WOODSTOCK – Selectmen and Town Manager Vern Maxfield put off completing a budget proposal at Tuesday’s meeting.
Maxfield felt there was a need to wait until March 1 so more information on health insurance can be gathered.
“We have a quote from Aetna at this time,” said Maxfield, “but we are waiting for a quote from Anthem before we finalize a health-care cost proposal for the coming year. Last year we paid a total of $45,843 for health insurance for our employees and we know it will go up significantly this year, but we want to go with the company that will give the best possible price.”
He estimated the cost “could run as high as $60,000 if we end up adding another employee,” a code enforcement officer.
Maxfield said another budget increase will be for SAD 44. School district business manager Bruce Powell expects the town’s cost to run between $740,000 and $760,000.
He told selectmen that last year’s education tab was $710,000, so the town could be looking at an increase of between $30,000 and $50,000.
“It’s the school cost that hit us hardest each year and there isn’t much we can do about it regardless of the state’s new plan to reduce local property taxes,” Maxfield said.
Selectmen said they hope to pare the budget down as much as possible when they meet on March 1. The annual town meeting is scheduled for the last Monday in March.
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