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Lebanon Select Board sets budget calendar and debates holding legal bills from contingency
Summary
The Select Board scheduled the town's budget hearing for Aug. 15 with posting and signing deadlines in late July and agreed to temporarily hold legal invoices while staff compiles final bills to determine if a hand‑raising vote will be required.
The Lebanon Select Board set its schedule for the town budget process and debated how to handle contingency and legal expenses at its June 16 meeting.
Board members agreed to aim for an open town budget hearing on Aug. 15, with the warrant posted by July 23 and the warrant signature completed at the July 21 meeting. The board also scheduled the budget committee to meet on July 8 to review details.
Much of the discussion focused on contingency funds and legal bills. Town staff reported contingency at $7,292.90 and said legal expenditures have already drawn on contingency, with the board noting roughly $10,000 of contingency used for legal to date. One Select Board member said the town has roughly $91,000 remaining in the working balance but cautioned that several bills are still outstanding.
To avoid committing funds prematurely, the board voted to hold legal invoices aside for one week while staff (Maria and Leslie were named in the discussion) compiles outstanding bills and invoices. The board will revisit whether to pay legal invoices immediately or present an overrun for voter approval (a hand‑raising vote at town meeting) depending on the total amount owed.
Board members also discussed options if the budget process requires action late in the cycle: using last year’s budget (per the local referendum option) versus holding a hand‑raising vote to approve an overrun. The board directed staff to gather all outstanding invoices and to report back at the next meeting so members can determine whether a hand‑raising vote will be necessary.
Other budget items discussed included highway work estimated at about $80,000 for a grinding/paving project, a potential two‑month mower rental of about $12,400, and use of remaining line‑item funds for needed work. The board debated reallocating money among line items and whether to auction unused equipment such as a backhoe or loader.
Next steps: staff will compile and present outstanding legal and vendor invoices before the next board meeting and the budget committee will meet on July 8 to finalize warrant language and recommended allocations.
