03/05/1973 Annual Town Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Wage 12. Annual Town meeting Tuesday March 6, 1973 Article 34 Continued® ( Mr. Bain speaking) Their work requires major equipment which is valued in excess of $113,000®00 which underardinary circumstances should serve them for about ten. gears® There is also the interest charges on borrowed money for replacement and repairs to this equ#nent which amounts I` to several thousands of dollars a year® The lack of housing each year is sending up the cost of equipment repair and maintenance® In addition to this when this equipment is needed in the case of snow storms, etc® , there is a difficulty in getting them started because they have been out in the cold and the weather. Out-of-doors is also subject to theft and pilferage . A conservative estimate would indicate that the lack of a needed place in which to store and work on and maintain this equipment costs the Town an un- necessary $10,000.00 a year. With proper working facilities he has enough men there to do a lot of their own work on these facilities by way of upkeep and maintenance ® But you cannot expect a man to do this when there is no place to work. At the days start when the men should be on the day' s job and be on their way, this lack of efficiency costs money. The Highway Department must face some 55, 500.00 on manpower wages® Twenty-five to thirty percent of this is ineffectual, because you have say only ninety percent efficiency because of lack of proper machinery and proper housing® If you just said you had a ten percent lost in this instance it would amount to about $5,000.00 per year® And the money spent on lossess used by lack of equipment space and space in which to work can easily amount to $15,000.00 in wasted money® New facilities are badly needed, $93,500.00 is indeed a large sum but you will. ve between ten to fifteen years to twenty years to pay it® Principal and interest would amount to about $9,660.00 in the first years, dropping down to something like $6600.00 in the last years. This would be offset by your $15,000.00 plus dollars saved® The ex- penditure of $93, 500.00 will reduce the cost of running the department® Today' s figures are being used of course® Your Town is gnawing rapidly, and the highway is the first to feel the impact® I i i i