LIVERMORE FALLS — After Monday’s public hearing on the 2016-17 town budget, Selectman Ron Chadwick explained why he didn’t sign the annual town meeting warrant.

The budget is $7,378 more than last year’s $2.37 million. Chadwick was the only one on the five selectmen not to sign the warrant.

“Probably in a nutshell, I have a problem because of everything going on in the area, the general economy,” Chadwick said. “For example, approximately 50 percent of students that go to our schools live at or below the poverty line. Everyone that is on fixed income, like Social Security, received no (cost of living) adjustment this year.”

He said he felt the benefits for town employees in the budget were overly generous, and would have liked to see selectmen negotiate harder with the employees’ union. Chadwick added that he was also concerned about recent job losses at Verso’s Androscoggin Mill in Jay, and the potential “trickle down” effect for Livermore Falls.

“Androscoggin County is at the low end of the poverty scale,” he said. “How much do you want the taxpayers to give?”

Also, Chadwick said, the town has known about the structural deficiencies at the fire station for more than a year and there was no effort to cut other parts of the municipal budget to make up for engineering and repair costs.

There were also some differences between the budget recommendations by selectmen and those of the Budget Committee.

In the elected officials line, selectmen recommended raising and appropriating $38,350, while the Budget Committee recommended $27,850. In administration, selectmen recommended $213,080, while the Budget Committee recommended $203,203.

Other differences included:

• Police Department — Selectmen, $429,528; Budget Committee, $418,574;

• Public Works — Selectmen, $348,900; Budget Committee, $320,700;

• Insurances — Selectmen, $388,355; Budget Committee, $324,755;

• General Assistance — Selectmen, $8,970; Budget Committee, $7,150; and 

• Capital improvements — Selectmen, $47,960; Budget Committee, $37,960.

Areas of the budget on which selectmen and the Budget Committee agreed included:

• $114,750 for municipal solid waste;

• $81,159 for buildings;

• $65,098 for the library;

• $26,980 for recreation;

• $270,308 for contractual; and

• $95,470 for the Fire Department.

The budget will be voted on at the polls from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, at the Town Office.

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“Probably in a nutshell, I have a problem because of everything going on in the area, the general economy.” — Livermore Falls Selectman Ron Chadwick