PERU — Citizens approved all but one article, including firefighting gear and a rebuild of a section of Valley Road, during Tuesday’s referendum.
Clerk/Treasurer/Tax Collector Debra Coudrain said the proposed 2023-24 municipal budget is $1,632,283, or $1,772,340 including the $140,057 share of the Oxford County tax.
Last June, voters approved a $1.4 million 2022-23 municipal budget.
Voters approved appropriating $43,200 to purchase eight sets of firefighting gear, and an article for $28,325 to purchase four Scott air packs and masks.
By a narrow margin of 90-92, citizens backed $14,425 to complete paving at the fire station annex at Worthley Pond.
Voters appropriated $164,465 to rebuild a section of Valley Road from Holland Road to Miller Road. This will include reclaiming the road, removal of all found boulders from the roadway, replacing old culverts, including the culvert between 236 Valley Road and 283 Valley Road that is collapsing, adding crushed gravel with final grading and compaction. Additional costs will be covered by existing LRAP funds.
The town appropriated the remaining $100,000 towards a townwide property revaluation. Voters approved $100,000 last June for revaluation, however, in 2021, voters turned down a request of $150,000 for revaluation.
It’s believed the last revaluation was done around 2002. Revaluations are typically made every 10 years or so. The town plans to complete the revaluation by July 2026.
In elections without challengers, Arthur Clifford and Jason Dolloff won three-year terms on the Select Board; Daniel Carrier Jr. won a three-year term as fire chief; and Bradley Hutchings won a three-year term as road commissioner.
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