NORWAY — Annual town meeting voters approved a $2.7 million operating budget and $427,500 in capital projects, including the purchase of a new firetruck, Highway Department grader and funds for continued road projects Monday night.

About 80 voters approved the 44-article warrant in about 90 minutes, but took time to discuss several purchases and a $110,000 request for general assistance. The request was a $35,000 increase over last year’s general assistance budget and includes $10,000 for the administration of the assistance.

Town Manager David Holt told voters that the increasing general assistance budget is a “tough thing” but one that under state law the town is obligated to meet each year.

“This is a tough deal,” he conceded when met by questions about eligibility, residency, workfare and other issues related to the distribution of general assistance from a small group of voters.

Holt said Norway has a higher general assistance budget than surrounding towns because more people in need tend to generate to Norway due to its low-income housing opportunities.

“We don’t do this because we want to do it, we do it because the law says we have to,” said Holt, who agreed some of the criteria for collecting, such as residency guidelines, are fluid. But he stressed that Norway has always taken care of residents who may need help for a variety of reasons.

“We should be thankful we have a town that takes care of them,” one resident said.

A few voters called for stricter code enforcement guidelines that would reduce the amount of low-income housing in town and said those receiving assistance should “do something” to pay back the town. Holt said the town has a workfare program that many participate in. Newly appointed Code Enforcement Officer Joelle Corey-Whitman said the guidelines for low-income housing program eligibility, such as the Section 8 program, in some cases are much different than what state building codes require.

Despite the lengthy conversation, the majority of voters approved the general assistance budget.

Voters also approved the purchased of a new four-wheel drive fire pumper for an estimated cost of $325,000. To pay for it, $125,000 will be taken from the firetruck reserve account, and the remaining $200,000 will be financed.

Fire Chief Dennis Yates and firefighter Tim Yates told voters that the new truck is necessary to adequately cover 24 miles of unimproved roads with many camps that are outside of the fire hydrant area.

“This gives us a chance to get to your house and save as much as we can and be safe,” Tim Yates said. The equipment will replace a 1949 forestry truck and a 1967 Maxim firetruck.

Voters also OK’d the purchase of a new highway grader for $225,000, with $120,000 coming from the highway reserve account and $105,000 to be financed . Holt said the purchase was not something the town planned on, but because of ongoing repairs on the current grader that amount to about $80,000, the grader has to be replaced.

“This wasn’t a decision we thought we’d be making this year,” he told voters.

Voters also approved $445,151 for the operation of the Police Department, $213,800 for the Fire Department and $730,134 for the operation of the Highway Department.

In other action, voters approved $251,161 for the library operations, as well as capital items such as $48,000 for in-town street improvement and $200,000 for road improvement, $10,000 for tree removal on town roadsides and properties, $9,000 for the sidewalk and traffic safety reserve, $18,000 for the bridge repair reserve and $10,000 for the reserve for repair of cemeteries, headstones and fences.

Voters also agreed to appropriate the town’s share of the operating cost of Norway/Paris Solid Waste Inc. at $275,000.

ldixon@sunjournal.com

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