The Temple Town Office basement will be the site of the annual town meeting at 1 p.m. Saturday. Voters will decide on the proposed $606,318 municipal budget and elect a selectman for three years. Franklin Journal file photo
TEMPLE — Voters will elect a selectman and decide on a budget at the annual town meeting at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Town Office, 258 Temple Road.
Town officials are proposing a $606,318 budget, which is $19,899, or 3.4%, more than approved for 2021-22.
Most increases are due to inflation and rising costs of living, Tax Collector and Treasurer Sue Cantrell said Monday. She anticipates the higher budget will have a minimal impact on property taxes – perhaps an extra $25. She is hopeful the current tax rate of $19.25 will be the same for 2022-23.
She emphasized the municipal budget does not include assessments for the Regional School Unit 9 and Franklin County.
If approved by voters June 14, the $508,652 for Franklin County Adult Education and $39.99 million for RSU 9 will cost Temple taxpayers $468,337.58. It would be $15,456, or 3.41%, more than in 2021-22.
Larger changes include:
• $15,000 (15.79%) more for town charges, for a total of $110,000.
• $1,000 (25%) more for Maine Municipal Association membership dues and workers’ compensation, for a total of $5,000.
• $5,000 (33.33%) less for building maintenance, for a total of $10,000.
• $700 (58%) less for the village cemetery, for a total of $500.
An additional increase is for General Assistance. In 2021-22, the town did not appropriate any funds but used $1,121.18 left from the previous budget. For 2022-23, the town is asking for $2,500.
Selectman Tracy Dunham is running unopposed, though she said candidates are often identified on the floor of the meeting.
An RSU 9 director was supposed to be elected but Cantrell said the article was mistakenly left off the warrant.
“We never had this happen before,” she said. “Things were a little rough this year doing the town report.”
As a result, selectmen will appoint someone to serve until the 2023 election.
Dunham said the board hasn’t decided on who to appoint, but is considering Greg Kimber.
RSU 9 Director Betsey Hyde is not running after serving 12 years on the board. The town dedicated the town report to her to thank her for her work.
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