Edward Hastings IV, left, is sworn in as Livermore Falls town meeting moderator Tuesday night by Town Clerk/Treasurer Amanda Allen after the scheduled moderator did not attend the town meeting at the Livermore Falls Town Office. It was the first time Hastings acted as a meeting moderator. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal
LIVERMORE FALLS — Residents voted Tuesday night to pass two budget articles that had failed at the polls in June.
During the meeting at the Town Office, resident Ron Chadwick attempted to reduce the elected officials article by $1,000, bringing it to $38,153, but the amendment failed 10-9.
Prior to the vote, Chadwick said he sought to reduce the amount because voters previously rejected it.
The article failed at the polls 66-64 last month.
The original amount of $39,153 was approved 11-8 on Tuesday.
Selectmen had reduced the original administration budget article by $2, 210, bringing it to $328, 468 before sending it back to voters. The original amount failed 69-61 in June.
Chadwick proposed amending the article to $309,817.
He said voters had rejected the original article at the polls, and the $2,210 reduction was just a blip. With the town facing a more than $300,000 increase in spending, including about $237,000 for Regional School Unit 73, $60,000 for town government and about $6,000 in Androscoggin County taxes, more revenue is needed or cuts must be made.
“We are at bare essentials right now. We can’t cut,” Town Clerk/Treasurer Amanda Allen said.
Town Manager Stephen Gould agreed. He said he would forgo a pay increase. He had budgeted $63,000 for his salary, but could bring it back to $60,000, if necessary.
The increase in the budget is related to the town’s having gone back to a full-time treasurer instead of part time. The change has put the town in good standing with auditors, Gould said.
Chadwick’s amendment failed. Voters approved the $328,468.
Selectmen, who also function as sewer trustees, also voted Tuesday to increase sewer rates 15%.
The current rate is $65 per quarter, plus .0616 cents per cubic foot of water used, based on meter readings provided by the Water District.
The 15% increase is applied to both the base rate and the per-cubic-foot rate.
“It would bring the base rate up to about $75, and the cost per cubic foot up to about 7.1 cents,” Gould previously said.
Fire Chief Edward Hastings IV was elected to serve as the meeting’s moderator after the scheduled moderator did not attend.
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