BETHEL – Voters amended several budget articles at Wednesday night’s annual town meeting, including the reduction of the capital improvements budget by $245,500, Town Manager Jim Doar said Thursday afternoon.

As a result of the amendments, the overall municipal budget was reduced by $242,400 to $3,377,136.

Doar explained that the capital improvements budget was reduced from $815,000 to $569,500. The amounts removed included $25,000 to improve the Cole Block roof, $180,500 to resurface Chapman Street, repairing its drainage system and replace its sidewalk.

Doar said the $180,500 was removed on his recommendation, because the town would not be able to get to the work in the coming year.

Voters also removed $40,000 for a dog park at Davis Park. They defeated an article for a dog park using donated money.

On Article 30, voters added $2,000 to an Independence Day fireworks fund. Originally, selectmen suggested no money. Voters also amended the amount of money to be contributed to the Project Graduation fund from $200 to $1,000.

The Board of Selectmen had initially recommended $56,076 for contributions; the article total was increased to $58,876.

The town voted to amend Article 11, which asked if voters wished to accept estimated federal, state and local non-property tax revenues and donations to reduce the 2014 fiscal year property tax commitment. Doar said voters reduced the amount of estimated non-property tax revenues by $40,000, which was the amount originally meant for the proposed dog park.

Article 36, which asked voters what sum they wished to appropriate from the  undesignated fund balance to reduce next year’s property tax commitment, was amended from $100,000 to $250,000.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

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