What counts and what does not?
To Bob M - I would suggest to find out what has to be recorded with regards to a town meeting vote, I believe Town meeting records show up in two places, the Annual Town report and on town web site under "town Meeting" You can also go to the Town Clerk's office and request a copy. That would anser the question of whether the summaries need to be recorded along with the warrant article (the warning) and the motion made, amended and the motion actually voted on. I believe that would answer the question as to why summaries are included in any record or report. I looked in the annual town report of 2000, 1999, 2005 and found no summaries included.
Secondly, I would suggest that the question of what is binding at town meeting, the summary, the warrant article, the motion (amended or other wise) or the motion actually voted on. May wish to check on wording requirements of debt exclusion, overrides or other borrowing articles and see if the requirements were met on November 9, 2015. If it is the motion voted on, at town meeting, then the summaries mean squat and I would think that would go to any information put on a table by anyone.
If the information says two years but the motion does not say that, stand up and get clarification and if not satisfied, vote no.
As to why a problem with the budget and the fire department, as I stated, town's people said they wanted ambulance service, then they said they want ALS and now because of that, the town will need full time people to cover things required to have that license, as I understand it. Mr. Hamel told me when he was acting chief that the service would be okay and would be covered by volunteers, on call per diem people. Guess things changed, either way, people said they want ambulance service and dispatch service run by the town and I am saying, now you have to pay for it.
So, perhaps, this Saturday when the town operating budget comes up, maybe the question should be asked what is up with ambulance receipts being used to fund general fund budget? Why is there a 100K deficit built in that has to be fixed at some point in some way. Why is there fulltime positions for the fire department because I thought we had an on call volunteer department.
While thinking about the fiscal year 2018, think about this: Highway labor contract, July 1, 2017 - laborer/operator/truck driver (LOT) step 1 = $14.37 per hour. July 1, 2018 (fiscal year 2019) LOT step 1 = $16.39 per hour That is a two dollar per hour pay raise, I think it is time to make changes to how health insurance is paid for which has a substantial impact on town expenses. Unless of course if the taxpayers want to leave it as it is, then all they have to do is PAY FOR IT. You cannot eat your cake and have it too.
posted by Jeff Bennett
