Barre Finance Committee Flags $130,000 Snow and Ice Budget Overrun

BARRE — April 12, 2017 — Barre's Finance Committee spent its April 12 session examining a snow and ice budget overrun that reached roughly $259,000 against a $105,000 appropriation, while debating how to set a capital borrowing ceiling that would keep the property tax rate stable. Chair Zachary Macutkiewicz and other members concluded that the town treasurer should calculate how much existing debt retires in the coming year, with any new borrowing capped at roughly that amount so the debt-service tax levy does not rise. Members challenged a draft capital plan that included $210,000 to replace a Mack truck, calling the figure "absolutely ridiculous" and pointing to the fire department's history of purchasing used and surplus equipment at a fraction of list price. The committee agreed to send a follow-up letter to department heads who had not yet returned level-funded budget requests and to invite highway and police officials to the following week's meeting for line-by-line review. No formal votes were taken.