ANDOVER — Fifty residents spent nearly four hours Saturday morning working through 24 of 56 articles on the town meeting warrant in the Town Hall before breaking for lunch.
Most of the articles dealt with financial management, amendments to the Employee Policy Ordinance, and wages and benefits and department budgets.
Bob Duplessie was elected moderator.
After an attempt to amend Article 4 to take $120,000 from surplus to buy down the tax rate failed, voters OK’d taking the recommended $140,000 instead after Selectmen Chairman Keith Farrington said the town would run out of money by year’s end if they didn’t.
Discussion bogged down on Article 8, which sought approval to borrow $200,000 to buy out what Andover owes to School Administrative District 44. Last year, Andover voted to leave the district and start its own municipal school.
Received donations will lessen the buyout amount, Selectman Jim Adler said.
Adler said part of the $200,000 would cover start-up costs for the new school. Selectman Judy Tabb said another $10,000 from the bond would be used to buy a school bus. Andover already has $106,000 in an account to help with start-up costs.
Resident Donna Libby said the $200,000 should be raised and appropriated from taxes, not borrowed.
“This is nothing unexpected and it is necessary,” resident Pete Coolidge said.
Voters OK’d the article after Farrington said selectmen will control the bond money. “We won’t pay it out unless we need to.”
Voters OK’d pay hikes reduced from 3 percent to 1½ percent for hourly and salaried employees, and personnel paid with stipends, except for the salaried fire chief, deputy fire chief and first assistant fire chief. They were amended to remain at 2014 wages at fire Chief Rob Dixon’s behest.
After a long and confusing discussion on an amendment that would have eliminated health insurance for three part-time employees, voters defeated it. Then, by a 30-20 tally, they approved an amendment that keeps health insurance for the three employees intact but prevents it from being offered to new part-time employees.
Municipal elections will be held from noon to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24. Selectman Judy Tabb is seeking re-election while challenged by candidates Dianne Cutting, Jane C. Rich and Lucien Leo Camire.
Dixon is seeking re-election and is being challenged by write-in candidate firefighter Justin Tibbetts.
Road commissioner candidates are David Dolloff, Mark Farrington and Darryl Wells.
Other candidates are Melinda Averill for town clerk and tax collector; and for school board, Linda Presby for a one-year term, Paula Lee for two years and Albert S. Coolidge for three years.
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