By Robin Thomas
MERRIMAC — Selectman Earl Baumgardner outlined the reasons for a Proposition 21/2 override request on the May 5 ballot at Wednesday's Candidates and Issues Forum.
The issue is whether to increase real estate and personal property taxes by $50,000 in order to fund the stipend for on-call firefighters/EMTs.
On-call firefighters/EMTs had asked the Board of Fire Engineers for a pay increase. The board then asked the Finance Committee for an additional amount of $75,000 (beyond the automatic cost-of-living increase).
Deputy fire Chief Larry Fisher said the Finance Committee determined that the town could afford only $25,000, and the balance of $50,000 is where the override comes from.
If voters approve both the ballot override and the Town Meeting article, property taxes would increase by $25 per year (at the current tax rate) for the average home valued at $392,000, according to an earlier statement by Treasurer and Finance Director Carol McLeod.
Baumgardner said that this request for additional money comes after the town has seen a rise in fire and EMT calls resulting from a population increase. He said that these on-call workers often rely on this income, adding, "There's a risk that they find somewhere else to be firefighters."
The Board of Selectmen unanimously supports this override, Baumgardner said, so that the Fire Department can "continue to provide high-level support." He shared his story of how the on-call firefighters saved his home from complete destruction by a fire.
The annual and special Town Meetings on April 28 at the Sweetsir School will be operating under the new quorum bylaw, said Town Moderator Robert Bender. The bylaw was approved last year in response to repeated difficulty reaching the 150-voter quorum.
At past meetings, business was delayed while voters waited for latecomers to straggle in. Bender said voters can now look forward to the meeting beginning promptly at 7:30 p.m. because "we no longer will have to wait.
