Buxton voters will decide on an estimated $4.7 million town budget – including a fire deparment request up 20 percent over this year – at Buxton’s annual town meeting.
Moderator Hiram Davis will convene the session Saturday at 9 a.m. in town hall, 185 Portland Road.
Newly re-elected Selectman Daniel T. Collomy is expecting a “firestorm” at meeting.
“The budgets have gone up,” Collomy said.
Buxton voters will consider a $635,142 request for Buxton Fire and Rescue Department. The amount includes $348,782 for rescue, an expense shared with Hollis.
The fire department request is up $105,000 over last year’s article, or a 20 percent hike over $530,048. Collomy said the increase covers a variety of upgrades at town fire stations and training to comply with state and federal safety standards.
Selectmen unanimously recommended the request, while the nine members of the budget committee unanimously backed a figure of $575,897.
“It’s pretty high,” Peter Burns, chairman of the budget committee, said this week about the $635,142 request.
Buxton voters are also being asked to approve $752,977 for the police department. The request, which includes $208,568 for dispatch and $26,727 for animal control, is up 7.5 percent from last year’s $700,663. Selectmen split 3-2 and the budget committee split 5-4 in recommending the police budget.
In a separate article, Buxton police are asking for $22,375 for a new cruiser. Selectmen and the budget committee both unanimously supported the purchase.
Voters will also determine whether they want to dip into $120,373 from undesignated surplus to buy new software for the police, fire and rescue. Selectmen recommend the measure 4-1, and the budget committee also approved it, 6-3.
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