RUMFORD — A public hearing on the proposed 2019-20 municipal budget will be held Monday at 7 p.m. at Mountain Valley High School. Residents will vote on the budget June 11 at the American Legion Hall.
The Budget Committee has approved a budget of $9.35 million, an increase of close to 3.47%. Finance Director Deb Laurinaitis said the budget includes $248,250 in initiated articles.
Without the initiated articles, she said the increase drops to 2.97 percent. Not reflected in the budget are the projected revenues.
Laurinaitis said the budget also includes $400,000 from excise taxes for the permanent roads account.
Among the items to be discussed will be Article 9, which asks residents to approve a bond of up to $2.9 million to complete the infrastructure and improvements in the downtown. The bond, which would carry an estimated interest rate of 3.5 percent over 30 years, is needed for cost overruns on the project.
“For the $2.9 million, everything gets done but the gas,” interim Town Manager Scott Cole said. “The entire project, as envisioned, including broadband, goes through. At that point, if it all goes through as proposed, we’re estimating total project cost at $8.6 million, of which about $2.5 to $3 million was outside money.”
Article 24 seeks to appropriate $50,000 from a capital reserve account as the local share for a $200,000 project to install a new landing providing access to the Androscoggin River off Route 2.
Tom Bourret, one of a group of residents who want to see the site improved to attract more users, said, “Right now, the way the current boat ramp is situated, it’s nearly (impossible) to launch and load a boat. The current takes the boat and it’s difficult for people who want to use it. There’s some significant deterioration, too.”
He said the present landing has been there since the mid-’80s. “It’s still useful to carry in or for launching things like small canoes and kayaks.”
Bourret said the new boat launch would offer ease of access to the river. There’s also quite a bit of land there to make the parking area larger.
He said the Maine Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Parks and Land Division, has an annual grant it opens up to municipalities and other nonprofits to apply for help to reconstruct and redesign water access.
The town has been approved for a preapplication and has had a site visit, so now the town can apply for the grant, pending voter approval.
Initiated Article 44 calls for the one-time appropriation for the purchase of year-round banners and seasonal decorations to showcase the entire town: Rumford Center, Hosmer Field, Routes 2 and 108, and the historic downtown district.
Stephanie L. Reed, chairwoman for the all-volunteer group called Beautify Rumford, said the group plans to plant many large planters on Congress Street, add hanging baskets to some of the bridges and place American flags around town.
Other costs include soil, plants and fertilizer. The hope is to expand the scope to other areas of town.
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