TURNER — Voters will be asked next week to approve a $3.62 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year and decide whether to allow solar farms in residential areas or to temporarily ban all new ones.
The annual Town Meeting is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. April 15 in the Leavitt Area High School cafeteria at 21 Matthews Way.
The proposed budget is a 9.2% increase over this fiscal year’s $3.31 million. Much of the increase is driven by higher fuel and utilities costs.
Revenue streams are “still strong — leveling, but strong — but the prices we’re paying for common supplies have gotten considerably higher in the past year,” Town Manager Kurt Schaub wrote in the annual report.
“This became particularly evident during this year’s budget process. The initial budget requests submitted this year are more than 9% higher than the fiscal 2023 budget,” he said. “In nearly 25 years of municipal management, I have never submitted a budget with a year-to-year rise of that magnitude.”
The budget request for summer roads, for example, is nearly $37,000 more than the current budget, or about 17% higher. Fuel costs alone are expected to rise by $20,000.
“Despite these and other cost increases, however, Turner will almost assuredly keep its standing as having the lowest tax rate in Androscoggin County,” Schaub said.
The property tax rate is $11.40 per $1,000 of assessed property value. That means the owner of a $250,000 home paid $2,850 in taxes in the 2022-23 fiscal year.
Schaub said Thursday that it’s difficult to estimate the tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year at this point in the budget process.
“There are too many variables, not the least of which is the SAD 52 budget, which is still in the works,” he said.
Historically, tax rate increases have ranged from $0.03 to $0.45. That’s before increased revenues and use of the fund balance are considered, “which will soften the amount of increase if the final budget is within the range of recommendations,” Schaub said.
Residents will also vote on four warrant articles that would change the zoning and subdivision ordinances.
Articles 48 and 49 would, respectively, amend the zoning ordinance to expand the notification area for new commercial and subdivision projects and add those definitions to the subdivision ordinance.
The change would require that notice of a public hearing be sent to all property owners within 250 feet of a proposed development, rather than abutters only.
Article 46 would add language to the zoning ordinance that would create regulations for where solar farms could be established and set performance standards. Small and large solar farms would be prohibited from the village and general residential districts, but solar energy systems that conform to the accessory structure standards of those district would be allowed.
If article 46 is not approved, voters can choose whether to enact a moratorium on all new commercial solar energy facilities in the town. The moratorium would affect all applications submitted after Dec. 22, 2022, and would be in effect for 180 days from that date, which is June 20. The Board of Selectmen would have the authority to extend, repeal or modify the moratorium.
Voters will also be choosing several elected officers, including one Select Board member, three Budget Committee members and two representatives on the Maine School Administrative District 52 board.
Warren Hood is running uncontested to retain his three-year seat on the Select Board. Megan Ricker is also running uncontested for one of the two three-year seats on the Budget Committee. There are no candidates running for the other three-year or one-year seats.
Two of the four seats on the school board are up for election. Incumbent Tammy Fereshtian will face Peter Ricker for the three-year seat. There are no candidates for the one-year seat.
For copies of the annual report and town meeting warrants, visit turnermaine.com/community-announcements-.
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