ORANGE — Residents at annual town meeting on Tuesday adopted a nearly $20 million budget the day after failing to reach a quorum for the meeting’s original posted time.
Voters at Orange Town Hall gave their unanimous blessing to a $19,671,069.07 overall budget for next year, with $10,587,799 designated for education. The overall figure is $423,667.07 more than the current year’s budget.
A heavy rainstorm has been blamed for Monday’s failure to reach a quorum, which is 75 voters.
The proposed overall budget was amended after Jane Peirce requested the town level-fund $624 for the salary and expenses of Health Director Andrea Crete to serve as animal inspector. Peirce, who sits on the Orange Board of Health, said Crete already carries out those duties and does not want her to do it for free. Peirce’s amendment was adopted unanimously.
Kathy Reinig asked why proposed police salaries and wages increased $47,827 and Police Chief Craig Lundgren said it reflects a new hire. He stressed a new hire will not put the department at full strength, but more manpower is needed to combat the opioid epidemic and other issues.
The education budget earmarks $5,972,563 for Orange elementary schools, $4,011,821 for Ralph C. Mahar Regional School, $543,103 for Franklin County Technical School, $35,112 for Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School and $25,200 for vocational school transportation.
Residents also voted to appropriate and borrow $892,000 for wastewater treatment facility upgrades. The money is slated to go toward obtaining construction grade plans and specifications for the upgrades.
Adoption of a separate article will set aside $38,992 from the Sewer Enterprise Fund Retained Earnings for the North Main Street sewer replacement, while another will put $734,742 toward the wastewater treatment plant/sewer enterprise fund.