SUMNER – Selectmen met with the Budget Committee to discuss the proposed 2004-05 budget Tuesday night.

The budget that selectmen presented to the committee was only $16,000 more than the 2003-04 budget. “Our goal for this budget was no tax increase,” explained Town Clerk Susan Runes.

Members of the Budget Committee found more ways to save the town money. One suggestion was that the town change its building notification fee to a building permit and impact fee, to offset the $1,000 the town spends annually on assessment fees for new buildings. The current building notification fee is $1, to cover photocopying.

Also, selectmen had proposed that the $4,600 Fire Department education and training fund be supplemented with a $4,000 stipend to be divided among the town’s volunteer firefighters. In the past, whatever money remained in the training fund had been used as a stipend.

The recommendation for the two accounts came in response to a letter from a former firefighter alleging that the department denied training to firefighters in order to have a larger stipend.

Members of the Fire Department at the meeting said the department does not want a separate account for stipends. The budget committee agreed to cut the stipend account, and to increase the training account to $5,000.

Selectmen also wondered whether the town should change its approach to road repair.

“We’re constantly trying to fix things that may not be fixable,” said Selectman Mark Silber. “Do we lead, or do we respond?”

“We’ll never have anything much better than we have unless we bite the bullet,” agreed Selectman Tom Standard. He speculated that “when you have good roads, they’re a lot easier to maintain.”

Road Commissioner Jim Keach estimated that it would cost $150,000 per mile to bring the town’s 20 miles of roads up to standards. “Most of them need complete rebuilding,” said Standard. The total cost would be about $3 million.

Selectmen will work on getting a more detailed estimate of the cost of the project. They will present information on a bond for discussion at the town meeting in August. The recommended road budget will remain at $110,000.