The question of whether Whitefield should adopt an elderly tax deferral ordinance has been presented to voters twice, and twice voters have said no. On a local ballot Tuesday, June 14, voters again rejected the elderly tax deferral ordinance, 150-137.
The ordinance, which would have allowed senior citizens who meet certain criteria to defer payment of property taxes, was defeated at Whitefield’s annual town meeting in March by 10 votes. Several counts were taken with varying outcomes before the final results were announced.
Peter Froehlich, an advocate for the ordinance, lobbied selectmen to present it to voters again due to the confusion surrounding the vote at the annual town meeting.
By presenting the ordinance on a written ballot, the vote would be an undisputable representation of how voters feel about the ordinance, Froehlich said. The results were largely consistent with the result at town meeting – by a narrow margin, the ordinance was defeated, this time by 13 votes.
The results of another referendum question have paved the way for the construction of cellphone towers in Whitefield. Voters approved an amendment to the wireless communications facilities ordinance 230-56. The amendment increases the restriction on cellphone tower heights from 120 feet to 199 feet.
A cellphone carrier has said that if the ordinance was approved, an application will be submitted soon thereafter for the construction of a cellphone tower.
The amendment to the ordinance was requested by the Whitefield Planning Board. The lack of cellphone reception in Whitefield is a common complaint among residents and is increasingly becoming a safety concern, planning board members said.
