Dartmouth Considering Stipends for Elected Officials

Some Dartmouth Select Board members are coming out in favor of stipends for town officials. Joe Michaud, Lara Stone and Michael Watson all support a Town Meeting article that would bring back the stipends, which were abolished in 2007 as the town faced crippling debt and service cuts.

Michaud thinks the town is financially stable enough to fund the stipends, but isn't sure if Town Meeting feels the same way.

Each Select Board member would receive $2400 annually, with other committees and board members getting either $750 or $1000 per year, resulting in a total cost of 34-thousand dollars to the town. The measure is expected to be on the Fall Town Meeting warrant in October.