Taxpayers approved each item on the town meeting agenda last night which included two new police officers and $135,000 in school security upgrades to Redding Elementary School and John Read Middle School.
Police overtime totaling $27,685.39 from Dec. 14, 2012 to Jan. 20, 2013 was approved and $101,904.31 for estimated police overtime from March 1, 2013 to June 21, 2013 was also approved by a 99-39 vote.
The two new police officers were approved in a 87-44 vote at $58,030 for salary and benefits to cover the cost through the end of the fiscal year. The $58,030 will cover the officers from March 1 to June 30. Their salary is currently built into next year’s budget which will be voted on at the May 8 referendum.
All the funds for the police overtime and officers is coming from the town’s unassigned fund balance.
School building security upgrades at $135,000 were approved to come out of the capital and non-recurring reserve account. The vote passed in the affirmative with three people voting against.
School capital expenditures totaling $534,000 were also approved and $34,385 from unassigned fund balance for an outdoor lighting upgrade was also approved.
The full story will be in next week’s issue of the Pilot
