LITCHFIELD — Two big-ticket items — both for vehicles — are on the warrant for the annual Town Meeting, which begins 10 a.m. Saturday at the Litchfield Sportsmen’s Club.

The Fire Department is seeking $405,000 to replace or refurbish four of the front-line vehicles.

Additional Photos

Rust can be scene on this old Litchfield town plow truck. Staff photo by Joe Phelan

The Litchfield Fire Department has plans to replace these two old trucks with one truck that will do both functions. They are Rescue 69, top, a 1987 Ford Econoline 350 used to refill airtanks and Rescue 68, bottom, a 1994 Ford Econline 350 used as a rescue unit. Staff photo by Joe Phelan

“We need to replace some of our trucks badly,” Fire Chief Stan Labbe said in a message to residents. “Our plan is to downsize and still keep the same high standards we provide now.”

Town Manager Michael Byron said the proposal to fund both that project and a new wheeler — a large snowplow vehicle — calls for taking $105,000 out of capital reserve and financing the $300,000 balance over 10 years at 4 percent.

The first year’s principal-and-interest payment of $36,000 has been factored into the proposed municipal budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

An additional $195,000 for the wheeler to replace a snowplow truck in the town’s Public Works Department would be funded from the capital reserve account set up for that purpose, Byron said.

The proposed municipal budget of almost $1.7 million is $78,000 higher than the current year’s.

However, school costs for the town have risen by $209,000 for the upcoming school year.

If voters validate the $17.6 million school budget during the ballot vote today and leave the municipal warrant unchanged, property taxes will rise from $11.95 per $1,000 of property valuation to $12.65 per $1,000, Byron said.

Related Stories