MONTVILLE — Four referendum articles are appearing on the municipal ballot in the Town of Montville for the November 3 election. 

Below are the four questions voters are being asked to vote on, as finalized by the town’s select board Monday, Oct. 5. 

Article 1: To see if the Town will authorize the Select Board to obtain a multi-year lease/purchase agreement for the purchase of a grader not to exceed $100,000.

Montville’s current 1989 Champion 710 grader needs to be replaced. The Town does have a grader reserve account of $10,000 to be used towards the purchase of another grader. The remaining funds needed for the purchase would be acquired through a multi-year lease/purchase agreement from a local lending company. The current interest rate is 2.20%, fixed. There are no pre-payment penalties.

The Road Commissioner has located a 2006 John Deere 772D grader that is currently on hold for the purchase price of $78,000. Using the grader fund reserve of $10,000 would reduce the loan amount to $68,000. At the current 2.20% interest rate, the total interest over a five-year period would be $3,119.65. Article 1 was written with a purchase price “not to exceed” in case this grader was no longer available and other decisions needed to be made.

Voting Yes on Article 1 would authorize the Select Board to obtain a multi -year lease/purchase agreement from a local lending company to replace the existing grader.

Voting No on Article 1 would prevent the Select Board from replacing the existing grader at this time.

Montville Select Board recommends voting YES.
Montville Budget Committee recommends voting YES.

Article 2: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate additional funds for the Liberty Volunteer Ambulance Service, which services both Montville and Liberty residents, in order to help pay for the balance of ambulance staff wages through 2020. Additional funds of $23,133, would be taken from undesignated funds.

Montville and Liberty currently pay the Liberty Volunteer Ambulance Services (LVAS) payroll expenses for ambulance emergency staff. Montville residents voted in 2019 to appropriate $51,517 for the LVAS payroll, which we have again
appropriated for 2020. LVAS 2020 budget request for both towns was $74,650, an increase of $23,133 to maintain existing staffing hours.

Voting Yes on Article 2 would authorize the Select Board to pay an additional $23,133 from undesignated funds to LVAS to maintain their existing staffing hours for 2020.

Montville Select Board recommends voting YES.
Montville Budget Committee recommends voting NO.

Article 3: To see if the Town will vote to give the Select Board the authority to sell the town’s 2001 International 4900 packer truck through the bidding process.

The packer truck’s current condition does not warrant additional repair expenses.

Voting Yes on Article 3 would authorize the Select Board to sell the town packer truck.

Voting No on Article 3 would prevent the Select Board from selling the town packer truck at this time.

Article 4: To see if the Town will vote to give the Select Board the authority to sell the town’s 1989 Champion 710A grader through the bidding process.

Voting Yes on Article 4 will give the Select Board the authority to sell the existing grader.

Voting No on Article 4 will prevent the Select Board from selling the grader at this time.

Financial Statement 

1. Total Town Indebtedness
A. Bonds outstanding and unpaid: $0
B. Bonds authorized and unissued: $0
C. Bonds to be issued if this question is approved: $100,000
TOTAL $ 100,000

2. Costs: At an estimated interest rate of 2.199%, the estimated costs of this bond issue will be:
At an estimated 5 years
Principal NOT TO EXCEED $94,400
Interest NOT TO EXCEED $5,371.10
Total Debt Service NOT TO EXCEED $ 99,771.10

3. Validity
The validity of the bonds and of the voters' ratification of the bonds may not be affected by any errors in the above estimates. If the actual amount of the total debt service for the bond issue varies from the estimate, the ratification by the electors is  nevertheless conclusive and the validity of the bond issue is not affected by reason of the variance.