DIXFIELD — Townspeople will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 9, at Dirigo High School for the annual town meeting.
The first six articles on the warrant will be acted on. They include electing Finance Committee and Ione Harlow Scholarship Committee members, setting the interest rate on taxes, setting the due date for taxes and appropriating revenues to reduce taxes.
Articles 7 to 28 will be voted on at the polls June 9.
Town Manager Carlo Puiia said the proposed budget stands at $2.3 million, an increase of $133,000 over this year.
In February 2014, residents said they wanted to debate the budget in April and vote on it in June.
“The town used to decide on budget items during their annual town meeting, but after a straw poll was placed in front of residents, the vote showed that they strongly supported switching to a referendum style of voting,” Puiia said.
He said townspeople can offer recommendations or amendments at the April 9 meeting, but the budget to be voted on June 9 will be the selectmen’s recommendations.
“If (voters) want to change the budget that’s proposed, they’ll have to vote it down at the polls,” he said. “They can’t change the number at the town meeting.”
Some amounts are higher for 2015-16, including $302,113 for the Executive Department, which is an $8,946 increase from this fiscal year. Another is $355,000 for the Police Department, a $12,402 increase over this year.
An amended Wind Energy Facility Ordinance and a Recall of Elected Municipal Officers Ordinance are also on the warrant.
The final article is a nonbinding straw poll asking whether residents favor filing a petition with the Maine commissioner of education for withdrawal from Regional School Unit 10.
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