PERU  — Selectpersons voted to hold the informational meeting on the 2020-21 municipal budget at 6 p.m. Monday, June 8, via Zoom, an online teleconference and videoconference service.

Details will be available on the town website.

Selectperson Carol Roach said at the May 18 Select Board meeting that absentee ballots go out 30 days prior to the election, so they would be available on or about June 12.

The election of town officers is set for July 14.

“We normally have an informational meeting for the citizens before the absentee ballots go out,” she said. “If we’re going to have an informational meeting, we can post it as a hearing on the ordinances in addition to a general informational meeting on the articles on the ballot.”

Roach said the potential problem with that is the governor’s restriction on having in-person meetings goes until June 11, and that may be extended.

“We could tentatively have an in-person meeting on June 11,” she said, which would restrict it to 50. “But the problem is do we have a facility large enough for people to be 6 feet apart, so it would be restricted attendance.”

Roach added, “If we do it by Zoom, there’s no limitation on the number of people that can participate. But those are the challenges that we have with the dates that we’re looking at.”

Chairperson Raquel Welch said, “I say we just schedule it for Zoom.”

She suggested it be June 6 and the Select Board voted unanimously in favor.

In other business, Road Commissioner Brad Hutchings said the new backhoe is scheduled to arrive from Iowa in two to three more weeks. Delivery has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Town Clerk Debbie Coutrain said $223,438 has been collected in excise taxes so far this fiscal year. With the opening of the drive-up window at the Town Office, $7,590 was collected from May 11 to 18.

Coutrain said she wants to plant flowers on the Town Office front lawn, and Roach said there’s no budget for it so it must be voluntary.

The Select Board voted 5-0 to pay Jim Butler $4,000 per year as code enforcement officer. His contract, still unsigned by either side as of May 18, will pay him $2,500 upon signature and the remaining $1,500 in November.

Roach added that Butler’s certification is valid until 2025.

The board approved a motion by Roach to purchase rolling office chairs for the Select Board because “they are in bad need of replacement.”

There was a $500 limit placed on the purchase.

Roach said she won’t benefit because she’s not running for re-election, but after her term ends she’d like to be appointed to either the Finance Committee or the Planning Board.

Welch said she could be appointed to both if she wants.

Roach asked that board Secretary Sandy Wingate begin work on the 2019-20 town report.

“In a typical year, the town report is ready for people to pick up at the November election,” she said.

“What do you want to do for the front cover?” Wingate asked.

Roach said it would be nice if the board voted on a town seal and use that for the cover.

“Several times in the past five years, there’s been a discussion about a town seal,” she said. “The town used to be referred to as Partridge Town, I believe.”

“That’s a good idea,” Welch said. “I’ve never heard of Partridge Town.”

Selectpersons Larry Snowman said, “It used to be called that.”

Resident Mark Irish volunteered to stain the new wood siding on the Town Office shed and have the town pay for the materials.

« Previous

Dixfield officials want volunteers for park improvement committee

Next »

PHOTO: In the spring swing of things