By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

HARRISON — One of the first decisions municipal boards consider when piecing together a proposed budget is whether the town meeting warrant will be open or closed.

After speaking with a Maine Municipal Association attorney last Thursday, Harrison Town Manager Cass Newell offered Select Board members an option rather than the traditional open or closed approach.

When voters act upon articles to “raise and appropriate” money for obligated costs — such as debt service or already approved projects such as the downtown revitalization project or upcoming known expenses such as financing the mandated revaluation — the fixed figure will appear, and the article is closed — meaning voters cannot increase or decrease the amount.

In this proposed budget, Newell at last week’s board meeting suggested that the Select Board close the following articles:

• Article 9, $25,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance to cover any unfunded emergencies that occur — such as replacement of the Crystal Lake gate this past winter.

• Article 14, $1,020,741 from Revenue to reduce taxes.

• Article 27, $437,536 for county tax.

• Article 34, $298,213 for the Public Works Garage bond debt.

• Article 35, $225,000 for the revaluation. If the article fails, the town will use money from the Undesignated Fund balance account.

• Article 36, $225,000 for the downtown revitalization project. If the article fails, the town will use money from the Comprehensive Capital Reserve account.

 • Article 39, $125,305 for the emergency funding required to repair the Crystal Lake Dam (a new gate system was installed).

However, the Select Board can leave some articles “open ended” to give voters the opportunity to either support a figure that the Select Board recommends or increase/decrease the amount.

Select Board members wrestled with the idea of leaving town accounts “open.”

“It leaves the door open for a small group or large group with a special interest to raise the budget,” Board Chairman Rick Sykes said.

Selectman Phil Devlin agreed, noting the board has spent considerable time listening to the town manager and department heads explaining their requests, and ultimately deciding what is truly needed while balancing the ability of taxpayers to pay.

Code Officer John Wentworth agreed. “95% of the time or better, people follow what the board recommends. The board has done all of the leg work. It creates confusion when the board doesn’t recommend some amount.”

Selectman Matt Frank was split on the idea, feeling an “open” approach is in the true spirit of a New England town meeting, but with that approach, spending could become “wild and woolly” and ultimately push taxes higher than most would want.

So why even discuss open vs closed? Officials want to give taxpayers the ability to decide how they wish to see fire services offered in Harrison — be it the status quo or hire a full-time fire chief or increase fire/EMS coverage to seven days a week.

Article 18 asks what amount voters will raise and appropriate for the Fire Department. The Select Board recommends $184,988. This funds Harrison’s current level of fire service/coverage.

After speaking with MMA legal counsel, Newell hoped to “simplify” the question by leaving Article 19 open-ended. The draft question asks, “To see what amount the voters will raise and appropriate for compensation of additional staffing?”

The choices — $74,000 for a full-time chief or $210,000 for 7 days per week coverage, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. If the second option was approved, town officials could decide to hire a chief and a firefighter/EMS or two firefighter/EMS people (and no chief).

“We did try to make this as simple as possible,” Newell said. “I would be happy to speak at town meeting to make this as clear as possible (to the voters). I will be well versed on how to present it.”

Sykes proposed spelling out the options in article form — Article 19, fire chief; Article 20, 7 days per week, two per diem; Article 21, fire chief and per diem.

Newell said the initial proposal was crafted by MMA legal counsel to make it “simple,” and she was at a loss on “how to make it better.”

“I don’t have any more suggestions. The attorney helped us write this. I wish I had a better answer,” Newell said.

Ultimately, the Select Board decided to leave Article 18 as “closed,” but left Article 19 open and with no board recommendation to allow taxpayers to decide whether to add a fire chief or per diem firefighter(s)/EMS or both.