Barre Special Town Meeting Reaffirms Seven Spending Transfers, Accepts Land Donation

BARRE -- November 21, 2020, Barre's Special Town Meeting reaffirmed hundreds of thousands of dollars in previously approved spending at a brief November 21 session called to fix a state filing error. A consent agenda covering seven articles unanimously reinstated transfers from fiscal year 2019 free cash, including $285,000 for an ambulance, $100,000 for a possible cable infrastructure upgrade, $45,000 for a police cruiser, and $50,000 for parking lot repairs. Voters also rescinded $25,000 from a 2017 energy efficiency project, with a Finance Committee representative explaining the funds must return to free cash rather than be redirected. A land parcel on Old Colebrook Road was accepted by donation with administrative costs capped at $500, and $1,125 was approved as a matching contribution for a Massachusetts land use planning grant. Article 11 and Article 14 were both disposed of by motions to take no action, with Article 11 carrying by majority, the only non-unanimous outcome of the evening.