Cemetery trustees petition for 5 members; Belmont veterans exemptions to increase gradually

BELMONT — The Belmont Selectboard considered two requests for warrant articles at their Dec. 17 meeting, one about the number of cemetery trustees, and another about increasing tax exemptions for veterans.

Selectboard member and Cemetery Trustees Chair Sharon Ciampi brought a request to increase the number of cemetery trustees from three to five.

Her reasoning, she said, was there are five people willing to do the work, and should be recognized not just as alternates or volunteers. With their upcoming projects — including “trying to rebuild history” — they need all the help they can get.

“I’m asking you guys to please allow that to go on the ballot as a warrant,” Ciampi said.

The discussion during the meeting was at times intense, involving all board members. There was a feeling of disdain toward adding the item as a warrant article for fear of overwhelming voters with too many. Allegations of a history of overspending by the department was also a concern.

“My biggest problem with putting this on the ballot is every year you put three, four, five different things on this ballot,” said Claude Patten Jr. “People go in there, and they’ll sit there for an hour at a time trying to read these. And half don’t, and just write, 'no no no.'”

Others thought it was wise to let the voters decide.

“It gives the voters the chance to make up their own mind. Some people are against bigger boards. Some people are going to vote 'no,' because they don’t want bigger boards,” said Selectboard Chair Ruth Mooney.

Because there was no consensus on the motion, the article would have to be petitioned to appear on the ballot at Town Meeting. According to Ciampi, things are moving along to collect the 25 signatures needed to add the warrant article by petition.

“I already know my 25 people, it won’t be any work for me,” Ciampi said in a phone call, adding she’ll be getting signatures this week. “I don’t mind doing the work. It’s just hard for these people to go, ‘No, I’m just a volunteer.’ They should have board recognition.”

In other news, the selectboard passed a motion to include a warrant article related to veterans' exemptions. The article will ask to raise the veterans exemption credit by 20%, or from $500 to $600. This would have a small impact on taxpayers, and allows the board to revisit incremental increases instead of adjusting things all at once.

There was a large discussion on how much to increase the credit. Town Administrator Alicia Jipson, alongside executive assistant Colleen Akerman, helped exemplify different tax burden scenarios.

“At a 50% increase at the current number of veterans that we have, which is 342, it would be a loss of $85,500,” said Akerman.

Ciampi, who brought the agenda item before the board, wanted to see the larger increase, because she thinks the town needs to take care of veterans.

“I understand where they're coming from, because I'm a taxpayer, but in the same token, these people deserve it,” she said.

Others believed a gradual approach was best.

“I tend to agree with Travis. To go to 50% is a big jump, and I’d rather see, I kind of like gradual increases, so we can continue to increase, so we aren’t in a bind,” Mooney said, referring to Selectboard member Travis O'Hara.

The motion was made by Mooney and seconded by O’Hara. All were in favor, except Patten Jr. The increase matches other municipalities in the Lakes Region, including Laconia.

The deadline to apply for a veterans exemption is Wednesday, April 15. More information can be found at belmontnh.gov.

The Town of Belmont will host its deliberative session at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, at Belmont High School.

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Katlyn Proctor can be reached at katlyn@laconiadailysun.com or by calling 603-524-0150.