CANTON—Canton’s Town Meeting will be held Thursday, June 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Office. One of the more expensive decisions for voters will be the acquisition of a new tandem axle plow truck, not to exceed $200,000. Part of the funds for the purchase, $105,000, would come from the town’s highway equipment reserves, and the rest of the funding would fall to taxpayers.

Selectman Donald Hutchins said that the truck which needs to be replaced “has had a substantial amount of work done and it’s not going to get any better.” He says that the town has long discussed the need for a dual axle truck rather than a single axle truck. “With this newer truck we’ll be able to push banks back on some of our roads such as the River Road, where there is significant drifting. [And on route] 140, where we’re obligated to keep that open, we’ve had to ask the DOT almost every year to help us push those banks back. We need to get the right tools for the job,” he said.

He also said that there has been a lot of talk about why the fire department was required to buy a used fire truck but the highway department needed a new plow truck. He explained that a used fire truck coming from a larger city will last the town many years because of Canton’s limited usage of the truck. “[But] with a plow truck it’s used year round and it’s [used] in more harsh conditions.”

Hutchins said that in the summertime the town would be able to haul a substantially larger load in the dual axle truck, which will make their work more efficient.

Another higher cost vote for the town is Article 24, pertaining to money for the Public Works Department. The total cost of $147,000 includes items such as Foremen’s compensation at $35,000, and $13,000 for fuel, $26,000 for salt, and $10,000 for sand, among other items. The total amount will be offset by carry-over funds and state government funding, bringing the total cost down to $122,000.

Next in order of highest expense is Article 16, regarding General Government Compensation, a total of $76,500. Highest costs listed are for the Administrative Assistant, $38,000 and Deputy Assistant, $17,000. Selectmen are budgeted at $15,000, among other items.

Article 23, money for Protection and Enforcement, totals $66,472. Included are the costs of hydrants at $35,825.00 and Medical Care Ambulance, $23,568, among other items.

Article 26, money for the Transfer Station, totals $52,005. Tipping fees (municipal waste management) of $22,000, employee’s compensation of $11,500, and a recycling contract of $6,000 are among items listed.

Article 11, the vote to apply the town’s revenue amounts against taxation amounts totals $234,975. Excise taxes of $120,000 and revenue sharing of $64,000 top the list for greatest sources of revenue.

Article 38, the vote to raise or appropriate $2,500 for Canton’s bicentennial in 2021 is also on the docket. Hutchins said that preplanning for the bicentennial is important to the selectmen and for the town’s benefit.

mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net

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