NEW HAVEN — On Town Meeting Day, New Haven voters approved one of the state’s first town plans crafted to win “substantial deference” in actions before the Public Service Board. The town’s energy plan (40 pages of the 119-page town plan) must now go before the Department of Public Service, which will decide whether the energy plan meets the “substantial deference” criteria. As state law is written, this should give New Haven a greater say in whether and under what conditions solar and wind energy projects are sited in town.
In Australian ballot voting, Taborri Bruhl defeated Jon Christiano, 262 votes to 219, for a three-year term on the New Haven selectboard. Incumbent Selectman Steve Dupoise reclaimed his seat unopposed.
Other town officials elected unopposed included Phyllis Smith, Beeman school director; Debra Ash, auditor; Tim Bouton, town agent; and Michaela Granstrom and Kate Selby, library trustees.
A Mount Abe school director position remains unfilled.
New Haven votes all town meeting articles by Australian ballot, so all questions were decided on Town Meeting Day.
Residents said yes to a:
•  Road Fund budget of $1,265,080, by a vote of 406 to 84.
•  General Fund budget of $722,350, by a vote of 378 to 110.
•  Beeman Elementary School budget of $1,763,830, by a vote of 331 to 163.
New Haven voters also approved a total of $24,258 for 21 area nonprofits, including:
•  Addison County Transit Resources, $4,850.
•  Addison County Parent/Child Center, $1,800.
•  Addison County Home Health and Hospice, $1,753.
•  WomenSafe, $1,250.
•  John W. Graham Emergency Shelter, $1,075.
Also on Town Meeting Day, New Haven together with the four other towns of the Addison Northeast Supervisory Union, approved the $12,261,839 Mount Abraham Union High School budget, 1,333 to 796, with all ballots commingled. The Mount Abe spending represents an 8.42 percent decrease from the current academic year. That budget includes $1 million to fix the aging Mount Abe building.