BYRON — Selectmen will get an increase in pay and a bonus in the new fiscal budget approved by voters Saturday.
The article had asked “if the voters of the town will vote to keep the selectmen’s stipend at the rate of $2,500” a year per selectman or to “increase the stipend to the rate agreed by the voters.”
Resident Judy Boucher made the motion to increase the selectmen’s stipend to $3,000 per selectman per year and asked if voters would raise or appropriate a one-time extra stipend of $3,000.
The additional $3,000 would be divided among the three selectmen as they saw fit.
Boucher said selectmen deserve the extra money for “all the extra work they have done.”
“As far as the stipend, I think the stipend at $2,500 is a fair stipend for normal business,” another resident said.
He asked to make an amendment to the motion that the stipend remain at $2,500 per year per person, but that each selectman receive a one-time payment of $1,500.
The amendment was overwhelmingly defeated.
Boucher’s motion passed with minor opposition.
The town voted 29-8 in favor of keeping selectmen as assessors and overseers of the poor for the ensuing year.
Some residents argued that the town should hire a professional assessor to evaluate property.
“We looked into it, and just to get us started it will be $100 per property, so we’re looking at about $30,000 just to get started,” Selectman Linda Joyal said.
“I think we’re on the right track,” resident Roger Boucher said. “We have a set of guidelines. We need to follow the guidelines and have it apply to everybody.”
Selectman Rick Comstock, running unopposed, was re-elected for another three-year term.
Resident Johnene Gannon defeated Jennifer Bolduc 12-4, for a three-year term on the school board. Bolduc was nominated but had expressed that she was only going to take the position if no one else showed interest. Bolduc was not present at the meeting.
Bethel resident Scott Cole moderated the event. Cole serves as interim town manager of Rumford.
swheeler@bethelcitizen.com
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