ETNA GREEN – Town Council looked Tuesday at a 2015 budget of $303,952. The budget includes a 15-percent drop in net assessed value, which translated into a reduction of $18,000 from the current budget to cover the shortfall. Council will vote on the budget at the Oct. 14 meeting. Also Tuesday, council voted to renew for three years its contract with Republic Services for garbage pickup. The extension includes a 1-percent increase each year for a total fee of $13.14 after three years. Councilman Andy Cook suggested raising the fee for residents to $13.25, saying the current rate isn’t enough to cover the town’s cost and that the extra few cents would cover increases past the current contract. Council will vote on the increase next month. Council also voted to hold trick-or-treating Oct. 31 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.; and heard that big trash pickup will be Sept. 23 and 30 and hydrant flushing will be Oct. 7 and 8. Resident Nancy Dettloff read a letter during the meeting criticizing council for its handling of parking issues in recent months, saying council should be aware of how residents feel. Cook acknowledged that the issue didn’t go the way it was intended.
