Spending in Meredith would shrink slightly under proposed budget

MEREDITH — The select board will meet on Feb. 3 to discuss and take public comments on a 2020 budget that will be smaller than last year’s spending plan.

Town Manager Phil Warren has drawn up a municipal budget totaling $15,753,995. The 2019 approved budget was $15,778,958.

“The decline here is due to a decrease in debt service spending and employee costs,” Warren said. “We had a good year where our large ticket items (employee benefits) did not increase and we have had newer employees come in at a lower wage scale than the departing incumbents.”

A proposal to issue a bond for improvement of the town’s historic library will also be discussed at the meeting at 4:30 p.m. at the Meredith Community Center, 1 Circle Drive.

The construction project is expected to cost $5 million. A public fundraising campaign has raised $650,000, reducing the amount needed to be raised through bond funding.

Debt service for the library improvement, if approved at town meeting, and for a Public Works Department building approved at last town meeting will not be due until the 2021 budget year, Warren said.

Residents approved the $7.6 million public works building last year.

Town officials said the new 12,839-square-foot structure was needed to allow the crew to maintain town vehicles in a safe environment that is also far more energy-efficient. The old operations structure was built in 1965.