HEBRON – A goal set by the Board of Selectmen to avoid an increase in the 2004 municipal operating budget was reached during town meeting Saturday as voters approved a budget that shows a decrease of $6,393. The amount approved was $412,989 as compared to the 2003 budget of $418,987.

Of the amount approved, four accounts make up about 85 percent of the final figure. Those accounts include $217,000 for roads, $53,673 for the transfer station and fees to the Oxford County Solid Waster Corp., $45,000 for administrative costs and $32,812 for the fire department. All other accounts approved were minor in nature and were mostly traditional costs incurred each year.

The amount approved Saturday, however, does not include the school assessment for SAD 17 or the Oxford County tax, both of which will be assessed later this spring. The reason for the delay comes from the fact that those two governmental bodies operate on a fiscal year from July 1 to June 31 while the town runs its accounts on a calendar year basis from January 1 to June 30.

When the school and county assessments are added later this spring the final bottom line budget is expected to total in excess of $891,000 as both are expected to increase somewhat. That figure, though, will still be a decrease from 2003 of about $6,000.

As part of the budget the voters authorized town officials to post a $39,000 bond to finish funding renovations to the old Hebron Elementary School making it suitable for serving as a town office complex.

The money is needed to install a fireproof vault for $26,000, payment of $8,000 for paving the parking area and covering a $5,000 cost for a septic system.

As explained by Selectman Chairman Richard Deans it will be a three-year bond, which will accrue $1,989 in interest bringing the total amount of the bond to $40,989.

The project is already under way and is expected to be completed later this spring.