After extended discussion last night, the Newcastle Board of Selectmen agreed to recommend an approximately $85,000 budget for the Taniscot Engine Co. favoring a lower figure than the $106,000 budget sought by fire company officials who had hoped to hire a full time fire chief.
Ultimately, agreeing they did not have the authority to tell a private company how to spend their budgeted funds, the selectmen agreed to recommend allocating additional funds for the Fire Dept. to hire an office person to complete required paperwork
In previous public statements, Tansicot officers had argued increasing state and federal requirements for record keeping, recording hours served, training hours completed and incidents responded too and so on, had added to the need for a full time fire chief.
In other business, funding requests for non-profit groups were carefully weighed by the selectmen as to their impact, benefit to Newcastle residents, and the ability to fundraise on their own.
The capital roads program generated a great deal of discussion. The selectmen agreed to revisit the issue again at their next meeting on Mon., Feb. 23.
Next Wednesday night, Feb. 25, the Newcastle Finance Committee will make their final recommendations on the 2009 town budget.
Newcastle voters will have the final say on the proposed budget figures during the annual town meeting Mon., March 30 in the Lincoln Academy gymnasium.
