Voters head to polls in Bergen
to decide municipal buildings' fate

Where voters head to the polls in Bergen on November 16, they will be using paper ballots and a ballot box to make their selection for two referendums the town in putting forth. Because the voting machines used for the presidential election are sealed for one month, the village is using paper ballots.

The ballots, Town of Bergen Supervisor John Specht said, will be printed on 8 1/2 by 11 sheets of paper and will contain two boxes for each of the two propositions - one marked "yes" and one marked "no." If the voter approves the proposition, Specht explains, they must put an "X" in the yes box or if they don't approve, they must put an "X" in the no box. "It is very important to note that the mark must be an 'X' and it must be in either the yes or no box in order for the ballot to qualify," he said. "Any mark other than an 'X' will disqualify the ballot and there can only be a maximum of two marks on the ballot."

The referendums the town is putting before the voters will help meet the expanding needs of the municipality in both the highway garage and the town hall. The town's highway garage was built in the 1930s and no longer meets the town's needs.

The town could live with its present municipal building, Specht said, but officials were told by the head of the Eighth Judicial Court that the courtrooms were inadequate. The two is also running out of storage space.

Proposed construction for the town hall, which would be built on fire department owned property, calls for a 6,000 square foot building. The highway garage would be built on five acres of property the town already owns.

If the taxpayers approve of the propositions, the town hall space would be turned over to the library and town historian. There is money set aside for the modifications necessary for the library expansion, Specht said.

If approved, the town would be looking at borrowing $1.8 million for the highway building and $1.4 million for the town hall. The town would be looking to Rural Development for a 30-year low interest loan to finance the projects. "We're looking at either no increase in taxes for this construction or a slight increase of maybe 20 cents per $1,000 or less," Specht said. "A likely scenario for taxes would be a maximum increase of five to 10 cents per day for a home assessed at $150,000 and proportionally less for a home assessed for less."

Voting will take place from noon to 9 p.m. at the Bergen Town Hall.