In Allenstown, the proposed town budget of $6.2 million exceeds last year’s budget by upwards of $600,000, a 10.6% increase.

If voted down in March, the default budget would be $5.5 million, about the same budget as last year.

At the town’s budget public hearing earlier this month, Town Administrator John Harrington explained that defaulting to a stagnant budget would hamstring some operations. The move would require “a possible reduction in town services,” he said, pointing to a near $100,000 discrepancy between the proposed and default budgets for solid waste disposal.

In August of last year, Allenstown renegotiated its with Casella Waste Systems to account for both the rising cost of waste disposal and residents’ vote to dampen costs by eliminating curbside recycling. The resulting contract represented a $55,000 increase over the previous agreement, amounting to an annual collection cost of $189,000.

Still, the town’s solid waste disposal budget encompasses more than just collection, and $100,000 budget shortfall could impact any number of line items, including solid waste salaries, supplies, disposal and landfill maintenance and testing costs.

For the Allenstown Sewer Department, which is funded by sewer “rents” rather than tax revenue, the proposed budget is $2,787,177 and the default budget is $2,743,500.

The proposed school budget is $13.9 million, which is about a 2% increase over the current budget. The default budget is $14 million.

At Saturday’s deliberative session, which kicks off at kick off at 9 a.m. at the new community school, residents will also have the opportunity to discuss town and school warrant articles.

The town warrant articles, which can be previewed in the deliberative session packet online, include several zoning ordinances. One proposes increasing the limit of small-scale solar to 40 kilowatts while another allows homes zoned primarily for residential use to host home-based childcare without a site plan review. Other articles relate to fencing and parking requirements.

The final article on the town warrant proposes that Allenstown revert to a traditional annual meeting form of self-governance, rescinding SB2, which breaks the process into a deliberative meeting where all matters are settled at the ballot box on voting day.

The school district’s warrant includes articles requesting the purchase of another school bus and authorizing the sale of Allenstown Elementary and Armand R. Dupont schools.

Candidate openings exist on the Select Board, Sewer Commission and Budget Committee, among other vacancies. Candidates for public office must file declarations with the Allenstown Town Clerk before 5 p.m. on Jan. 31.

 

Rebeca Pereira can be reached at rpereira@cmonitor.com