Barre Finance Committee returns to full strength, eyes November special town meeting

BARRE -- October 1, 2020, Barre Finance Committee reaches full membership for the first time in years and braces for a special town meeting re-vote. The seven-member committee, now at full strength after welcoming new members Kerry Medeiros and a member identified only as Brian, re-elected its officers by voice vote at the October 1 meeting. New Treasurer-Collector Alex Hagerty reported that real estate collections are running essentially even with last year, $1.97 million of a $4.09 million levy collected to date, versus $1.924 million of $3.9 million at the same point in 2019, despite a pandemic-delayed demand cycle. Town Administrator Jessica told the committee the town has until December 30 to spend its $493,000 CARES Act allocation, with a second-round application due by October 30 targeting election security cameras and a library UV sanitizer. A state certification dispute over the July 2 annual town meeting date will force a re-vote on all free-cash appropriations, including the ambulance, police cruiser, and $100,000 broadband article, at a special town meeting tentatively set for the week of November 7, funded by $117,987 in available free cash against an $85,000 fiscal year 2020 shortfall.