JAY — Residents will decide on a $5.2 million municipal budget and elect town, school and water district officials Tuesday, April 26, at the polls.
Voting is from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Jay Community Building.
The selectpersons’ proposed spending plan is $368,434 less than the current budget. After factoring in $1.38 million in anticipated revenues, it would mean taxpayers would have to raise $3.88 million, $415,434 less than was raised last year.
The spending package covers July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017.
The figures do not include Jay’s share of costs for Regional School Unit 73 or Franklin County.
Voters will have 35 warrant articles to consider.
The Town Office staff would be reduced, if voters approve Article 7 that proposes $503,901 for town government. It is down $39,314 from the current budget.
The plan is to eliminate a 15-hour position in the Finance Department and to reduce the deputy town clerk’s hours from 38¾ per week to 30 hours. The deputy tax collector would forgo a raise for the coming year but keep working 39¾ hours weekly.
With the reduction in staff hours, the Town Office would be closed Wednesday mornings to the public. The majority of staff would continue to work Wednesday mornings.
Most of the town departments have proposed reduced budgets from the current year, including:
• Public Works Department, $1.25 million, down $71,000;
• Police Department, $779,528, down $26,684;
• Buildings and Grounds, $74,035, down $30,654;
• Transfer Station, $477,000, down $160,800; and
• Fire Rescue Department, $246,720, down $4,500.
The two accounts seeing increases are:
• Insurance, $166,000, up $10,000; and
• Hydrants/street lights, $320,976, up $15,277.
Voters will consider two contested Board of Selectpersons terms:
• Joyce Badeau, Keith Cornelio and Daniel Finley are seeking election to one, two-year second selectperson seat;
• Barbara Cook and Judy Diaz are vying for one, three-year term for the third selectperson seat.
Doug DiPasquale and Shari Ouellette are running unopposed for two, three-year terms on the RSU 73 board of directors.
Running uncontested for a one-year position on the RSU 73 board is Darcie Calden.
Seeking re-election for a three-year term on the board of trustees of the North Jay Water District is Stephan Franchetti.
Leslie “Les” Gatchell is uncontested in his bid for a three-year term on the Jay Village Water District board of directors.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
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