HARRISON — A 25-year plan that maps the financial future of the town was presented to selectmen Tuesday night by Town Manager Bud Finch.
“How good will this be five years from now? It will probably be pretty good,” Finch said. However, in 10 or 20 years, the plan will no doubt change, Finch said, as the town’s needs change, priorities change and new selectmen join the board.
The plan includes spending on capital items like plow trucks and ongoing expenses of road maintenance and paving.
“The idea is, if you buy a truck in 2012, you know in the year 2022, you’ll have to buy another one,” he said.
Finch said he wasn’t looking for the board to take a vote, but just an indication of whether the plan makes sense for the town.
Chairman Bill Winslow reacted positively. “I can’t see how anyone could fault this,” Winslow said. “It can get really scary if you don’t plan. This way, we’ll know right where we are all the time.”
Fellow board members Lisa Villa and Bill Goodwin agreed. Selectmen Eddie Rolfe and Kathy LaPlante did not attend the meeting.
“What you’ve done is take us out of the budgetary dark ages,” Villa said.
“This allows the public to see far out,” Finch said. “It’s a business plan for the town.”
Discussion of the plan came during a workshop session that followed the short business meeting of the board.
Selectmen also reviewed some of the issues that have been raised by selectmen for future discussion. These included the town’s current mooring fees, an issue raised by Goodwin; developing policies for zoning violations and foreclosures on property; roadside tree removal; reviewing policies and procedures on a regular basis; the method for reviewing warrants; and sheriffs and policing.
Finch asked if the current first and third Tuesday meetings of the board could be changed to the second and fourth, so that he could provide more current financial information. The selectmen agreed to have Finch poll the absent board members and look into whether there is a preferred meeting night among the five selectmen.
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