Most of the articles on the 2024 Francestown Town Warrant Saturday passed with little debate, with the most-spirited discussion being over an article directing the the ConVal School Board to initiate a feasibility study of Francestown’s withdrawal from the district.

Francestown Elementary School was one of the schools that could have been closed if a change to the District’s Articles of Agreement had passed March 13, which it did not. Francestown School Study Committee Chair Laura Mafera briefly outlined the process required by the state for withdrawal. A feasibility study committee, made up of one Select Board member and one School Board member from each of the nine towns, would report its findings to the Department of Education – there may be majority and minority findings reported. If the state agrees, the town must pass the proposal to leave ConVal by simple majority, and the proposal must pass district-wide by a three-fifths vote.

“This is a lengthy process,” Mafera said.

Former Selectman Brad Howell argued against the proposal, saying he was concerned this would start a process that the town could not control and result in a less-desirable outcome for Francestown students.

Outgoing Selectman George Ravalico noted that the School Board has proposed closing elementary schools in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019 and in 2024, and that it would be shortsighted to believe this would not come up again. He pointed out that the only option the School Board had explored was school closures, not moving grades or realigning resources.

Several speakers advocated for passing the article as a way of “being prepared” or “not being caught flat-footed,” and several others spoke about exploring the best options for educating the students of Francestown.

School Study Committee member Pat Troy said that he believed that the School Board, having been unsuccessful in closing schools in four towns, would next propose fewer closures and “try to pick us off one by one.”

The article passed with just one no vote.

Town Moderator Kevin Pobst made a proposal to increase the annual budget by $9,000 for the purchase of an automated vote-counter. Pobst noted that Francestown has a long tradition of resistance to modernization, recalling the strenuous debate that 1974 Town Meeting voters had over the purchase of the town’s first electric typewriter.

Pobst’s amendment was widely supported by residents, who spoke of better accuracy, quicker tallies and the increasing impracticality of hand-counting. Dissenters objected to the process more than the purchase, pointing out that an expenditure of this size would normally be a separate selectman’s warrant article. One expressed concerned about the ongoing costs of automated ballot counters. Ultimately, voters approved the budget amendment in an overwhelming voice vote.

After debate, Town Meeting adopted the Francestown Community Power Electric Aggregation Plan, authorizing the Select Board to implement a plan that would allow the town to negotiate energy-supply prices for residents and potentially increase energy provided from renewable sources.

Community Power Committee Chair Ari Levine reported the results of the community survey, saying respondents prioritized price, reliability and renewable sources, and explained that the plan has flexibility and opt-out options for all customers.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:40 p.m.