LIVERMORE FALLS – Townspeople voted to buy a 2009 snowmobile at a cost of $8,037 for the Jug Hill Riders Snowmobile Club, which is responsible for grooming trails in town.

The voters agreed to transfer $6,891.74 from the town’s surplus funds and keep $1,145.26 from the current excise reimbursement for the year 2008-09.

The remainder will be paid back by the town retaining the snowmobile excise funds each year.

Town will make a check out to the vendor to pay for the machine, Town Clerk/Treasurer Kristal Flagg said.

Resident Ron Chadwick said selectmen are recommending about $7,000 be taken from surplus for the machine. Yet, they are also proposing to borrow up to $70,000 for plow trucks in the proposed $2.7 million budget for 2009-10, when the town faces a deficit next year due to the paper mill closing and other reasons, he said.

Club members do a good job grooming the trails with the intent of bringing people into town to spend money, Selectman Bill Demaray said.

“I think it’s a good investment to bring people into the town,” he said.

Club President Tim Fournier said the club spent $14,000 of its own money last year to invest in the trail system.

“We’re trying to get people in,” he said.

The reason the club has asked the town to buy the snowmobile, Fournier said, is to save about $500 on sales tax, and they are getting a break of $2,000 on the machine because a municipality and the club are buying it.

Club member Mike Marquis said they are also building better trails and setting up landing zones for medical helicopters and preparing for other possible medical emergencies.

“I put in between 200 to 300 hours a year,” Marquis said.

In other business, the board also voted to hire Jim Chaousis of Livermore as town manager and agreed to a one-year contract with a $45,000 salary.

It also accepted the resignation of Fire Chief Marvin Parker of Livermore Falls and appointed Mark Chretien of Livermore fire chief. Parker will remain on the Fire Department as a firefighter.