The Budget, Our Trash, Bridge Building and a New Employee

by Matt Riiska

Like spring, budget season is upon us again. As usual we will make every effort to keep the 2020/21 budget as low as we can. This will not be easy this year with the State keeping their funds to the towns to a minimum. To date we have yet to receive our Town Aid Road (TAR) funding. TAR funding is made available to towns to offset their expenses related to the maintenance of roads and bridges. Our TAR funding this year is set at $242,068. Total state moneys for the town in this year’s budget are $333,645, which includes $25,863 in Education Cost Sharing (ECS) funds. I encourage everyone to attend the upcoming Board of Finance, Board of Education and budget hearings to reach a better understanding of the budget process.

On Monday, March 30, there will be a discussion at the Hub in regards to the Town’s spending for the handling and processing of our municipal solid waste (MSW) or trash. At the “Trash Talk” event, we will explain our transfer station budget, where our trash goes, the recycling process and what we can do to reduce our costs for handling our MSW while helping the environment. 

Progress continues on the replacement of the Mountain Road bridge. After reviewing some of the questions and concerns brought forward at the public review meeting on January 6, Cardinal Engineering has adjusted the design to shorten the bridge’s above-ground parapet to where it will now be six inches longer than the current bridge. They have also reduced the length of the guardrails to slightly less than 50 feet. Currently the designs and engineering specs are out for bid. Bids are due on March 13. Once we have received the bids and chosen the firm that will replace the bridge, we will have another public meeting to review. Funding for the replacement will be voted on at the annual town meeting in May.

I am excited to inform everyone that we have hired a new Public Works supervisor. Troy LaMere started on January 27. Troy brings his many years of working in the Public Works (PW) and construction fields to Norfolk at the perfect time. Although we have had little snow this winter, the Public Works Department has been out many times already to keep the roads clear of ice. Having filled in as PW supervisor since the retirement on John Allyn last April, I can honestly say keeping the roads clear in winter is not an easy job, and I appreciate having Troy on board.