In the spirit of keeping Rindge’s operating budget flat, Fire Chief Rick Donovan eliminated $156 from the emergency management and fire department budgets.
Donovan met with the Select Board and the budget advisory committee on Wednesday to discuss preliminary budgets. Overall, the two budgets increased $4,444 over last year’s adjusted budgets, largely due to health insurance and retirement costs.
“All wage pieces are the same [throughout the operating budget,]” said Finance Director Ellen Smith, who said she hopes to have not to exceed figures on health insurance in the coming week. “The majority of the increase is due to health insurance and retirement.”
The town clerk and tax collector budgets were also discussed. Overall, the two budgets are up $8,976. Again, health insurance and retirement are large factors.
One shift in the two budgets is some of the salary of Patricia Hildreth – the town’s deputy town clerk and tax collector – will shift from the town clerk to the tax collector budget. The town is working to train Hildreth in both jobs so she can fill in for either position.
The zoning board, conservation commission, ambulance, and mutual aid budgets were also discussed, with all four being flat compared to last year.
The board accepted the resignation of Charlie Eicher from the CIP committee. Eicher submitted his letter of resignation, citing a potential conflict of interest between his position on the committee and as his role as town moderator.
The board tabled a decision on accepting Al Lefebvre’s resignation from the teletech committee, as board chair Robert Hamilton said he was trying to talk Lefebvre out of it.
The board adopted a sick leave policy for the town, allowing town employees to donate and request donations of sick time during times of need.
Conservation Commission chair David Drouin updated the board on selective timber cutting of three town owned properties.
A small scale cut can be completed on Rand Road, with proceeds from timber sales going to the town.
A selective cut could also be completed at an Abel Road property, although the benefit there would be for trails and to provide lighting to a brook. There has been no decision on Lord Hill Road, but Drouin is hopeful something can be done.
The board approved contracts for Mainstays and FairPoint, the organizations that handle the town’s website and town-serviced telephones respectively. The Mainstays contract is an extension through Dec. 31, 2017 for $149 a month; the FairPoint contract is $40 a month per line for three years, the same cost as the previous contract.
The town has yet to come up with a minimum bid for the Recreation Department van.
Nicholas Handy can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 235 or nhandy@ledgertranscript.com. He is also on Twitter @nhandyMLT.