Jaffrey voters will see multimillion dollar infrastructure projects – with most of the funding coming from grant sources – on the warrant this year.
The Jaffrey Budget Committee made no changes to the proposed warrant following the budget hearing on Saturday, which drew few comments from voters.
In addition to the $7.2 million proposed budget, the town is also expecting to ask for permission to move ahead with major infrastructure projects it has been lining up, including the construction of a new water treatment building to bring the Turnpike Well, one of the town’s drinking water sources, into compliance with new, stricter standards from the state Department of Environmental Services.
The cost of the building is expected to be $10 million, with about $4 million being paid for through a bond. The remainder of the cost is expected to be paid for through a principal forgiveness program and the town’s water fund balance. Any debt service would be paid for through water user fees, not taxation.
The bond requires a three-fifths ballot vote majority to pass.
In another major infrastructure project, the town has proposed a $1.5 million article to raise funds to design, engineer and replace the Letourneau Drive Bridge. Of the cost, $1.35 million would come from a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant, with $150,000 from the town’s bridge capital reserve fund, already raised in prior years.
In a single article, the town is requesting a total of $1.2 million in contributions to capital reserve funds, with the most-significant being $575,000 for road paving, $200,000 for highway equipment, $150,000 for municipal building maintenance and $120,000 for bridge rehabilitation.
In equipment purchases, the town is requesting $260,000 for a new dump truck with plow and sander, $139,000 for a new snow blower and $75,000 for a new pickup truck for the Highway Department. All three purchases are expected to come from the existing highway capital reserve, without raising any additional funds this year.
The town is also asking for voters to allow the Select Board to become agents of the highway reserve, which would allow the board to access the fund without a vote of Town Meeting. The town is also requesting the same permissions for the fire department reserve.
Non-monetary articles include a request to include the former W.W. Cross building on Webster Street in the downtown tax increment financing district, and to re-adopt the town’s existing veterans tax credits to include changes to state law that expand the eligibility for the credits to current military members.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaarMLT.