Hot topic: Voters in Loudon will decided whether to purchase a few new town vehicles for the highway and fire departments. Article 3 calls for the purchase of a dump truck for about $190,000. This would require $86,000 to be raised through taxes and $104,000 would be withdrawn from the Highway Department Capital Reserve Fund. For the Fire Department, the board of selectman support the purchase of a new fire truck for $600,000, all of which would be withdrawn from the Fire Department Expendable Trust Fund. The board also recommends Article 9, which calls for the town to buy a command vehicle for the Fire Department for $60,000, which would be taken out of the same expendable trust fund.
Budget: The proposed budget for municipal operations in Loudon is $4.85 million, an increase of about $167,000 or about 4% from last year. This does not include appropriations from other articles listed separately.
Noteworthy articles: Article 4 calls for $318,000 to shim and overlay School Street. This would require $193,000 to be raised through taxes and $125,000 withdrawn from the Roadway Improvement Expendable Trust Fund.
Article 5 asks for $122,235 to be raised through taxes for the reclaiming and paving of Flagg Road.
Article 6 seeks $32,000 raised through taxes for Digital Tax Map Data Conversion and GIS Development.
Article 10 calls for $30,000 to be raised through taxes to put toward a $215,000 purchase of a self-contained breathing apparatus, with $185,000 withdrawn from the Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund.
Article 17 calls for the estimated tax impact to be noted on the annual town budget and all special warrant articles.
Contested races: Selectmen Chairman Jeff Miller is facing two opponents in a race for a three-year term on the board. The other candidates are Collin Grinnell and Jeffrey Leonard.
When and where: Town meeting is Saturday at 9 a.m. in the Loudon Elementary School gym on School Street.
Monitor staff