|Debra Smith|
About 100, mostly older, residents gathered in Memorial School Gym for Town Meeting on the evening of May 1. Town Manager Bill Kerbin kicked off the evening with a welcome and the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Select Board stood with chair Paul Larrivee as he dedicated this year’s Town Report to Beverly Cadigan, for her years of service to the Town. They also recognized Transfer Station staff Jeff Pratt and Keith Chase for their combined 62 years of service.
Kerbin read the official “greetings,” and led selection of a moderator, Don Libby. Libby then took over to move through the warrant. But first, Kerbin explained that one article, the use of $500,000 from the undesignated fund to offset taxation, was inadvertently omitted from the warrant. There will need to be a special town meeting to address this.
Most articles passed without much, or any, discussion. Those with different recommendations from the Budget Committee versus the Select Board, mostly very small amounts, generated some questions and discussion. Find the meeting warrant at this link.
Committee budgets
The Select Board had removed budgets from two committees, Economic Development (under the Planning Department budget) and Environmental Resources (under Parks & Recreation budget), with the idea that these funds be pooled and available for proposed activities of any committee. Instead, voters chose the higher amount, thus approving the $2,000 in Article 2, as well as in each of these department budgets.
Ambulance equipment
$5,000 for ambulance equipment was another item that drew considerable discussion, with some arguing to err on the side of safety and “make sure that we get a van that’s outfitted properly.” Others said that these small items were “not included in the original request,” and should not be approved. Interim NGFR Chief Craig Bouchard explained that the board had reduced the department’s original $130,000 request by $8,000, which had included radios, shelving, bins and equipment mounts. Voters approved the higher amount on this item.
Part-time groundskeeper
A half-time groundskeeping position was questioned by one person. “Why do we need 1-½ positions to do the job of one person?” DPW Director Ted Shane explained that previously, a Public Works staff person had done mowing, but that additional help is now needed. The full amount passed.
Cable TV station manager
On the other hand, there were no questions or discussion about a new part-time position for a Cable TV station manager.
Assistant librarian’s pay
The other contentious article was the additional $2,230 the budget committee had recommended to increase the assistant librarian’s pay to a competitive rate. Arguments opposing this amount were made on the basis of the person having accepted the pay when hired, and that other town staff are not being paid at rates commensurate with their peers in other towns. Several spoke in support of the library and this increase, and it passed.
Paving and chip sealing
This article created quite a bit of confusion and questions. It turned out (eventually) that the Select Board and Budget Committee had both reduced Public Works’ initial paving request by $100,000 because voters had already approved $572,000 in supplemental paving at a November special town meeting. The $100,000 cut would drop a road off the work list.
Then late in the game, the board learned that TIF funds could be used for Morse Road, one of the priority planned roads. So the board upped its recommended amount back to the full $477,899, allowing the dropped road to be put back in. However, because the Budget Committee had already wrapped up, their lower number had to go onto the warrant. Voters approved the full $477,899 but asked that the list of roads be included next time as was done in the past.
Capital reserves and capital projects
Capital reserve articles passed without discussion, as did almost all capital projects.
Cemetery expansion
The request from the Cemetery Association for $160,000 to fund expansion of existing cemeteries over the next three years, generated both statements in support and questions.
The board had recommended $50,500 to fund the initial surveying and planning activities, in keeping with the CIP process which funds projects on an annual basis. The Budget Committee had recommended funding the full amount. Two people suggested that the relationship between the Town and the Association, incorporated as a non-profit organization, be reviewed. The first motion proposed the full amount, while an amended motion reduced that to the lower figure. Several speakers advocated for the full amount, and in the end, that is what voters approved.
The hour was getting late, and the list of pro-forma approvals of items such as authority to accept grants, returning unexpended capital improvement funds to capital reserve accounts, and disposing of surplus property, passed quickly.
Watch video of the May 1, 2023 Annual Town Meeting at this link.
