Town Meeting will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, at Piermont Village School. Voting for town and school officials, including the Selectboard and Piermont Village School Board, will take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13, in the Old Church Building. Residents will meet at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20, at the school to vote on the Piermont School District warrant.
Piermont
“Last year it was for a replacement for an old, bought used, truck that was failing and costing the town money in repairs,” Selectboard Chairman Colin Stubbings said in an email. “This year’s article is looking to replace the town’s main plow truck that is having major problems and has become extremely unreliable despite only being a few years old.”
When the truck was purchased in 2013, the town expected that it would be in service much longer. Purchase of the $134,000 plow truck with sander would involve borrowing $99,000, with a first-year payment of $23,255.
The rest would come from a equipment reserve fund, resale of the old truck and money from a highway block grant.
The truck has been unreliable and there are concerns that “it is not useable when a major storm or incident occurs,” Stubbings said. “We have been lucky so far but we believe relying on luck is not a good way to continue.”
The proposed operating budget of $955,300, with $951,800 to be raised by taxes, is lower than last year’s $1.2 million budget. However, the amount to be raised by taxes is about $10,000 higher than last year’s $940,144 amount. The total does not include other warrant articles.
Stubbings is running unopposed for a three-year term on the Selectboard and Donald Mitchell, appointed last year after Terri Mertz resigned, is running unopposed for a one-year term.
The proposed Piermont School District budget is $2,146,283, down slightly from last year’s $2,180,712.
Additionally, voters will be asked to add $20,000 to a special education trust fund and $15,000 to a tuition trust fund.
There is no one listed on the ballot for a three-year term on the School Board.
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
