JAY — Selectpersons on Monday trimmed another $1,850 from the budget from gas accounts in the Buildings and Grounds and Police Department budgets.
Budget Committee members agreed. Panel member Ricky Merrill opposed all of the proposed budgets.
The reduction brings the tentative proposed budget for 2016-17 to $5.26 million. The spending plan is $373,209 less than last year. After factoring in anticipated revenues, the amount to be raised by taxpayers as of Monday was $3.87 million. It is $430,209 less than what was raised this fiscal year.
The two panels will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, in the library of Spruce Mountain High School to take up donations, anticipated revenues, and the Jay-Niles Memorial Library budget. Revenues to be transferred connected to snowmobile and all-terrain vehicles will also be reviewed.
The town is trying to reduce the municipal budget because of the declining value of Verso Androscoggin LLC’s paper mill and associated equipment. It means less tax revenue for the town.
When reviewing the proposed department budgets, Town Clerk Ronda Palmer said she thought on Feb. 11 that she would be able to reduce that budget by $45,000. To get to that amount a 15-hours-per-week position in the Finance Department would be eliminated and a full-time clerk would become part time.
Palmer said Monday that she was informed by the union that the full-time position couldn’t be reduced to part-time because it is a union position.
The contract would have to be reopened to make such a move.
She was able to offer a reduction of $34,500 in pay and benefits by eliminating the part-time position and reducing both full-time clerks’ hours, she said.
One clerk’s hours would be reduced from 39¾ hours a week to 35 hours. The second clerk’s hours would be reduced from 38½ hours to 35 hours, she said.
Once the spending package is finalized by selectpersons, it will go to public hearing at 6 p.m. Monday, March 14 in the library at Spruce Mountain High School. No changes will be able to be made to the proposal.
Voters will consider the spending plan at the polls on April 26.
Note: This story has been modified since it was initially published to reflect the correct date of the public hearing on the proposed budget. It was a reporter error.
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