Voters heard in Kent annual town meeting

KENT — The Town of Kent held its annual town vote at Kent Town Hall on Friday, May 17, at 7 p.m. All resolutions were passed — although not all by unanimous vote — and much discussion was aimed at The Board of Education, as well as total expenses for the town recommended by the Board of Finance.

The approved budget by the Board of Finance marked a 7.52% increase in the town’s bottom line of $15,699,245.

The recent town-wide property assessment increased home values by about 30%. The Grand List grew considerably, which lowered the mill rate, but effectively increased taxes by more than 9%. To reduce the impact to taxpayers, Kent transfered $500,000 from the Unassigned General Fund and set the mill rate at 15.59.

The Five-Year Capital Plan presented and recommended by the Board of Finance passed, but discussion erupted into several varied talking points upon voting for the town’s total expenses recommended by the Board of Finance for fiscal year July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.

Passed was a project called “Hazardous Tree Removal or Trimming.” Another improvement project will focus on Kent Town Hall’s air conditioning, parking lot, and boiler which will be funded with $41,425 to be reimbursed by State grant funding as authorized through the LoCIP Grant Program.

Several voters in attendance voiced disapproval of the Board of Education setting aside $60,000 for an armed security guard at the school. Kent Board of Finance member Jason Wright said that since the town had voted against having a state trooper in Kent Center School, the Board of Education presented a cheaper alternative with $60,000 for an armed security officer, noting that the expense was a small percentage of the BOE’s annual budget. Still, some voters suggested that the expense of an officer had not been the core issue.