FARMINGTON — Selectmen on Aug. 13 voted 3-1 to borrow money from the sewer fund balance instead of taking out a tax anticipation note [TAN].

Selectmen Richard Morton, Matthew Smith and Byron Staples approved the plan while Selectman Dennis O’Neil was opposed. Chair Joshua Bell was absent.

The funds are needed to cover expected shortfalls before taxes start being paid.

“As a sewer payer you borrow my money to offset tax and no interest is paid back to that fund,” O’Neil said. “I think anything we borrow should be paid back into the sewer fund with interest. I am not sure what percentage of the town is sewered as opposed to those getting a free ride on my sewer money.”

Smith noted everybody pays taxes. “When the sewer department had to borrow money from the town of Farmington they didn’t pay interest,” he stated.

“They should pay if they borrow, we should pay if we borrow,” O’Neil said.

“It is all the same money to a point,” Smith noted.

The town used TANs previously, Town Manager Erica LaCroix said. “The reason that was given was we wanted to get away from paying interest to get us covered through this time,” she stated. “It kind of defeats the purpose. We could go back to TAN.”

Interest earned generally supports future capital endeavors, isn’t much, LaCroix said. “I don’t think interest will significantly help any sewer rate payer as much as it hurts,” she added.