JAY – On Monday night the Jay Selectboard and budget committee approved the proposed budget.
The Public Works Department’s requested budget was passed unanimously. It saw an increase of $25,240 for a total of $1,674,930.
The board and budget committee both approved of the debt service’s requested budget of $203,885 which is a $36,115 decrease from last year.
The Sewer Department’s proposed budget also saw a significant decrease of $46075 for a total of $491,925.
The Police Department’s proposed budget went from $793,900 to $801,650. The proposed budget includes the reserve officer raise that the board approved in January.
The only disagreement of the night between the budget committee and the board came about over the requested $750 donation to the Jay Historical Society. The board approved of the request which was up $250 from last year and the budget committee voted against it.
On the ballot it will show that the board and budget committee disagreed upon this donation.
At the end of the list of proposed donations, board member Gary McGrane proposed a donation of $10,352 to the Franklin County Development Council. McGrane cited other towns as having done the same thing and thought it would be a good investment for the town of Jay.
Board Chair Terry Bergeron disagreed with McGrane. Bergeron doesn’t think that it is in the best interest of the town and believed it to be a county responsibility not a town one.
Neither of the board members in attendance seconded McGrane’s motion for the donation.
The Town Government budget request saw a slight increase of $8660 going from $494,540 to $503,200.
The total proposed budget is $5,287,674.
On March 8 there will be a public hearing on the budget at the Spruce Mountain Elementary School Gymnasium and on March 26 ballots will become available.
