MINOT — A $1 million road bond will go before voters at Saturday’s the annual Town Meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. in the Minot Consolidated School gymnasium.
The current $1.99 million municipal budget would see a net increase of $21,900, if all articles are approved.
“The major changes from prior year is a three-year, $1 million bond, which would cover the next three years of construction work in town,” Town Administrator Danielle Loring said in an email. “The reason the selectmen opted to go in this direction is because it kept the payments consistent over the next three years. There is a backup article in case the bond does not pass.
“The other issue is the article regarding the town’s revaluation, Loring wrote. “Last year, $75,000 was moved from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the Revaluation Reserve. This year, an additional $75,000 is requested from the (Undesignated Fund Balance) and to approve the expenditure of the $150,000 from the reserve to start the revaluation. The town will contract with their existing agent, O’Donnell and Associates, to complete the fieldwork this fall and potentially commit the values in the spring of 2022.”
Loring said paving costs are usually applied to the maintenance of roads, but a street needs “major rehabilitation so we have to dig down into the base of that road.”
“Actually that paving bond reduces that cost because if we went with a straight forward project costs, it would be $426,000 in order to rehabilitate that road and continue with our paving program,” she explained. “But while we are doing the bond, it is only $335,000 because we are dividing the cost of our three years of paving over three years. Right now, the interest rates are phenomenal.”
The warrant includes electing an assessor for three years, six ordinance updates and general business articles, Loring said. For a detailed explanation of the warrant go to minotme.org.
She added that the gymnasium will make it safe for voters to participate.
“We wanted to make sure to accommodate all the residents who decide to come out on Saturday and join us,” Loring said. “We appreciate everybody’s patience and we hope to have a safe and accessible event.”
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