PARIS — Norway voters approved a $3.8 million town budget Monday night after debating several issues including an increase in General Assistance and whether money should be earmarked for new air packs for firefighters.
About 75 voters completed action on the 44-article warrant in a little less than two hours in the Forum at the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris.
The $3.8 million fiscal 2011 town budget is 2.67 percent more than the current budget and reflects no loss of jobs or employee hours, but also no pay raises, said Town Manager David Holt. Last year, employees received a 2.5 percent pay hike across the board, he said. This year, the police department is the only union yet to settle a contract, but it is expected there will be no salary increase.
Voters spent more than 30 minutes debating the increase of the General Assistance program from $44,592 last year to $85,000 this year.
“We’re forced by law to pay it,” said Holt, who said he believes Norway draws a large number of people on General Assistance because of its high apartment stock, compared to some of the other towns. “It is what it has to be.”
Although Holt said the rules to receive General Assistance are based on needs, some voters argued that the rules do not demand proof of citizenship, or that recipients be forced to work.
Some residents reminded others that children were a large share of the assistance role and that those who can work do work for the town on a volunteer basis.
An amendment made on the the floor by a resident to reduce the General Assistance back to last year’s figure failed and voters ultimately approved the $85,000.
In other debated issues, Fire Department Engine 2 Capt. Tim Yates told residents that the department’s air packs have to be updated for the safety of the firemen. Yates said the packs had failed numerous times in training and recently failed on a firefighter while she was in a burning structure. “The air packs are dangerous,” he said.
Holt told the firefighters that the budget of $205,750, which voters did approve, was designed to allow firefighters to make their own decisions about how to prioritize their spending and if they wished, they could spend money to update the air packs.
Voters also approved a $1 million bond issue recommended by the Roads Committee to catch up on paving jobs. Holt said product prices are less now than was expected and a bond issue is being retired this year, which will keep costs lower.
The recommended road bond package includes paving Dunn Road, Frost Hill, Crockett Ridge Road, Hemingway Road and Town Farm Road.
Also included in the package are Greenwood Road, Don Hunt Road and Morse Road.
There will also be sidewalk, paving and drainage work done on Cottage Street and paving and drainage work on Winter and Green streets. The Dunn-Shedd roads intersection will also be paved if the money is approved.
Voters also approved budgets for the Police Department, emergency management, Norway-Paris Solid Waste, cemeteries, highway, debt service, provider agencies, library, recreation and the capital budget that either did not increase or went down in funding requests.
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