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	Budget Committee Minutes, August 30, 2021

The meeting came to order at 6:30 PM at the Lamoine Town Hall.

Present were:  Budget Committee members Robin Veysey, Mark Harris, Greg Hiltz and Merle Bragdon; Administrative Assistant Stu Marckoon and Fire Chief George “Skip” Smith.  Budget Committee member Tiffany McMullen was unable to attend and had informed the committee prior to the meeting.

Selection of Officers – 2021/22 – Robin nominated Merle as chair.  Mark 2^nd.  Vote in favor was 3-0 (Bragdon abstained).  Robin nominated Tiffany as Vice-Chair.  Mark 2^nd.  Vote in favor was 4-0.  Mark nominated Stu as the Secretary.  Greg 2^nd.  Vote in favor was 4-0.

Minutes – May 10, 2021 – Mark noted three minor errors.  Robin moved to approve the minutes as modified.  Merle 2^nd.  Vote in favor was 4-0.

Meeting with Fire Chief – Chief George “Skip” Smith distributed a diagram and cost estimate for a new pumper/tanker truck combination.  He said he had been talking with the Selectmen regarding a new truck and was given permission to draw up some plans.  He said this was close to what he thinks the fire department needs for a future truck.  He said he got lots of help from K&T Fire Equipment and MetalFab.  He said they have built all of the fire fleet except for the ladder truck.

Chief Smith noted the last new truck purchased was the 2014 tanker for around $235,000.  He said this would be a bigger truck and a pumper/tanker combination with a 2,500 gallon tank and 1,500 gallon per minute pump.  He said it was a class A pumper with a total cost of around $380,000.  He said the fire department would cover the cost of much of the loose equipment. 

Chief Smith said the truck that will be retired, a 1994 pumper, should be worth about $50,000, and with the fire department contribution, the total project should be a net cost of about $300,000.    Merle asked how many gallons the 1994 pumper holds.  Chief Smith said about 1,000.  Merle said it would appear the town would want to finance about $300,000 and asked if the price was firm.  Chief Smith said the price in mid-July was about the same and a brief discussion followed.

Merle asked if the ’94 pumper would be put on the market.  Chief Smith said it would be after the new truck arrives.  He said that K&T might be interested in purchasing the truck to use as a loaner. A brief discussion followed on selling the old truck.

Merle noted that the new truck would increase the pumping capacity and the on-board water.  He said it would likely need less maintenance.  Greg asked what the mileage was on the 1994 truck.  Chief Smith said about 14,000.  Mark asked who would finance the purchase.  Stu said it would likely go to bid, but First National financed the last three new apparatus purchases.  He said the town has a strong amount of undesignated fund balance carried forward from the previous fiscal year.   Greg asked if it would go to a competitive bid.  Stu said it would have to and explained the bidding process for the truck and chassis. 

Merle said the process would be for the Budget Committee to make a recommendation to the Selectboard.  The Board would put it to town meeting, and then it would go to bid.   Chief Smith said it would take at least a year before the town got the truck.  A lengthy discussion followed on how to finance the truck.  Robin moved to recommend authorizing up to $385,000 for a new fire truck, up to $300,000 to be financed, with the remainder to be paid for through other sources, including a fire department contribution, use of proceeds from the sale of the 1994 pumper, and undesignated fund balance.  Mark 2^nd.  Vote in favor was 4-0.

Fall Meeting Schedule – The Committee agreed to meet at 6:30 PM on the following Mondays:  November 8, November 29, December 13, and December 20 (if needed). 

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:05 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Stu Marckoon, Secretary