Woodbury Residents Approve All Agenda Items at Town Meeting

Woodbury residents who attended the , voted "yay" on each agenda item and only a handful of questions were asked.

Residents unanimously approved appropriating $805,000 for the following:

• Replacement of the generator at the

• Acquisition and installation of a generator at the /Emergency Shelter

• Installation of a generator at the Town Office complex

• Acquisition, installation and construction of related equipment and improvements at an estimated cost of $255,000

• Acquisition of a mid-size Class A pumper fire truck and related equipment for use by the (estimated cost of $550,000), and for related work and improvements.

A Good Time to Borrow

First Selectman Gerald Stomski and Board of Finance Chairman Bill Drakeley both noted that now is a good time to borrow money for capital purchases due to low interest rates for bonds.

Drakeley said the interest rate the town may receive is 1.5 percent, going upward toward three percent.

Michael Taylor was one of the few residents who asked a question.

"Why are we going out in general and borrowing all this money, rather than have it be part of our regular budget for the town?" he asked.

Stomski said projects can be funded via increased taxes but bonding makes sense.

"I don't know about you, but as a taxpayer, I don't want to pay any more taxes," he said. "The interest rates are low. It behooves us to borrow money and stretch it out over period of time, rather than increase the budget."

Regarding the generators, Stomski said Tropical Storm Irene and the October snowstorm made it clear the town was unprepared, facility-wise.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Interested in Middlebury and Woodbury's news, events, community bulletins, blogs and businesses? Sign up for the free Woodbury-Middlebury Patch daily newsletter, "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Transfer Station

Also approved was the appropriation of $44,000 for two 40 cubic yard rolling roof recycling boxes and the repair and replacement of the concrete loading pads at the . Stomski said the roll-off containers are in disrepair.

Public Works and Parks & Rec

The residents approved the following equipment for the Public Works Department and the :

• A diesel tractor and related equipment including an aerator attachment (estimated cost of $66,000)

• A utility tractor equipped with a side-mounted flail mower and related equipment (estimated cost of $66,000

• Two-three cubic yard diesel-powered dump truck and related equipment (estimated cost of $75,000)

•  Two six-eight cubic yard diesel-powered dump trucks and related equipment including snowplows and sanders (estimated cost of $370,000).

Conversion to Natural Gas, New Boiler, Wire Upgrades

Lastly, the townspeople supported appropriating $424,000 for:

• The conversion of the heating infrastructure at the , , Police, Dog Pound and from oil to natural gas fuel

• The installation of a new boiler for the Library Building, and acquisition, installation and construction of related equipment and improvements

• Communication technology upgrades including related wiring upgrades at all Town offices and buildings and for related work and improvements.