NORWAY – The Budget Committee on Thursday night was presented a proposed $713,000 Highway Department budget for the coming fiscal year.

Town Manager David Holt recommended the amount, which is $3,613 less than this year’s budget but $10,226 more than highway supervisor Ron Springer requested.

“I was concerned Ron’s request was so low we wouldn’t make, it,” Holt said.

“There’s no dramatic changes asked for or recommended by me,” Holt told the Budget Committee, which was meeting for the first time this year.

The budget includes $8,855 more for repairs, $3,000 more for parts, $2,000 more for motor fuels and lubricants, and $500 more for tree removal.

Holt said he recommended the salaries be reduced another $3,616, if voters approve cutting back hours to 36 per week for two months in the summer. Holt’s recommendation is backed by Springer and his crew.

The budget includes $500 less for safety and protective equipment and $500 less for tools and equipment.

Holt said the Highway Department budget is difficult to develop because weather often drives the numbers. In previous years, a special town meeting has been called to address overdrafts, but Holt said this year there is not enough money in the surplus account to recommend a special town meeting.

“That’s why I went high on some,” he said of some of the requested increases.

While Holt did recommend increasing some of the line items, he cut the Highway Department’s request for capital expenses from $255,000 to $100,000 for road improvements, saying in a year or so the town might request a $1 million bond to get back on track with road repairs. If approved, the $100,000 would pay for repair of only one or two out-of-town roads on the priority list of 17 put together by the Road Committee.

Road Committee Chairman Mike Marshall said he would like to see money set aside for maintenance of roads so they do not deteriorate before substantial work can be done on them.

In other capital items, Springer and Holt disagreed on the amount recommended for a truck. Springer requested $75,000 to replace a 1995 Ford that has more than 150,000 miles on it. Replacements of parts has been very difficult or impossible, he said. Holt was against it because of a lack of finances, he said.

The Budget Committee will review the items, including heating fuel where as much as $1,000 may be cut, based on current fuel prices.