MINOT — Town officials have directed Administrator Danielle Loring to limit spending this fiscal year because of unforeseen expenses and inflation.
At its Monday meeting, selectmen asked that spending be kept to not more than $287,000 above expenses.
They also urged Loring to use any outside revenues available, such as grants, in an effort to offset any necessary net increases in spending.
An example of a spending increase is the purchase of a new plow truck for the Highway Department, which was made necessary by delivery delays for heavy machinery and other vehicles. The truck was ordered in early 2022 and has not yet been delivered.
A new pickup truck will be purchased using reserve funds, Loring said.
Another example of an unforeseen spending increase is the current restructuring of the Minot Fire Department, Loring said. Because it hadn’t spent money allocated in previous years, its budget was cut for this fiscal year, she said.
Local officials also talked about the possibility of hiring a full-time fire chief, she said.
That previous $30,000 budget cut has now been restored and additional money is needed to support the department’s programs, Loring said.
And, although inflation has been slowing, it is contributing to higher operational costs, she said.
“The goal is always to try to take care of the town’s needs, maintain our programming and keep taxes low,” Loring said.
In other business, local officials rejected a request by a member of the public to build a hunting blind off one of the town’s public hiking trails, she said. That led to a general discussion about hunting on town land and how the town might balance public safety with the longstanding culture of hunting in Maine, she said.
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