Pittsburg officials present $2.65 million budget, debate $300,000 rescue truck and inter-town policing fees

The Pittsburg Select Board convened a budget hearing at 5 p.m. to review the town’s proposed $2,652,439 general municipal budget and a slate of warrant articles that would add or withdraw funds from capital reserves, including a $300,000 request to buy a new rescue truck for the fire department.

The chair read the warned articles and walked through line-item changes across departments, citing increases for retirement and health insurance and higher dispatch and highway costs that together produced an overall 4.9% increase in the proposed budget. "This year's total is $2,652,439," the chair said while explaining the impact of the warrant articles on the bottom line.

Why it matters: The budget hearing sets the stage for the town meeting that will decide routine operating appropriations and several large capital items. One high-profile request — a $300,000 withdrawal for a rescue truck — and a petition article for $125,000 to improve Day Road drew particular scrutiny because of scale and potential long-term costs to taxpayers.

Fire equipment and the rescue truck: The chair explained the rescue truck purchase as a multi-part effort: buying a cab and chassis, contracting an outfit vendor to install a body and equipment, and replacing obsolete extraction tools. "It could be anywhere from $800,000 to $1.5 million" when future engine replacements are considered, the chair said, underscoring the scale of equipment costs and the board’s desire to phase purchases and fund them from reserves.

Inter-municipal policing and mutual aid: Board members pressed on the town’s arrangements with neighboring Clarksville and other towns for police and fire coverage. One member said Clarksville has paid about $5,000 annually under the existing understanding; another argued the town should ask for $10,000 given the mileage and hours its officers spend on directed patrols outside Pittsburg. "If they want our services, they should be paying a third to a half of their operating cost," one committee member said, urging a more formal contract or billing system and recommending that any reimbursements be directed into the police cruiser capital reserve.

Department reports and capital needs: Department heads reported winter operations and equipment needs. Ricky, who leads highway operations, told the board "we've been plowing and sanding; at least the rain has stopped," while water staff said a critical 4-inch meter base is leaking and would take six to eight weeks to arrive if ordered (estimated cost about $3,400). Jake reported that the transfer station permit is over 30 years old and that he had submitted a permit-by-notification and would present an updated operating and closure plan to DES.

Operational changes and staffing: The board discussed holding more detailed mileage and call logs to substantiate billing to neighboring towns. Wayne, a water operator, said he is enrolled in certification classes in March and April and warned there would be weeks he’d be in class multiple days a week. The transfer station manager proposed shifting evening hours after tracking attendance and usage over the winter.

Next steps: The chair closed the budget hearing after questions and said the warrant will go before voters at the warned town meeting in March. The board adjourned the meeting after a motion and voice vote. Final approvals of the warrant articles and the budget will occur at the town meeting.