PERU — Voters have for the second time turned down the purchase of a new truck and backhoe for the Highway Department.
The question also failed at the June 11 town meeting. Six other municipal budget items defeated in June were approved Tuesday.
The Select Board and Finance Committee on June 22 retooled the defeated articles, aided by an additional $212,000 in surplus after a Maine Revenue Services audit found that Central Maine Power had not paid its personal property taxes to the town.
Board Chairwoman Raquel Welch led an effort to spend $102,000 of that money on a new six-wheeler with hydraulics and a plow not to exceed $160,000, with $54,000 to come from surplus and the balance to be financed for three years. That article failed 112-108.
The question of whether to buy a new backhoe for up to $130,000, with $48,000 to come from surplus and the balance to be financed over three years failed by a vote of 159-61.
Questions that failed in June and were approved Tuesday:
- $35,800 for general expenses. The Select Board recommended the amount, which is about the same as the previous year. The Finance Committee voted against, saying there’s money to be saved with things such as legal fees.
- $40,659 for town officers and appointed officials. The amount was reduced by $3,998 from the June vote.
- $70,000 for Town Office operations, reduced by $8,000 from June.
- $15,000 for garage facility maintenance and operations, reduced by $1,000.
- $4,000 for preservation of town record books, reduced by $1,000.
- To pay the town’s Oxford County tax, with a notation that it’s a statutory requirement that this bill be paid.
bfarrin@sunmediagroup.net
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story