Board of Selectmen Meeting January 3, 2023
Board makes final budget cut recommendations to meet 4% cap, chooses warrant articles. Dissent on both, involving spending on merit pay and vehicles.
Revised Revenue Projection
The Board recognized $25k in additional revenue from earlier projections, allowing a $25k reduction to the budget cuts needed to come in under the 4% cap. Based on decisions made in the prior Board meeting, in this meeting the Board needed to make less than $9k in additional cuts.
Cut to Merit Pay Pool
The Board agreed to make the final cuts from the merit pay pool, of about $8k following a long discussion in which Board members affirmed the need and the town’s commitment to compensate employees fairly.
Ben Bartlett arrived late and objected to this decision. He pointed out that the merit pool, if totally used, wouldn’t even keep up with inflation. He asked if this was something that could be put back into the budget at the deliberative session, which it can be. Donna Danis repeatedly asked him from where else in the budget could we cut the $8k necessary to come in under the budget cap. He repeatedly dodged the question, finally saying,
“I’d have to go through this whole thing all over again.” Danis said, “well, that was the purpose of tonight, was for everybody to come prepared having gone through the whole thing.” Bartlett said, “come prepared. Okay Donna.” Ben Bartlett’s objections begin at 51:30.
Warrant Articles
Interim Town Manager John Scruton proposed the following warrant articles. These were accepted with Ben Bartlett dissenting on the grounds that the figures should be reduced.
Set the veteran tax credit at $750.
$90k for the town’s maintenance and building repair trust. Mentioned in the discussion were several building maintenance problems previously identified by the town’s facilities committee. Primarily Fire Department and Community Center maintenance.
$20k for the revaluation capital reserve fund.
$90k for engineering projects including culverts and the library parking lot.
$6k to make library doors wheelchair accessible, with automatic opening, and a ramp.
$100k for the Fire Department’s vehicle fund.
$100k for the Highway Department’s vehicle fund. Ben Bartlett recommended reducing this to $50k as most of our fleet is relatively new. The one problem truck, the replacement of which the voters rejected last year and which has since had to have a $7k new transmission installed and to have its broken frame welded together will be replaced this spring using federal ARPA funds.
$400k for highway reconstruction. List of roads to be determined.
$10k for invasive species.
$40k for the ambulance service.
$10k for Police technical and IT projects.
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