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March 12. 2013 10:16PM

Allenstown voters approve $420,000 fire truck pumper

BY BRENDAN CLOGSTON
Union Leader Correspondent

ALLENSTOWN -- Voters approved the purchase of a replacement fire truck pumper that will eventually cost just under half-a-million dollars over five years.

The warrant item, which passed 311 to 277, will replace pumpers dating back to 1974 and 1981 through a five-year lease totaling at $420,720.70. The warrant will raise $84,140.54 for the first payment. There is also an escape clause in the lease.

The fire truck warrant has an estimated tax impact of 31 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

"(According to our estimates, the tax rate on the town side is) going to go from $9.30 per $1,000 to $9.11 per thousand, so it's a reduction with the town operating budget," said Interim town Administrator Shaun Mulholland. "That doesn't include warrant articles for the town."

The local school tax rate is estimated at $10.01 per $1,000. Between the two, on a $250,000 home, the town tax would come to $4,780.

On the school side, two collective bargaining agreements (raising $78,318 and $19,370 for 2013-2014), a proposed operating budget of $9,461,271, and the establishment of an emergency reserve fund all passed, as did the district's proposed operating budget of $9,521,193.

In the Select Board race, incumbent Jeffrey Gryval will retain his seat, receiving 393 votes to conservation commission chair and planning board member Robert E. Lee's 165. Town Clerk Kathleen Rogers will take the Town Clerk's position, receiving 371 votes to Stephanie Cheney's 209. In the school board race, Andrea Martel defeated Lawrence Anderson 327 to 243.

Also, Ronnie Pellissier's 280 votes allow him to hold his position as road agent, beating challengers Daniel Blais' 95 and Chris Roy's 227.