LIVERMORE — Brenda Merrill was elected chairwoman of the Budget Committee during a joint meeting with selectpersons Wednesday.
The two panels reviewed proposals from 18 of the 33 town departments.
The proposed municipal budget for 2017-18 without the Fire Department, Regional School Unit 73 and outside agency requests is $1.75 million. The amount budgeted for those three lines last year was $1.95 million.
Both panels agreed to cut $500 from the tax anticipation note interest account and $1,446 from the retirement account. While employees who work at least 20 hours per week are eligible, not all participate.
Administrative Assistant Amy Byron proposed $2,500 for TAN interest. She said the note has not been used this year and she doesn’t anticipate needing to.
The officials also cut $9,854 from the insurance account to bring it to $90,000. Byron said employees who don’t use the health insurance plan are reimbursed for half of what the town would have paid. The amount reimbursed is for the employee’s coverage only and averages $450 per month.
Byron proposed increasing legal expenses from $7,500 to $11,600. Over $8,000 has been spent this year and she anticipated more expenses next year because of proposed road closures and the marijuana law. Officials voted to increase legal expenses to $10,000.
Byron also proposed adding $250 to the Planning Board. Code Enforcement Officer Richard Marble will retire in August and additional costs may be needed. Selectpersons voted to recommend $750 while the Budget Committee recommended keeping it at $500.
Amounts recommended by both panels included: ambulance, $46,212; streetlights, $2,500; animal shelter, $2,913; Spruce Mountain Ski Slope, $6,650; Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, $3,073; General Assistance, $6,650; FICA, $27,500; county assessment, $218,684; debt service, $63,419: unemployment, $2,500; code enforcement, $13,725; and plumbing, $4,960.
Meetings are set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, March 15 and 29, to review budgets for the remaining 15 departments.
