PERU – Just how much money will the town need when the budget goes to town meeting on March 18 was the question on every selectman’s mind Monday night.
The biggest concern for the budget is the school. Since merging with SAD 21, Peru has the problem of a yearly budget that goes by the calendar year versus the district that goes from July 1 to June 30. Since July 1, the cost to the town has been approximately $98,800 per month. This will certainly increase in July.
According to Town Clerk Vera Parent, that cost could increase $20,000 over the year.
Board Chairman Andre St. Pierre said the board needs to know what it can present to the town on March 18.
“We just need to keep everything on the warrant as flat as we can until we know what school costs will be. We owe it to the town to keep cost as low as possible. If we can do without a sand/salt shed this year, then we may have to do so,” he said.
The board has scheduled a budget workshop for 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
The board gave approval for Fire Chief Bill Hussey to apply for a grant for a new truck. He said the Fire Department needs to get a new pumper truck as they will need a larger one with the new school being built. Also, the brakes have already failed twice on the old pumper. The town’s share would be 5 percent of between $200,000 to $250,000, the cost of a new truck, should the grant be awarded.
A building permit for Robert Boyle was not approved pending a report from the code enforcement officer on the site that may be in shoreland zoning.
The question of dividing the present lot into six lots was discussed at length. The extent of family relationships could determine whether this division would constitute a subdivision.
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