LIVERMORE — A meeting has been set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, at the Spruce Mountain Primary School gym for voters to learn more about budget lines and other articles to be considered during the annual Town Meeting referendum vote on April 25.
The meeting was originally scheduled for March 14 but was postponed a week due to a predicted snowstorm.
The select board is proposing a 2023/24 budget of $1.96 million, up $255,908 or 15.1% over the current spending plan. That amount does not include up to $275,000 to purchase a new truck for the highway department. County and school assessments are not included either.
Debt service is increasing $105,058 this year, with the first payment due for the new firetruck voters approved last April. In November 2022, Fire Chief Donald Castonguay told the select board the truck build was expected to start this April with delivery in July. Voters approved $100,000 in each of the last three years to help pay for the truck, which offsets most of the increase.
The Budget Committee recommends cutting $2,250 from the budget: $1,500 from the recreation field and $750 from AYS. Select Board Chair Mark Chretien said a new group is trying to upgrade a field with a new dugout [there are two playing fields at the Route 4 location, one was upgraded last year]. For AYS, the board is proposing $750 for insurance and a like amount for heat but the committee only supports funding one, he noted.
This year voters will be asked to approve $1,500 for Washburn-Norlands Living History Center. In December, trustees announced the center was at risk of dissolving if it didn’t get a $3 million infusion of cash by spring.
Voters will also consider having insurance revenue collected from accident scenes go to capital equipment reserves for the Livermore Fire Department. In June 2022, Fire Chief Donald Castonguay said companies would be charged for accidents that resulted in four, five, six hours of his department’s time. Most of the accidents happen on U.S. Route 4, and townspeople would not be charged, he noted then.
Another question seeks adoption of a town beach ordinance at Brettuns Pond. After several complaints of trash, hypodermic needles and feces littering the public area, the select board in 2022 considered closing the beach and implementing enforcement strategies. Officials wanted public input on how to proceed and even suggested selling the beach, which is for residents’ use only.
The annual Town Meeting will be held by referendum vote, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 25 at the Spruce Mountain Primary School gym. All articles will be determined by yes or no votes, with no changes in budget amounts possible.
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