NORWAY — Voters will be asked to approve a $4.4 million municipal budget during the annual town meeting Monday, June 16, at the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Forum in Paris.
Action on the 43-article warrant begins at 7 p.m. Among the articles are one requesting money for a new dump truck, a new sidewalk plow and for the future purchase of land for a fire substation in the north end of town.
Town Manager David Holt unveiled his proposed $4.4 million municipal budget to selectmen in April. It’s nearly 6 percent more than this fiscal year.
Holt said Oxford County and SAD 17 assessments came in less than expected and some new taxable growth is expected, so the impact on taxpayers will be about a 5 percent increase.
To keep the increase below 6 percent, he said he did not recommend everything requested by department heads.
The 2014-15 budget includes a 2.5 percent negotiated salary increase for police and highway department union members and a 2.5 percent increase for most nonunion employees.
The Budget Committee and selectmen are recommending voters raise and appropriate $680,662 for the Police Department, $247,792 for the Fire Department and $881,531 for the Highway and Public Works Department. The numbers are higher than approved last year because some $476,000 in employee benefits are now budgeted under the individual departments rather than as a lump sum in a separate article, Holt said.
Voters will be asked to raise and appropriate $262,000 for Norway’s share of operating Norway-Paris Solid Waste Inc.
The Budget Committee, selectmen and Norway Memorial Library trustees are recommending voters approve $263,231 for the library.
The municipal budget also includes $115,000 for a new dump truck and $30,000 for a sidewalk plow.
Holt also recommended a $1.2 million, five-year bond for road repairs. If approved, the money will be received in time for work to go out to bid early in 2015. Payments will not start until the following year when the previous bond for road work is paid off.
Voters will be asked to approve $20,000 to the reserve fund for the eventual purchase of firetrucks and equipment, and money for a reserve fund to rehabilitate the fire station floor. The Budget Committee recommends $20,000. Selectmen recommend $25,000.
The Budget Committee and selectmen recommend $435,975 for the administration account and $82,825 for planning and enforcement account.
Voters will also be asked to raise and appropriate the following sums for the capital budget:
* $70,000 for in-town street improvement.
* $200,000 for road improvement.
* $115,000 to purchase a new truck.
* $30,000 to be added to $100,000 in the reserve account to replace tractor-type highway equipment such as a grader, loaders and a sweeper. Selectmen and the Budget Committee recommend the replacement of the sidewalk plow this year.
* $17,000 for the sidewalk/traffic safety reserve appropriation.
* $20,000 for the bridge repair reserve.
* $2,500 for the reserve for repair of cemeteries, headstones and fences.
* $15,000 for the planning of and future improvements to the municipal building, including the safe, the police office expansion and the heating system.
ldixon@sunjournal.com
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