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Heritage Road Clarification & Contract Provisions

Welcome to “Notes from the Grove” providing information about Liberty Grove Town government to residents and visitors.

• The town has been informed there will likely be no charge for the appliance and computer recycling held this fall. The collections allowed Norsec to cover their costs. Another appliance and computer recycling day will be scheduled for June 15.

• At its last meeting the Finance Committee took several hours to go over the proposed budget line by line. A great deal of time dealt with the proposed Highway Budget of $618,000. Several road improvements and maintenance projects have been put off in past years and, as a result, the list of roads needing repair has been increasing. Now with the Highway Committee’s five-year rolling plan of road improvements, the town is provided a better fiscal picture regarding upcoming maintenance and improvement. Other committee budgets were reviewed as well.

After looking at various options, the committee decided to stay with the proposed budget, which might require a short term loan of up to $300,000. The proposed levy per thousand of valuation would be $1.4916 for 2013, decreasing to $1.4141 in 2014 and $1.3818 in 2015.

The new fire department Aerial Platform truck will be paid off in 2014. The two outstanding bonds will be paid off in 2018. Information on the budget is available at the town office.

• The 2013 Budget hearing is scheduled for November 12 beginning at 6 pm at the Town Hall.

• Lou Covotsos, who also serves on the Liberty Grove Plan Commission, presented the Fire District Exploratory Committee with detailed synopsis for a discussion between a fire district with a board of directors, joint commission or a combination of both. Drawing on information from the Dousman Fire District, Lake Countries Fire District, North Shore Fire District and state statutes, the exploratory committee decided to propose a board of directors with various committees being formed from within that board. The option to create a commission in the future was left open.

• Sister Bay / Liberty Grove Fire Chief Chris Hecht reviewed the spreadsheet he developed which provides for various approaches to funding the Fire District. One discussion centered around the possibility of adjusting the numbers so each participant can continue to pay what they currently do for fire protection at the start-up of the district. The exploratory committee will hold its next meeting on December 4 at the Gibraltar Fire Station beginning at 5 pm.

Information on the exploratory committee, including minutes, may be found at http://innline.com/FireDepartmentDocuments/FireDeptDocuments.html