PERU — Jim Pulsifer was elected chairman of the Board of Selectmen on Monday and Danny Wing vice chairman.
The board first worked on setting the town budget for 2013-14, with Pulsifer saying he wanted to cut the proposed spending by $50,000. That would cover about half the amount the town is expected to lose from state revenue sharing, he said.
Joe Roach defended his road budget, but Pulsifer said he wanted Roach to look at it again and cut $30,000.
The main discussion centered on a three-member crew. Selectman Lee Merrill thought a crew of two with part-timers when nessecary was all he needed.
Fire chief Bill Hussey submitted a budget of $34,200, the same as last year. Pulsifer asked him if he could cut operations from $25,000 to $23,000. Hussey said he could.
General Assistance was cut to $1,000 and Pulsifer asked that $14,000 be cut from office operations.
Pulsifer wanted the selectmen’s stipend cut from $25 per meeting to $15.
Wing suggested the cut be $20 a meeting and all agreed.
After the budget workshop, the board approved tree growth plans for Stephen Fuller on Coach Road and Candice Goodwin on Auburn Road.
They also approved the reappointment of Planning Board members Dan Tremper, Arthur Campbell and Tim Placey.
The board reviewed intent to harvest from Cory Trenoweth and Alfred Lucas.
Selectmen approved building permits for John Gallant on Stagecoach Road for a new roof and a storage shed for Patricia Young on Oxford Road.
They awarded the cemetery maintenance bid to Todd Piper for $7,000.
Wing withdrew his petition to withdraw from RSU 10.
In the public participation time, Marie Eastman suggested town employees not get 100 percent insurance coverage.
Pulsifer said that would have to be negotiated with employees.
Selectman Laurianne Milligan mentioned that it was only for the employees and they had gone down two tiers in benefits and some things had been taken away.
Several people mentioned what other towns gave their employees.
“We’re going to discuss this nicely and move on,” Pulsifer said.
Tammy Moore said the tapes recorded by board secretary Kathy Hussey needed to be saved. Hussey, who uses her recorder and tapes for meetings, uses them to complete writing minutes of the meetings.
Pulsifer said he would be happy with no recording, but it was indeed something that should be kept as a record.
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