LIVERMORE — Voters will decide at Wednesday’s annual town meeting whether to replace a plow truck, accept a gift of land and change the town meeting format.
The meeting will open at 7 p.m. June 13 at Spruce Mountain Primary School gym on Gibbs Mill Road.
Selectperson Wayne Timberlake said at the most recent board meeting that people don’t want to go to town meeting or are unable to.
Board member said 30 to 50 people are deciding the budget voted on a town meeting as compared to 300 who go to the polls to vote on the budget.
Administrative Assistant Amy Byron said with a paper ballot a public hearing is required 45 days prior to the vote. If the vote coincided with the Regional School Unit 73 budget vote there would be a bigger turnout.
It would cost the town about $300 to program the machines and print the ballots, Town Clerk Renda Guild has said.
If referendum voting is approved, it would take effect in 2020.
Voters will be asked Wednesday to appropriate $25,324 for capital improvements at the transfer station. The money is the payout from the town terminating its contract with Oxford County Regional Recycling Corp. last year.
Several articles deal with replacing a plow truck damaged earlier this year. Voters will be asked to use the $40,050 insurance payout, $10,550.50 from the sale of the damaged truck and spend up to $178,000. A four-year loan with 3.85 percent interest would increase the debt service by $17,773.
Voters will be asked to accept a gift of about 10 acres that abuts the ball field. It could be used to expand recreational opportunities.
The total proposed budget of $3.88 million for 2018-2019 is $200,491 more than this fiscal year. The biggest increase comes from the selectpersons’ recommendation to raise $525,000 for capital highway improvements.
The Budget Committee’s recommendation is $350,000.
Other proposed increases are:
• $5,897 for office administration: $5,000 for a deputy treasurer’s stipend and $897 for increases in minimum wages for temporary office workers.
• $12,201 for building maintenance: Internet services of $80 a month, a new roof on the Town Office and a concrete apron in front of the fire station.
• $8,587 for the transfer station: Wages, equipment maintenance and disposal and hauling.
• $13,000 for the Fire Department: Increases in minimum wage and equipment purchases. Revenue and grant proceeds of $13,478 will offset the increase.
• $1,050 for the recreation field: Higher mowing costs.
Voters will be asked to approve $44,000 for the revaluation account, which was established last year in anticipation of a complete revaluation in 2020.
pharnden@sunmediagroup.net
Send questions/comments to the editors.
