RANDOLPH Moving forward toward dissolution of the villages of Randolph and East Randolph, the Consolidation Committee met this week to discuss information they'd gathered regarding the facts of the process. Exact numbers are not available at this time; fiscal information is still in the rough draft phase, but the committee is working to collect figures which they will then present to residents at a public hearing. A budget is being put together and fine tuning is being done to present all the facts. Any budget is tentative.
The state has put together a formula which determines the incentive aid the town would receive for consolidating. The formula involves population and tax levies. The money can be used to lower current debt or it may be used for road repair and machinery.
Committee members were told by State officials that everybody is going "whole hog" with this because of the incentives to consolidate, and because of the public's desire for smaller government.
It is the goal of the committee to take the dissolution to a vote on the ballot in March. Officials encourage anyone with questions to ask.
There will be public hearings to listen to concerns and take questions from constituents, after which a resolution will be adopted and it will go for a vote.
If residents approve the vote in March, the two villages will dissolve and become hamlets. The dissolution does not take place until a year after the vote and the end of the fiscal year, which would be in 2012.