Barre Select Board Approves IT Contract, EMS Write-Off at July Meeting

BARRE — July 17, 2017 — Barre Select Board approves IT contract, writes off $47,000 in ambulance bills, and welcomes new town administrator. At its July 17 meeting, the board set new Town Administrator Andrew Goalless's annual salary at $72,000 on his first day in office, approved an IT services contract with an outside consultant, and voted to write off $47,031.74 in uncollectible EMS bills exhausted through the collection process by ambulance billing contractor Coastal Medical Billing. The board also approved a Spartan Race special event permit and liquor license for an August 5-6 event that drew more than 2,000 participants the prior weekend with no serious injuries. A lengthy discussion on whether to expand regional dispatch into a formal district model produced no vote; at least one member declared flatly, "I don't favor a district — it removes control from our voters." The board also announced a Green Communities grant of $116,199 for LED lighting improvements across seven municipal facilities.