| Issues |
Bob Smith |
Tom Bennhoff |
Lee Behrens |
John Jackson |
Sally Kennerson |
| Use Tax |
Supports |
Supports |
Supports
I brought this issue
up during a past
election and still
strongly support passing it.
|
Supports
|
Supports
I am definitely
for keeping money here instead of
other places.
|
| Open Space |
Supports |
Supports |
Supports
Strongly favor
Open Space as a quality of life issue
as well
as another way to
diversify our
economy. I
championed the
purchase of Block
83 for town Open
Space against the
strong opposition
of Mayor Smith
and a few
Selectmen.
|
Possible? |
Supports |
| Home Rule |
Continue to study
to determine
if it is best for
Georgetown |
Supports
I will ask the
Planning Committy
to review Home
Rule right away.
|
Supports
This is another
issue I brought up
in the past. It
should be
studied to see the
pros and cons and
decided on, one
way or the other.
|
I do not know.. |
Undecided |
Mandatory Trash Pick Up For All Residents in Georgetown
Monthly Cost Per Resident
$10.00 - $20.00
|
This is still in the
study phase, I
would support it if
recycling would be
included and cost
would be less than people are
currently paying
|
Conduct new
survey to tell us
what our
community wants.
|
Totally against.
There is no need to
force an increase in fees on all homeowners while
many commercial
users are exempt
by state law.
There are currently
many alternatives available which
work well. Let’s
spend our time on
important issues
and not on issues a
small number want
mandated on all.
|
Yes @ $10.00
but
No @ $20.00
|
I am an individual
property owners
advocate. I do not
feel that this is
necessary.
|
Dozens of Georgetown Residents Experienced Frozen Water Pipe Issues in 2007. Seven residents requested a 2 month waiver if their water usage exceeded 7,000 gallons.
Apx cost $350 |
Yes on a case
by case basis |
Residents who
agree to correct
their pipe
issues should be
given a waiver if their usage exceeds
7,000 gallons.
|
This should be
done on
a case by case
basis. In
exchange, the owners need to
rectify their
problems before
next winter. There
should be a cap on
total usage.
|
[We did not pose this question to
Selectman John...]
|
This should be
allowed on a
case-by-case basis
and only if a plan and follow through
of that plan is
recorded. |
| Road Paving Bond |
Supported |
Opposed |
Opposed |
Supported |
Opposed |
| Regulating Vacation Rentals
Over the past 24 month apx 16 vacation rental properties have sprung up in Georgetown. Apx 50% have not paid for a business license. They are not paying commercial property taxes and they are not paying town, county, state or lodging taxes. They are not regulated! Presently they can move next door to you without your permission.
Approximate Lost Revenue!
$$ THOUSANDS $$
|
I was not aware
of this issue, but
would not be
opposed
to some regulation
of this business.
|
Require them to
obey existing laws
and review
possible
regulations.
Require business
license
Require registration
as Commercial
Property
Require payment
of town, county, state and lodging
taxes.
Some of these
places
charge over
$350.00 per night.
This represents
a lot of lost revenue
to our town.
|
They need
regulations. Some
rentals have had 28 or more persons
staying in one
house, many
drunk, occupying
parking, setting off
firecrackers and
acting unruly in the
middle of the
night. Police have
been called by
neighbors to
handle situations
caused by short
term rentals and
the lack of concern
by the owners.
This will continue
to be a problem until they are
regulated.
|
No |
I have serious
issues with this.
Especially since I
am the Chamber
& Tourism
Director. One of the things that
would help is if
my board verified
that a lodging
company
has a license before
allowing them to
advertise on
our site.
|
What is being done to help our Business Community?
Business sales were down approximately 15% in 2006
Town services will decrease about $75,000 in 2007 |
Continue to put our
best face forward
by cleaning up
the town and
working
on current plans to
increase traffic
in Georgetown.
|
Planning and
expanding
our local tourist
events will
increase business
revenue.
I will ask the
Planning
Commision to
consider
annexation around
railroad area.
|
The Board needs to
listen to the business owners' ideas and concerns as the lake project
progresses. BOS continues to
allocate money to
the Promotions
Committee and is
working on
improving signing.
The Gateway
Visitor Center is
doing a good job
directing visitors
downtown and
needs more
community
support. We
continue to assist the merchants by
being open to new
and innovative
ideas that they
bring forward.
|
No comment |
Increasing the
signage and fixing
Argentine.
Promotions
Commission
developing new
website.
|
| What has happened to the Information Flow in our town? |
| Community Meetings |
One Community
Meeting
is being held 03/14/2007
at the Community
Center
|
I will return ward
meetings, publish a
quarterly
newsletter,
expand e-mail
news,
repair channel 8
and be available 1/2
at Town Hall for
town members to
contact me and
communicate with
me...
|
I am in favor of
having two or
three per year as
needed. These
meetings will be
extremely
important as the
lake project
progresses.
|
We meet 2nd and 4th Tuesday |
We need more
ways, such as
email blasts to get
the word out.
|
| Ward Meetings |
At least twice
a year
|
Tom Bennhoff
started these and
they have not been
done since he left
office. They can
be a valuable tool
to guide the Board
and should be
continued.
|
We meet 2nd and 4th Tuesday |
Same |
| Newsletters |
This is being done
twice a year |
This is a good tool
to keep residents
informed and up to
date but used
sparingly in the
past few years.
The Town should publish a news letter each quarter. |
How often would the community like to receive newsletter? |
Same |
| A Comprehensive Town Plan was finalized in 2000. What has happend to this plan? This plan is available in Town Hall. |
We need to
continue
to seek additional
sources of revenue
to have the funds
to implement parts
of these plans.
|
A survey was conducted in 2000 to determine
what was important
to businesses and
residents. We made a comprehensive plan thatincluded home rule, open
space, etc. Then nothing happened. We need to
return to the plan.
|
I have a copy and
refer to it when I
have a question or
need information.
|
I do not know |
Good question.
Probably what
happens to most
Strategic Plans.
|
| 7 years have passed since the Town Plan was finalized. Do we need to Review and Adjust the Comprehensive Town Plan? |
Yes! |
Yes! |
Sure, that would be
positive but to
embark on a major
revision unless
really needed
could be expensive
and time
consuming.
Overall it still
seems “fresh” to
me.
|
I have not seen it |
Yes, but only if
we can follow
through.
|
| Would Another Community Survey be good? |
Yes! |
Yes! |
Yes! |
Yes! |
Yes, but asking
for possible
solutions
is important.
|
| 2 A - Road Paving Issues |
| Paving from 22nd St. Bridge to Scepter Circle |
Supported
The next effort
should be grants
or increasing
revenue to the
extent that we
can pave on a pay
as you go basis.
|
Supported
Within 2 years we
can pave this area
without raising
taxes. We can find
some grant money
for mining
communitites and
use funds from the
capital fund. My plan will include a
bike path that links
with Open Space.
|
I am in favor of
paving some
arterials. Along
with paving the
ROW we need to include
pedestrian / bike
lanes. Because
of its proximity to
the lake project I
would expect the
developer to
provide all or most
of the cost. |
No, too many people do not
want it. |
As a property
owner, I do not
support going
to property taxes
to solve every
issue.
|
| Repaving Streets that Were Already Paved |
Supported
This is a dead issue
voted down by
the residents
of Georgetown
and the citizens
have spoken.
As I said above
The next effort
should be grants
or increasing
revenue
to the extent
that we can pave
on a pay as you
go basis.
|
Opposed
Folks, I did not
support the 2A
Georgetown Road
Improvement Bond
Issue. It was costly.
It was not well
thought out. It
placed an unfair
burden on our
local business
community.
Ward 3 does need
paving from the
22nd Street bridge
to Scepter Circle.
|
I was against 2A.
It diverted the
town’s energy and
resources away
from other
projects. It was ill
thought out and
timed. We spent
thousands of
dollars in studies
and required the
town staff to spend
time and energy
on an issue which
clearly was not
important to the
voters.
Our Community
overwhelmingly
rejected the bond
issue as evidenced
by the final
election total of
70% against to
30% for.
|
Uncertain |
Disagree |
| Requiring Businesses in Our Community to Pay for 24% of the Repavement Project |
No |
Disagree on the
same taxation
principle
|
Raise Georgetown Mill Levy
{Taxes} for Road Paving
Project from 8.775 to
16.695.
ALMOST DOUBLED TAXES! |
No |
Disagree |
Pay $1,170,000 in Interest
to Pay for the $1,350,000
Road Paving Project
INTEREST IS ALMOST 50% OF COST OF ENTIRE PROJECT!
|
No |
If we can fund
through matching
grants, that would
be better than
through taxes.
|