NEWPORT — Voters will discuss a couple of large expenditures and a $9.7 million budget at Tuesday’s deliberative session in town hall beginning at 6 p.m.
Also on the warrant are several articles to appropriate money for capital reserve funds, including $60,000 toward the purchase of a new ambulance.
Likely to draw the most interest this year is a $3.5 million bond proposal for a new community center. The bond would be added to anticipated donations and grants of $3 million for a total price of $6.5 million.
If voters approve the article at the town meeting vote on May 14, town officials have said the money will not be borrowed until the full $3 million has been raised. As of last week, the town had received $1.4 million, of which $1 million was an anonymous donation.
The 20,000 square foot center would be constructed on Meadow Road, next to the Little League field. It would have a 9,000 square foot gymnasium with seating for 500 and a number of smaller rooms for a variety of activities.
The new facility would replace the community center on Belknap Avenue, which is about 10,000 square feet. The building is not only deemed inadequate for space needs but is also in need of major repairs, including a new roof.
If voters approve the bond and the $3 million is raised, construction could begin later this year and the center ready to open in June 2020, when repayment of the bond would begin.
The other major expense on the warrant is a $4.5 million bond to make federally mandated improvements to the town’s wastewater treatment plant off North Main Street. The repayment of the bond would be borne solely by the system’s roughly 1,500 users.
The upgrades were expected to be completed several years ago after voters approved a bond but the installation of filters failed to remove phosphorous at standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Lawsuits by the town and the companies involved ensued and were finally settled last year with Newport receiving more than $3 million in installments this year from the engineer on the project and the company that built the filters for the plant. The money is going into the town’s sewer fund to cover some of the cost of the upgrades but another bond is required.
The proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 represents a decrease in spending of about $230,000 or 2.3 percent from this year.
Finance Director Paul Brown said a sharp decrease in legal expenses and elimination of two positions in the highway department account for most of the decrease.
The amount to be raised by taxes, if all requested appropriations pass, is up about 3.3 percent or $171,000. Brown said the estimated tax rate impact would be 41 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
The default budget, if the proposed budget fails, is $9.6 million.
Voters can also discuss on Tuesday appropriations for reserve funds. Besides money for an ambulance, appropriations for other funds include communications, district court, recreation facilities, and revaluation.
Residents can amend requested appropriations at the deliberative session and the amended amounts would appear on the ballot for the May 14th vote.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached a pogclmt@gmail.com
