PARIS —Seventy-one residents approved a $4.3 million budget and all 31 articles at the annual Town Meeting at the Fire Station on Western Avenue on Monday night.
There was some contention over an article for Norway-Paris Solid Waste.
Paris officials had recommended $282,000 for the waste collection entity, the amount requested by the group, but Norway voters voted to give $262,000, the same as last year. If Norway and Paris voters do not agree on a figure, the lower amount is billed to both municipalities.
Residents tried to amend the article by voting for the $262,000, but when they all voted again on Article 26, there was more support for the higher amount.
Clockwise from left: Paris Selectman Peter Kilgore, Paris Selectman Carlton Sprague, Town Manager Dawn Noyes, Paris Selectman Chris Summers, Paris Selectman Scott McElravy and Former Paris Selectman Rusty Brackett attend the annual town meeting. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
“I knew it would go back and forth, but in the end, I think the residents do care what is happening down there and the safety that needs to happen,” Paris Town Manager Dawn Noyes said. “It’s the upkeep that hasn’t been done. The maintenance has been neglected, and we are realizing that now. It went back and forth so I was starting to get nervous. We don’t have a backup plan, unfortunately. I figured the rest of the articles would pass because we can explain it.”
With an expected $20,000 cut to Norway-Paris Solid Waste, following Norway’s town meeting vote, and subtracting debt service, the Paris budget increase is less than 1%.
Two-thirds of the increase is due to more debt for lease/purchases of a new fire department pumper truck at $82,000 and a new police cruiser for $22,000.
The Select Board recommended $785,900 for capital expenditures, $13,300 less than last year.
Administrative Services, Highway Department, Boards and Committees, General Assistance and the Unclassified Accounts are also being funded at lower amounts than last year.
Selectmen asked voters to approve using $2.1 million in anticipated revenues to offset the tax rate.
The $4.3 million budget does not include the assessments for School Administrative District 17 or Oxford County government.
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