote for 1, Aaron H. Simpson, 595.

Selectmen, 3 years, vote for 2, Joshua Trow, 500, John D. Augustine, 325, Aaron Warkentien, 314.

Treasurer, 1 year, vote for 1, Alan W. Doherty, 597.

Town Clerk/Tax Collector, 3 years, vote for 1, Berry Ramspott, 641.

Fire Engineer, 4 years, vote for 1, Dana Ramspott, 617.

Cemetery Commission, 3 years, vote for 1, Jeffrey S. Trow, 604.

Library Trustee, 3 years, vote for 3, Jane Frawley, 498, Melvyn (Scott) Rappeport, 495, Peg Lesiak, 478.

Trustee of Trust Funds, 3 years, vote for 1, Brian Garland, 563.

Planning Board, 3 years, vote for 2, Richard K. Osborne, 531, Randall Clark, 486.

Supervisor of the Checklist, 6 years, vote for 1, Melinda (Mindy) Atwood, 573.

Water and Sewer Commission, 3 years, vote for 2, Douglas Gamsby, 554.

Zoning Board, 3 years, vote for 2, James (Jim) P. Lyons Jr., 516, Daniel M. Schneider. 498.

The operating budget article calling for $7,296,303 passed, 386-266. Only three other articles failed including $8,659 to purchase new voting booths with funds to come from the unexpended fund balance at the end of the year. That request lost, 364-295.

Also losing was a $55,000 request to purchase a new Ford, F350 pickup truck for the Highway Department, 345-316. Those funds would have come from the Highway and Transfer Station Equipment Capital Reserve Fund.

By three votes, 340-337, a request for $125,000 was defeated to purchase and equip a Fast Response Utility and Forestry Truck for the Fire Department and to fund the appropriation by withdrawing $125,000 from the Fire Apparatus and Equipment Capital Reserve Fund.