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Committee trims road, sidewalk and sign funding; shifts select items into bond consideration
Summary
The committee removed a $25,000 dirt-section paving item on Ossipee Hill Road (3–1), deferred $50,000 in sidewalks, set multiple CIP lines to zero to include in a bond, and approved an overall road upgrades subtotal of $191,000.
The Budget Committee reviewed and cut several capital items affecting roads, sidewalks and municipal signage.
On roadway work, members debated initial paving for a 1,600-foot dirt section of Ossipee Hill Road. Concerns included limited house counts, bus routing and a difficult intersection at Strong Mill Brook Road. A motion to remove the $25,000 project for Ossipee Hill Road passed 3–1. Committee discussion stressed that while the dirt section is used, a lack of adjacent houses and safety trade-offs led some members to remove the line this year.
The committee also reduced the septic line to $2,500 after noting video inspections and potential savings; that motion passed unanimously 4–0. For sidewalks (line 523), members decided to defer the $50,000 line this year and to consider sidewalks later; motion to cut sidewalks to $0 passed 4–0.
Signage funding (line 510) was discussed at length. Members compared lower-cost moving-letter signs to higher-end, town-branded signs and discussed DOT restrictions on moving letters. Given fundraising options and design considerations, the committee voted 4–0 to move the sign line to $0 this year and to consider fundraising/reserve saving for a higher-quality sign later.
Finally, the committee set its roads upgrades subtotal at $191,000 (down from earlier figures) and agreed to prepare the CIP package for joint review with the selectmen.
