PARIS — The interim town manager has recommended that a proposed revaluation of properties not be paid from the general fund after an unexpected shortfall in that account.

Michael Thorne said he originally predicted that the undesignated fund would increase from $589,000 at the end of the 2008 fiscal year to $750,000 at the end of the 2009 fiscal year. Instead, an audit determined that the fund stood at about $432,000 after the 2009 fiscal year.

"Given the fund balance of that smaller size, it would not be prudent to take $225,000 from it," Thorne said.

A special town meeting had originally been proposed for Dec. 3 to ask voters if they would approve the use of $225,000 from the fund to hire an outside agency to conduct a revaluation. Former assessor Kevin McGillicuddy resigned in 2007 after his revaluation was criticized by townspeople who said it resulted in a sharp increase in their property taxes. Assessor John Brushwein has said he is working to correct errors in the assessments. He estimated that it would take until 2013 to complete a revaluation process if the assessor is the only person working on it.

Thorne said the shortfall apparently resulted from expenses exceeding revenues in the prior fiscal year. In addition, the undesignated fund helped pay for a project to install sidewalks along High Street near Paris Elementary School.

Thorne recommended to the selectmen on Monday that any funds approved for a revaluation should not come from the undesignated fund. He said it is possible that the town could borrow money for the project by soliciting bids from local banks.

In addition to the revaluation question, the special town meeting was to ask residents if they would approve the use of funds to repair the Fire Department's water tanker and rebuild a recreational trail bridge over the Little Androscoggin River. A fourth item proposed a voluntary adoption of state ethics regulations on campaign funding.

At Monday's meeting, selectmen voted to postpone the Dec. 3 meeting after accepting two recall petitions filed against Chairman David Ivey and Selectman Troy Ripley. Selectman Ray Glover said that by state statute, the recall petitions would have to be placed on the next special town meeting.

Glover said Friday that since the next regular meeting of the board won't be until Dec. 14, a special selectmen meeting will be held to satisfy the requirement that a recall election be called within 14 days of acceptance of a recall petition. Glover said it was unclear whether all of the original articles would remain on the warrant.

Ripley said the board would conduct interviews for a new town manager on Dec. 1. He would ask for a special meeting to take place later in the week to set up warrant articles for a special town meeting, he said.

mlangeveld@sunjournal.com