LIVERMORE — Selectpersons and the Budget Committee differed Wednesday, March 13 on spending recommendations for the 2019-20 budget, which includes county and school assessments.
During a joint meeting, selectmen supported a total expenditure of $3.95 million, while the Budget Committee favored $3.9 million.
The proposed spending, which includes the Androscoggin County assessment and the Regional School Unit 73 assessment, stands at $4.07 million. The total for those three expenditures last year was $3.71 million.
The Budget Committee recommended funding highway capital improvements at $350,000, the same as last year, and not giving pay increases to highway workers.
Selectpersons said they want to increase funding for highway capital improvements by $45,000 in 2019-20 and give workers a 1 percent pay increase. The $45,000 includes $25,000 to rebuild 5,900 feet of Waters Hill Road and $20,000 for cold mix.
Selectperson Chairman Mark Chretien said the original plan was to completely rebuild Waters Hill Road, which would cost about $475,000.
Budget Committee Chairman Warren Forbes said voters last year clearly opposed the large increases requested for road funding.
“It’s to the point of being extravagant, irresponsible to the taxpayers,” he said.
Forbes said there is $245,000 in the account from last year.
Highway Foreman Roger Ferland said the company hired last year to pave could not start until September due to scheduling, and two weeks of rain, followed by cold temperatures, meant the work could not be done last year.
“We’re one of the first ones on the (contractor’s) list for this spring,” Ferland said.
Chretien said if there is money left from last year’s road budget, it will go toward another road on last year’s road improvement plan.
“At some point, you’re going to get less and less work done with the same amount of money,” Brenda Merrill of the Budget Committee said.
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