Committee approves town salary totals, beach enterprise budgets and CIP package; asks Select Board to consider Recreation payback waiver

During its March 4 meeting the Budget Review Committee approved several large budget and CIP items, including overall salaries and benefits of $15,825,558 and a set of capital additions and spending authorizations.

Finance Director Jodie Sanborn presented the Beach Enterprise budgets and told the committee that any fee increases or expense reductions would be discussed with the Select Board at year‑end. The committee approved Beach Enterprise salaries and benefits totaling $902,122, operations of $430,920 and revenues of $813,500 (motions by Brian Toomey; recorded votes 6-1 on each item).

Sanborn said proposed positions — including a Fire Inspector, additional Town Clerk support and a Facilities Assistant — will be presented as separate warrant articles before the Select Board. Town Manager Mike Pardue described higher retirement-reimbursement costs tied to upcoming retirements.

Fire Chief Mark Dupuis said the department’s radio replacement project remained the top priority and estimated the replacement could be completed for $177,000 if the extrication-equipment request were reduced. Committee members favored building CIP funds over multiple years rather than requesting a large sum in any single year. The committee voted to add $50,000 to the Fire CIP for radio replacement and spent $0 this year; it added $40,000 to the Extrication & Rescue Equipment CIP and spent $0 this year; and it added $100,000 to Conservation (with $64,000 to be spent). Later motions approved amended CIP additions of $2,573,256 and CIP spending authorizations of $2,643,750. The committee also approved a nonbinding motion asking the Select Board to consider allowing the Recreation Department not to repay a $200,000 CIP request for field repairs.

The meeting adjourned following final votes; staff will present warrant articles and procurement plans to the Select Board as required.