According to Newcastle’s Town Administrator Ron Grenier, the upcoming annual town meeting on March 30 will have two issues likely to be “hot topics” as voters consider creating a full time fire chief position, and bringing road maintenance and repairs under control.
Under Article 9, the Newcastle Fire Company is requesting $106,267, a $23,077 increase over last year’s budget. The increase is a request from the company for a full time fire chief position. Also in the line item is an increase for officer salaries and wages from $6850 to $36,100. However, the selectmen and finance committee recommend voters raise and appropriate $85,690 for the Fire Company, $2500 over the 2008 request.
The fire company trustees cite the funding request for a full time fire chief stems from the increased mandated paperwork required to maintain compliance and licensure.
“Using town funds to subsidize a full time position for the fire chief has never been done. This is a case where both sides have points that merit consideration,” Grenier said. Grenier acknowledges the Fire Company has been over-burdened for years on state and federal compliance requirements.
“There are lots of tests, reports, and documentation, and voluminous forms, all part of the annual certification,” Grenier said. “I don’t think anyone can argue that [increased paperwork is a] fact.”
However, in considering the issue, the selectmen have acknowledged the need for a solution, and have examined a few options. The board discovered Twin Village neighbor Damariscotta has solved the same problem by paying an annual stipend for an administrative person to meet all compliance and filing requirements.
Further discussing the issue, Grenier spoke briefly of risk, employment, and insurance considerations for another full time town position. “We bear all the risk, the Fire Company doesn’t, and that hasn’t been looked at,” he said.
Discussing the articles on roads, Grenier predicted a heated debate. “The dukes are going to be up [about capital options] on roads,” he said.
At the March 30 meeting, the town is going to hear an in depth description and presentation from CES Engineer Travis Noyes advocating Academy Hill ($485,000), Stonebridge Circle ($340,000), and Lynch Roads ($490,000) as the highest priorities for repairs; based primarily on public safety issues, but also on a comprehensive evaluation performed in 2007 and refined in 2008.
The balance of funds would be used to repair or replace the many culverts in town that are creating road problems.
The article requests $251,431 for snow removal, plus selectmen and finance committee recommended $80,000 for maintenance ($120,000 originally requested), totaling $333,931. According to the auditor, 2009 began with $764,463 carried forward from 2008.
Whereas Article 15 requests appropriations for various capital projects, a late addition is Article 15a, concerning the above referenced road repair recommendations, and requests the board be authorized to borrow $1 million dollars for the Capital Reserve account with Article 15b asking to raise and appropriate the debt service accordingly.
Grenier is supportive of the recommended 15-year plan to see to the roads, including road maintenance account he called the “pothole money” which handles the day-to-day road projects. “I’ll be thrilled to have this financing,” Grenier said.
“Of all the town services that most impacts us, from children and schools, and otherwise, it’s roads,’ he said. “We want to be able to drive safely, and this has taken a long time. The residents will have a professional engineer in front of them explaining how and what will be done.”
Grenier also said the town plans to establish a road committee to work with the administrator and engineer to plan for future road work in years to come.
Other articles of interest include Article 11 for various general assistance accounts. The town has seen a marked rise in requests, and selectmen support $18,000 for the fund.
Article 17 seeks support from various agencies, with the board recommending reductions to LCTV to $4230 (half of the 2008 franchise fee), Miles Health Care to $1250, and Skidompha Library to $8320, down from the requested $16,641.
If all articles are passed using the selectmen’s recommendations, the estimated town portion of the mil rate would be set at $13.50, down from the 2008 rate of $13.60 per thousand.
The bottom line tax rate will depend on the school budget, which voters will consider in June.
Grenier said at this time it is impossible to know how the final school and state subsidy numbers, as well as the county taxes, will impact the mil rate. For last year, the county went up $40,000. In 2009, the final numbers will not be available until June.
As well, considering a new Alternative Organization System budget, which includes Jefferson and that town’s possible impact on last year’s $1.5 million in EPS funding, the benefits from the educational stimulus money and how much is passed on, the voters will get the news for the June 9 special town meeting.
The business portion of Newcastle’s annual town meeting will be Mon., March 30 at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Academy Nelson Bailey Gymnasium. Earlier in the day, polls will be open for municipal elections between from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the town’s firehouse on River Rd.
