$160K Surplus Slated
For Capital Expenses

A surplus of about $160,000 as of last July 1 should be used for capital expenses, the Randolph selectboard decided Tuesday night.

Two articles will be placed on the Town Meeting ballot regarding two proposals to use the budget surplus.

First, the Selectboard will ask voters to spend $64,000 for various structural repairs to Randolph buildings, including the police station, Kimball Library and Chandler Music Hall. The biggest single item is a new roof for the music hall, which currently has to place buckets under the roof after a deluge.

The selectboard had placed the $64,000 in the capital budget previously. Having it paid for out of the surplus means that new taxes won't have to be raised for that part of the budget, Selectboard Chair Jim Hutchinson explained.

Another proposal will be to use $100,000 from the surplus for a final payment of Randolph's share of the new Main Street bridge, which is expected to go up this summer.

Randolph has already dedicated $500,000 for its 10% share, but the cost of the bridge will be closer to $6 million, making the extra $100,000 necessary.