By Terry Karkos,Staff Writer

ANDOVER – Fire Chief Ken Dixon could have used some mutual aid at Saturday’s town meeting.

“There were not many there representing the fire department, so I became an easy target,” Dixon said.

Several people blazed away at the chief and his budget requests.

In one instance, a handful of voters almost succeeded in putting the station’s ladder truck out to pasture.

“It got pretty nitty-gritty at one point, and I thought we were going to lose our budget,” Dixon said.

Resentment of perceived unchecked annual increases in the department’s budget erupted on Article 9. The article asked voters to raise $2,000 more than the previous year’s $27,500 for fire protection services.

Dixon said the extra money is needed to buy a new set of ladder extension chains for the department’s 1985 aerial truck. Without the chains, he said, the truck could not be certified as safe for use.

An attempt to amend the article failed 21-20.

Voters eventually agreed to raise $29,500 by a 24-16 tally.

Dixon was again raked over the coals on Article 19, and surrounded by flaming resentment on Article 22. A selectman even bailed on him at that point.

Article 19 sought to raise $2,500 for appointed fire and rescue volunteers; Article 22, to raise $11,890 as the town’s 10 percent match to a $106,290 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant won last August.

Andover resident Gregory Peaslee said Article 19’s money should be split evenly among all volunteer firefighters.

Dixon said the money is doled out accordingly to firefighters who attend at least 50 percent of all training, and show up for calls.

Voters approved the article.

In Article 22, Dixon said the FEMA grant was to buy equipment to reach brush fires. It also covers equipment and training needed for five rescue-training subjects: ropes, high angles, swift water, confined spaces and trenches.

Dixon said that he spent $60,000 of the grant on equipment after discussing the matter with selectmen.

That angered many voters, who said he shouldn’t have spent any money until taxpayers could vote to accept the grant and to raise matching funds.

Board Chairman Trudy Akers, the only one who of selectmen present who attended a meeting with Dixon, said she couldn’t recall such a discussion, or giving him permission to spend grant money without voter approval.

Dixon accepted responsibility for his actions, and voters approved the matching funds.