BUCKFIELD – Back-to-back hearings Tuesday night brought out some innovative solutions from listeners, selectmen and Town Manager Glen Holmes.

Northeast Bank employee Eileen Hotham was concerned that the Stopping, Standing and Parking Ordinance left little room for the bank and other businesses’ patrons to have a convenient place to park in the village.

There is a Park and Ride lot next to the post office in the middle of the business district.

Selectman Chip Richardson asked why they couldn’t move the Park and Ride to the town lots in front of the Town Garage, which is up the hill on Route 117.

Holmes thought the suggestion was brilliant and said he would look into it.

Moving the park and ride would open several parking spaces.

In the first of two budget hearings, Holmes informed residents that the budget may indeed go down and the tax rate as well. He said new information from the schools indicated there may be a savings of up to $28,000 for the town.

Other ways the town has cut costs are in administration. A total of $14,435 was eliminated by not buying the office a new server, cutting selectmen and assessors’ stipend, not giving raises to town employees and closing of the Town Office on Saturday and a Monday or Friday. Holmes said this would cut expenses by having the heat cut off for three days in a row and power for lights and cooling. Though he would still be working, it wouldn’t take much to supply heat to his small office.

Holmes hopes to save on highway equipment by asking voters at the June town meeting to purchase the back hoe they have been leasing. The savings would be about $2,200 a year.

Holmes said they cut the summer road budget by $55,515.

“The town is also saving money by using the highway employees to do town maintenance when they are not busy with highway and equipment upkeep,” Holmes said.

He also advised there is a bill in the Legislature to cut excise taxes, and if this passes, the towns may see taxes go up. Every dollar the town loses in excise tax collections comes out of individual property taxes. Holmes said the state is also cutting tree growth allotments to the towns.

The Driveway Ordinance, Lock Box Ordinance and Fire Chief Selection Ordinance hearings will be held at 6 p.m. May 19.