Feb. 8 - Budget passes Selectboard

The Selectboard passed the budget despite the public's concerns.
After the public hearing concluded there was a deliberative session still open to the public where the Selectboard voted to pass the budget.  Before the unanimous vote there was some discussion about what had transpired at the meeting.

Selectman David Joslin was not glad to be cutting the money from the fire departments, but felt it was necessary for this year and only for this year.  “I don’t feel great about cutting money out of the fire department, but we had to make some cuts somewhere,” said Joslin.  “My understanding and my feeling is that this was a one shot deal.”

Selectboard Chair Wayne Fortier expressed that if the town does not like the budget then they can vote it down during town meeting. “They need to come out and defend (the fire department),” said Fortier.  “They have (until March 8) to do it.”

Selectman Roderick Ladd voiced his concern about maintaining three fire departments and keeping up with all the equipment costs.  “We need to get a handle on the cost of the fire equipment that we have as a community,” said Ladd.  “When they say it’s getting expensive to run these fire departments, it is.  We are going to have to do something about that down the road here.  It’s getting out of hand.”

Town Manager Glenn English addressed his thoughts about the precincts and the financial dilemma the town faces.  “(The townspeople) are basically giving the money to the precincts and the precincts are deciding (what to do with it),” said English.  “All the taxpayers in the town are footing the bill and the ones that go to the precinct meetings are the ones who decide how that money is spent, I don’t know if that’s fair.”