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Residents press Select Board on rising taxes, maintenance backlog and RSU5 costs
Summary
At the Jan. 12 meeting residents urged the Select Board to pursue budget reductions amid years of tax increases and flagged deferred maintenance at town buildings; the board said many decisions rest with Town Meeting and the RSU5 process.
Multiple residents used the Jan. 12 public-comment period to express concern about sustained property‑tax increases and deferred maintenance of town buildings. Bill Schmidt urged the Select Board to pursue a 10% reduction in departmental budgets and asked what process the board would use to direct the Budget Committee to consider cuts. Schmidt also described visible decay at the sand/salt shed and asked about regular inspections of town facilities.
Chair Jon Morris and Selectperson Kate Day responded that while the Select Board recommends a budget, expenditures are ultimately approved by Town Meeting and that the board and Budget Committee have been working to keep tax impacts manageable. Morris noted the town has used the undesignated fund balance in recent years to minimize increases and encouraged residents to participate more in Budget Committee and Town Meeting processes. Chief Jesse Peters described routine facility inspections and said maintenance decisions are constrained by budget limits.
Speakers emphasized the tradeoffs involved in cutting department budgets and asked the board to weigh public-safety and essential services when pursuing cost savings. The board acknowledged deferred maintenance is a concern and said committees are pursuing options, including grant applications, to address long-term facility needs.
