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Selectmen defer hydrant-billing/abatement dispute to next budget cycle after inventory review
Summary
After reviewing discrepancies in hydrant billing raised by a precinct representative, the selectmen agreed to leave the issue until the next budget cycle to reconcile an inventory that shows 51 usable hydrants versus 47 previously billed; an interim abatement question was not resolved.
A precinct representative raised concerns at the April 6 selectmen meeting about hydrant billing and a requested abatement of roughly $1,600. Town public-works staff reported an inventory showing 51 usable hydrants in town, while the precinct’s records had reflected 47 hydrants billed.
Board members and staff discussed options: issuing an abatement mid-budget cycle, adjusting billing immediately, or deferring the reconciliation to the next budget cycle. Public works staff said the water/sewer enterprise fund must cover its costs and that correcting the inventory and resulting billing was necessary for proper cost allocation. Multiple selectmen recommended allowing the inventory discrepancy and billing adjustments to be resolved during the next annual budget process rather than making midyear changes.
The board signaled consensus to hold the matter for the next budget cycle so staff and fire precinct officials can reconcile hydrant counts and billing details, and to provide a clean account when budgets are set.
No final vote to issue or deny the abatement was made at the meeting.
