LIVERMORE FALLS — The annual History Night & Cruise-In scheduled for May 22 has been canceled because of lack of funds.

The Livermore Falls Downtown Betterment Group posted a cancellation notice Thursday on its Facebook site stating, “I’m very sorry to report that due to funding cuts and insurance costs, the Downtown Betterment Group will not be putting on History Night this year. Continuance of the event in future years is uncertain.”

The night highlights the history of the town and area with presentations, demonstrations, music, food and antique vehicles.

Late historian Dennis Stires of Livermore started the event. Kenny Jacques of the Betterment Group joined with Stires to continue it about a decade ago. Jacques has organized it for several years with the help of group members.

A warrant article has appeared on the town meeting referendum each year asking voters if they want to raise and appropriate $1,000 for the Betterment Group. Selectmen supported it in the past.

Selectmen voted 2-2 in March to put the article for the group’s request on the June town meeting warrant. A tie vote means the motion failed, Town Manager Kristal Flagg said Friday.

Voting in favor were Board of Selectmen Chairwoman Louise Chabot and Selectman James Collins while Selectmen Ron Chadwick and Mary Young opposed it. Selectwoman Laurie Sanborn was absent.

Two-thirds of the group’s budget comes from the town, Betterment Group President Bob Berry said Friday. They use the money for items, including paying for event setup costs. The group also puts on the annual Spruce Mountain Sled-In, cleans the downtown area and participates in other ways to benefit the town.

For more than a decade, the warrant article was put before voters, Berry said. Most years it passed and in other years, it was rejected but approved later at a special town meeting.

The group learned recently it is no longer covered by the town’s liability insurance. In order to be covered, Flagg said, the insurance company told her the group’s money would have to go through the town and selectmen would have to appoint the members.

Berry checked insurance costs and it would triple the group’s budget. They wouldn’t need $1,000, they would need $4,000, he said.

“We don’t have funding to continue and we can’t afford insurance,” Berry said.

The group’s future will be discussed at a later date.

“I’m pretty disappointed in the lack of support from Ron Chadwick and Mary Young and their no votes that ultimately killed the Betterment Group,” Jacques said. “As usual, Jim and Louise fully supported the group because they know the benefits of what the group does.”

Chadwick said there was talk during selectmen’s budget discussions that the board would not support funding the group. He didn’t know exactly what in those discussions led him to make his decision, he said.

Young said she received information when the board was taking in requests and voted not to put it on the warrant based on information she had.

Chabot said funding was discussed throughout budget discussions but was never officially decided. Berry recently attended a meeting to explain what the group does and she wanted voters to make the decision.

As the person who worked with Stires from the beginning, former Selectmen Jacques said he has seen the results of History Night and its affect on the town. He did not see how $1,000 would make or break the budget, he said.

“The kids and the townspeople are going to lose out,” he said. “It’ one of the best events in town. It is so sad. We’ve done a lot of good and I believe the town has gotten much more than it invested.”

He said he hopes residents will attend the selectmen meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, at the Town Office to voice their displeasure.

The warrant articles are posted and no changes can be made to them, Flagg said.

It is possible the funding request could be taken up at another time, Chabot said, but she would have to discuss it with the board.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

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