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Selectmen approve municipal revaluation contract; schedule work session to close default‑budget gap
Summary
Following voter approval of a revaluation warrant article, the Board approved a Granite Hill Municipal Services contract for the reassessment and scheduled a March 26 budget work session to address a roughly $2.06 million gap between proposed and default budgets — including a $777,000 ambulance contract not in the town default.
The Board of Selectmen voted March 19 to enter a contract with Granite Hill Municipal Services to conduct the statutorily required municipal property reevaluation. Voters approved Article 22 authorizing $230,000 for the project; the board voted to accept a contract priced at $215,000 with up to $15,000 in incidentals, with project completion targeted for Oct. 1, 2025.
Jim Peneo, town manager, told the board the reevaluation must proceed under state constitutional and statutory requirements. He said the contract and incidental budget will cover appraisal, mailed notices to property owners and formal‑hearing scheduling. Several selectmen asked staff to confirm whether the incidental funds cover required mailings and hearing logistics; Peneo said staff will follow up and will request further line‑item transfers if needed.
The meeting also focused on the town operating budget. Peneo noted a $2,057,000 differential between the proposed and default gross budgets across municipal funds and said the general fund alone faces a $1,270,000 gap (6.6 percent). He identified one major driver: an ambulance contract budgeted at $777,000 that was not part of the statutory default budget, creating an immediate shortfall of about $501,047.
Selectmen agreed by consensus to hold a public work session on March 26 to review department proposals and possible line‑item transfers and to ask department heads to identify efficiencies; several members said they opposed calling a special town meeting to reopen the voters’ decision.
The board approved the Granite Hill contract on a voice vote and directed staff to return with any additional incidental‑cost clarifications prior to drawing on contingency funds.
