BUCKFIELD — Town departments are proposing a 5.94 percent spending increase in the coming year, mainly to build up reserve accounts for new vehicles, equipment and an across-the-board pay increase for employees.
Town Manager Cindy Dunn on Thursday said the proposed $96,400 increase to town expenses is expected to be offset by revenues, leaving an overall 2.6 percent budget increase. The town’s total projected municipal expenses are $1,720,155, according to the proposed budget.
The budget does not include the town’s share of payments to Oxford County and the Regional School Unit 10.
The spending increases largely come from five sources — the fire and rescue departments, debt service, winter roads and the account for assessors and tax maps.
In an email Thursday, Dunn said the town office is proposing to establish a reserve account with $16,500 to conduct a “mini-revaluation” of properties in Buckfield, excluding land.
The Fire Department intends to use $18,245 to add funds to the Fire Truck Equipment and Fire Equipment reserve accounts, while the Rescue Department is proposing funding $20,000 for its ambulance replacement reserve, Dunn said.
Another $19,600 is being added to the department’s wages and salaries budget line to fund a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment for town employees to bring wages in line with average rates, Dunn said.
Proposed borrowing of $180,000 for a new plow truck and the maturation of another bond means a $20,417 increase in the town’s debt service next year, according to Dunn.
The hard winter has also left the town without its usual salt/sand surplus to use next year, she said.
In addition, utilizing liquid calcium application on the roads during the winter also requires additional budgeting. The timing of storms over the past two winters, mainly on evenings and weekends, means the town is budgeting more for overtime, Dunn said. Overall, the town’s winter roads budget is going up almost $19,800.
The Budget Committee is expected to discuss the spending plan over the next few weeks and selectmen will take it up in the next month. It will be sent to voters with the groups’ recommendations at the annual town meeting in June.
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