Francestown’s proposed 2017 budget is about 2.3 percent higher than the current operating budget, Town Administrator Jamie Pike said during a regular select board meeting Monday evening.
As of Monday night, the proposed budget is about $1.72 million, a $30,000 increase over last year’s. Pike said there is still time for that number to change from now until Town Meeting in March.
The biggest bump to the budget occurred from increases in the town’s police department.
That’s due to the addition of one full time and one part time officer who were added to the force.
The second largest jump in the came as a result of increases to ambulance services.
Board members also discussed overtime compensation during its meeting.
It discussed ways to mitigate wage increases for full and part time employees at the Highway Department. Pike suggested the board consider culling back overtime hours.
But member Abigail Arnold said it’s difficult to predict department overtime within the department because it varies from year-to-year depending on storms that hit the area.
“Overtime is driven primarily by storms,” Arnold said.
The board discussed a need to budget for overtime hours at the transfer station. When an employee is sick or takes vacation time, another person needs to fill those hours. In the past, the town has not fully budgeted for expenses associated with those costs.
Its budget should reflect those costs now, Arnold said.
The board will meet with the town’s budget committee yesterday at 5:30 p.m.