CHESTERVILLE — Voters at the annual town meeting Monday night will decide whether to apply for a federal grant to buy a fully equipped firetruck and buying an extrication tool for the Fire Department.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Dave Archer Town Hall, 409 Dutch Gap Road.

For several departments and accounts, the Select Board and Budget Committee are recommending different numbers this year.

Voters last year approved a municipal budget of almost $1.61 million, Anne Lambert, vice chairwoman of the Select Board, said March 8. If all higher amounts are approved, this year’s budget would be almost $1.58 million.

That’s $34,822.53, or about 2.2%, less than last year.

“If all the higher amounts are approved, we will still be under the LD 1 tax levy limit,” Lambert said. “It is what we strive for.”

The municipal budget does not include Regional School Unit 9 or Franklin County assessments.

The biggest difference in proposed amounts for town government is $30,236 for Public Works.

Board Chairman John Archer said Monday night that the Budget Committee allowed for raises and associated costs for some departments, but the Select Board did not.

The Budget Committee recommends $15,000 for a Jaws of Life extrication tool and the Select Board recommended $30,000. Archer said the town applied for a grant from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation but has not received a reply.

Voters will decide whether to apply for a federal grant to buy a fully equipped firetruck to replace Engine 1. In addition, $50,000 would be taken from the Fire Department Reserve Account and a loan taken for not more than $25,000.

The cost of the truck is a little over $1 million, Archer said. “There is nothing wrong with Engine 1,” he said. “Newer trucks you can set them up at a site and leave them. Older trucks don’t have that capability, which is a problem for short-handed departments.”

Voters will also decide whether to appropriate 75% of all Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements received this calendar year to the Capital Roads Account and the remaining 25% to the Public Works Department road maintenance budget.

Road foreman Clayton Tibbetts had requested some of that money for gravel, Lambert said.

Voters will also be asked to fund new requests from Behavioral Health and Safe Voices for $100 each.

Four recurring requests are: The 30 Mile River Watershed Association, Clearwater Food Pantry, North Chesterville Homemakers Association and LifeFlight of Maine, all for $500 each, the same amount as last year.

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