Salisbury selectmen balance budget

SALISBURY — The Salisbury Board of Selectmen met for their monthly meeting on Monday, June 5 and discussed potential budget transfers, an increase for transfer station fees and noise complaints.

The selectmen unanimously voted to send a recommendation made in conjunction with the town treasurer to the Board of Finance which would see the transfer of $500,000 from undesignated surplus to various town accounts.

The recommendation allocates $200,000 to Building Capital, $100,000 to Pension, $100,000 to Highway Capital, $50,000 to Pope Land Development and $50,000 to Pathways. The selectmen are confident that even with these allocations the undesignated surplus will remain in a comfortable amount and hope to get ahead of the curve on future finances regarding these accounts.

If the Board of Finance approves the recommendation, it will be brought to a town meeting before the end of June. The selectmen also approved the transfer of $18,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act to further assist in decommissioning the former transfer station. This will turn into a combined total of $30,000 with help in the form of $12,000 from Sharon. If more funding is needed, the selectmen will look into possible grants to assist.

Transfer station manager Brian Bartram gave a report and request to the selectmen detailing a need to increase certain fees at the transfer station. The cost of disposing of demolition debris has increased and the new increases would help counterbalance the new costs.

The selectmen approved an increase from $25 to $35 for dirty mattress disposals, $5 to $8 each for tires, $10 per ply for tractor tires and single entry fees for residents without stickers from $10 to $20. Clean mattress disposal will remain free for residents due to the mattress Extended Producer Responsibility program. “We can’t operate at a deficit, we at least need to cover the cost,” Selectman Christian Williams said. These costs will be reevaluated next year.

First Selectman Curtis Rand detailed in his report how he has been receiving multiple noise complaints regarding large trucks passing through town. Speculating that the noise is likely from the use of engine brakes while  descending the steep hills coming into town, Rand and the rest of the selectmen will be looking into the possibility of signage as well as speaking to the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to hear options. Rand also stated he will ask the DOT once again about the possibility of lowering the speed limit in town centers. This proposal has been rejected twice in the past by DOT.

The selectmen voted unanimously to reappoint Town Treasurer Joe Cleaveland for a four-year term and Tim Baldwin as deputy fire marshal retroactively for a term of June 1, 2023 to the end of the 2024 fiscal year.