BRIDGEWATER — After much discussion at Town Meeting on Tuesday, voters rejected a motion that would have eliminated the office of the town lister and moved to a professional assessing system.

The item failed 86-53 in a paper ballot vote, after a small collection of residents moved to switch the vote from a floor vote.

Opponents of the article argued that the town’s current listers are more familiar with the town of Bridgewater than an outside assessor would be, the lister system is less expensive than hiring an outside assessor, and that there is no reason to get rid of the office as long as people are willing to do the job.

“No one likes to pay taxes, but at least they have local listers to come and talk to and get answers to their concerns, and at least know that they are treated fairly,” Current lister Vicky Young said while speaking against the article.

Voters also unseated current Selectboard Chairman William O. Young, Vicky’s son, by a margin of 80-52. Young, elected in 2022, was replaced by former longtime Selectboard member Norman “Nope” Martin, who was nominated from the floor, along with David Adams, who received only five votes. Martin was first elected to the board in 2006, according to reporting from the Valley News at the time, and will serve a three-year term.

The two-hour meeting attracted 143 voters of the 726 on the town’s checklist to the recently renovated Bridgewater Community Center Tuesday morning, Town Clerk Nancy Robinson said.

At the meeting, residents also opted not to vote on an article to refinance two loans that the town acquired to cover the cost of flood repairs, approved $21,000 in contributions to social service agencies and a $1.8 million budget with minimal discussion, and elected town officers.

Newcomer Don McNeill replaced current lister Marsha Fraser for a three-year term, after serving as one of the vocal voices in the lister discussion. He cautioned against replacing the town’s listers with an assessor based primarily on the unknown cost difference.

The cost difference of the two positions was a common question from residents. Discussion revealed that no assessor or firm had been approached to determine a specific cost, but Town Treasurer Melissa Spear had done some research into the average cost of assessors in Vermont. Resident and former Selectboard member Lynn BertramLee also noted that the town briefly hired an assessor in 2021 who charged about $2,000 per month.

“Are you people ready to write a blank check?” McNeill asked during the discussion.

Bruce Seely spoke in favor of eliminating the lister system, arguing that assessors receive more training, work consistent hours and have more oversight from the Selectboard.

“The lister system isn’t necessarily broken, but it is antiquated,” Seely said. “It worked well when there were fewer properties, fewer out of state owners, less turnover, and a simpler tax system.”

In her statements, Young, who has served as an assessor in Bridgewater since 1998, rejected Seely’s claims. She also spoke to the value of local listers, especially in a town without zoning where “We must go around the whole town every year and physically inspect and measure new houses, additions, garages, etc.”

Residents opted to take the refinancing item “off the table because it’s no longer germane,” as moderator Greg Jenne put it.

The goal of refinancing was to reduce a 6.5% interest rate on two loans while awaiting reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but the town had received some FEMA reimbursement since it was added to the warning.

To date, Bridgewater has received about $3.6 million in reimbursements, with another $1.6 million “sitting at the state level waiting for President Trump to release funds,” Spear said.

The town has now paid off two loans and contributed to a third, reducing the amount at 6.5% interest to $2 million, rather than the $3.5 million included on the warning.

At the end of the meeting, voters expressed gratitude that the meeting was being held in the Bridgewater Community Center on the site of the former Bridgewater Village School, where Town Meeting was historically hosted. The annual meeting was held in the nearby fire station for several years.

Clare Shanahan can be reached at cshanahan@vnews.com or 603-727-3216.