JAY – Selectmen and Budget Committee members are scheduled next week to review a proposed $6 million spending plan for municipal government in 2006-07. One of the new items both panels will be asked to consider is making the fire chief position full time.
Town Manager Ruth Marden is already asking for $62,117 to be reduced from the initial budget proposal to allow the town to meet the state-set tax cap for Jay that restricts the town’s spending increase for town government to 4.83 percent.
If the boards approve reducing $11,117 from donations and moving Area Youth Sports request for insurance money to take it out of the recreation fund, use $31,000 from a sewer reserve account for a generator instead of raising the money, and reducing a requested $100,000 for Parker Pond Road by $20,000 that would bring the town into line with the spending cap. The budget would then be proposed at $5.94 million, which would be offset by $2.14 million in anticipated revenue.
The current year’s budget is $5.58 million factoring in anticipated revenue.
The budget review is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, and 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Jay Middle School cafeteria. Prior to Monday’s review, selectmen will hold a brief meeting at 6 p.m., which will include a public hearing on a renewal of a special entertainment license for Steppin’ Out.
Besides the $100,000 that could be reduced to $80,000 proposed for Parker Pond Road to make it a town way or recreational easement and includes money to take land by eminent domain if necessary, other new budget requests are $10,000 for a pulp and paper museum and $25,000 to get design and engineering work done on a proposed industrial park.
In addition, though not factored into the Fire Rescue Department’s budget, $50,387 is proposed for a full-time chief in the alternate budget. That amount includes $38,000 for base pay, plus all taxes, insurance and clothing allowance.
“We’re going to take a look at it and see if it’s feasible,” Fire Rescue Chief Scott Shink said Tuesday. “It’s not a part-time job. There is not enough time in the day for people who have a full-time job to do the job right and to get everything done.”
Currently the chief gets an $8,000 annual stipend though this year the number proposed is $9,000.
The budget proposed for the department is $252,772 keeping the fire chief’s position as it is and $267,937 with a full-time chief.
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