PARIS – After a few disapproving remarks, the Board of Selectmen on Monday agreed to ask voters at the annual town meeting whether they support spending $150,000 on road improvements as part of the Paris Elementary School project.
Town Manager Sharon Jackson explained the money would be the limit of the town’s contribution toward a project that could cost as much as $450,000.
Selectman Bruce Hanson said he was disappointed to learn the money will only involve improvements to a section of High Street between the railroad tracks and Maine Veterans Home.
“The original discussion was to resurface from Nichols Street to the tracks with 3-foot paved shoulders,” he said. Hanson also pointed out that the state is scheduled to resurface High Street in four years, which would cost the town nothing.
Board Chairman Bill Merrill asked what would happen if the voters did not commit to the $150,000.
“The project’s scrapped,” Jackson said, referring only to the High Street work and not the elementary school.
She said the town will be required to pave Meadow Lane for the project to go forward, however.
The board voted 5-0 to place an article for the $150,000 on the town meeting warrant along with an explanation of the work.
Work on the $12 million Paris Elementary School is scheduled to begin in June. The school will be built off High Street between Hathaway Road and Meadow Lane.
In other business, the selectmen voted 5-0 to approve a warrant article that would ask voters to change the months that property taxes are due from June and December to May and November.
Jackson wanted to make the dates April and October, but selectman Raymond Glover said the larger schedule shift could be too difficult for some residents.
Jackson said shifting the tax commitment dates could save the town money by limiting the need to borrow in the future.
“We’re going to borrow $100,000 this week,” she said, adding that money also has been borrowed in October for the last two years to tide the town over until taxes are paid.
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