FARMINGTON - Next week, voters will decide on a variety of town matters, including a 1.4 percent increase to the budget, whether to lease a new fire truck or to swap land with a local gardening center.

Residents will elect officials, consider zoning amendments and decide on school matters at the polls, scheduled to open March 12 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Article 4 would appropriate $6,169,473 for the municipal operating budget, which would be $85,734 more than last year's $6,083,739 budget.

If approved, Article 3 would allow the selectmen to enter a seven-year lease/purchase of a new rescue pumper truck for the fire department and draw $58,792 from the Fire Vehicles and Equipment Capital Reserve Fund for the first year's payment. The remaining payments - totaling $352,752 - would come from future taxation.

Article 14 would authorize selectmen to swap land with Cameron's Home & Garden Center on Route 11. Cameron's would receive a 47,500 square-foot parcel - with 600 feet of frontage along Route 11 - which abuts its business while the town would gain 104,100 square feet - including 721 feet of frontage along River Road. Cameron's would be responsible for paying all costs associated with the transaction.

If approved, articles 5 and 6 would appropriate $10,000 and $50,000, respectively, to add to two capital reserve funds to offset the cost of maintaining public buildings and roads. With Articles 7 through 11, residents must consider several proposals to allow the selectmen to withdraw funds from existing capital reserve funds to renegotiate the Cable Franchise Agreement, to pay expenses from police details, to help close the town landfill, to pay for a building inspector and to operate and maintain the Main Street School facility.

If approved, Article 12 would allow the fire chief to send local fire vehicles out of town and receive vehicles from other towns, as needed, under the authority of the selectmen.


jquinn@newstote.com