RUMFORD — Residents will vote Tuesday on an $8.1 million municipal budget for 2016-17, which reflects a 5 percent increase.
Nearly half of the $409,533 increase is in the capital accounts.
“That’s been our low-lying fruit for the last few years,” said Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen Chairman Brad Adley, meaning that capital accounts have been targeted for budget cuts over the past few years.
“At some point, we have to play catch-up,” added Finance Committee member and Selectman Peter Chase.
He said a $200,000 increase for Public Works, when the municipal budget increase was $409,000 overall, was “a lot for one department.”
“I know things have been pushed off over the years, but no department has close to the increase that one has,” he said.
Town Manager John Madigan said that $100,000 of that increase was in the capital equipment account because Public Works needs three new plow trucks that will cost more than $150,000 apiece.
Chase asked, “So a lot of this increase is due to lack of funding over past years?”
Madigan said, “I think so.”
Public Works Director Andy Russell said he’s looking to replace plow trucks from 1999, 2000 and 2001 that have been due to be replaced for five years.
Aside from the capital equipment account, Public Works is looking at an increase of $125,139, with a third of that amount earmarked for summer and winter road accounts.
In the Police Department budget, which is up $38,915 to $817,691, Chief Stacy Carter said he wants to reinstate the position of the administration officer as a part-time officer (25 hours over five days per week, no benefits) because of an increase in call volume.
He said this officer’s role would be twofold: primarily to handle paperwork to get officers on the street more and to address the issue of having someone at the window for the public, which “has been a problem since we did away with that position.”
Carter said call numbers were up by 690 to 5,230 in 2015. Calls are up 101 over last year at this time.
“The trend is continuing to go up,” he said.
Fire Chief Bob Chase said the Fire Department budget, up $30,975 to $703,751, reflects funding to further increase the number of shifts that the fire station is fully staffed with three firefighters.
Madigan said this budget also reflects a 1.5 percent salary hike across the board. There is a 53rd week in this budget, meaning an additional week’s pay (about $51,000).
“This happens every eight or nine years,” he said.
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