LIVERMORE — The Budget Committee and selectpersons Wednesday made recommendations for the proposed 2018 budget and voted to reduce the amount for ambulance service.
Administrative Assistant Amy Byron said there is a $15,404 subsidy under ambulance service, which reduces the town’s responsibility to $30,808. At a previous meeting, Budget Committee member Warren Forbes questioned the per capita figure.
Byron said the formula NorthStar uses is based on the number of houses, census data and valuations. When NorthStar receives grants or additional income, it is distributed to the towns, she said.
The two groups disagreed on the amount for cemeteries. The Budget Committee recommended $22,850, the same amount voters approved last year. The selectpersons included an additional $3,000 for tree removal services.
Byron said the increase was to pay for removing a large tree at Waters Hill Cemetery. It was struck by lightning and could bring the power lines down if it isn’t taken care of, she said.
Byron said Smitty’s Tree Work in Livermore gave an estimate of $3,000 to do the work. He would need to rent a crane and lift.
Budget Committee member Lawrence McNear said he had Jean Castonguay remove a similar tree on his property.
“It cost $450 and within two hours, the tree was down and everything gone,” he said.
“Year after year, something special gets tacked on,” Budget Committee member Warren Forbes said. “It never gets taken out.”
The budget proposed for building maintenance was cut $5,775. The sum of $2,500 was cut from Town Office repairs. Twice that amount had been recommended to put in new counters and flooring, and replace outside trim boards.
It was decided to repair the roof of a shed at the Transfer Station but not replace the siding this year, saving $2,000.
Under the highway garage, $1,000 was cut from equipment repairs and $275 from the cellphone account.
The Budget Committee voted to recommend the nine agencies that received money last year get the same amounts this year, which is a total of $6,697.