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• 0 SELECTMEN'S MEETING February 4,1948 A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building on Wednes- day evening at 8:00 P.M. Chairman Giroux, Messrs. Potter, Rowse, Locke, and Sarano were present. The Clerk was also present. The Board was reminded of this meeting by the Chair- man on January 19th and the Clerk telephoned the members on February 4th to remind them of it. The Appropriation Committee, Library Trustees, and School Committee were present. The Chairman called the meeting to order at 8:10 P.M. He said that this'meeting had been called to explain the position of the Board of Selectmen in relation to this year's budgets and also and more important - their attitude toward a general policy which they hope the Town, through the Town Meeting, will adopt during the period of the war. The Selectmen believe it is essential that they plan in all cases so that the Town will go through the war with a sound policy, as much so as possible; and after» ward, that we may come out of the war so financially sound that we can go ahead with the work omitted during the war years. He said that we were going on what may be said to be a strict maintenance policy — without construction - unless It is something that cannot be avoided. It may be necessary this year to purchase some highway trucks and other equip- ment, the cost of which would come out of the Road Machinery Fund. The reason for purchasing this year is that some of the equipment is almost obsolete, and we may not be able to purchase any later on. A maintenance policy should give us a somewhat lower tax rate this year, and that is what we want, as against the Massachusetts Taxpayers Association's prediction of a probable $4.00 average increase by 1943. If we can attain this year something somewhat lower than our present tax rate, then it becomes also just as important that we arrange our finances so that we can stabilize that rate during the war years. Our policy has been to transfer some funds from the Excess and Deficiency Account, but we shall not do tt this year for two reasons: 1. It shall be held as a Reserve for emergencies, and we shall discourage any requests that we call special town meetings for transfers during the year unless the Selectmen and the Appropriation Committee deem it absolutely necessary. 5p