FARMINGTON — The Board of Selectmen will take their first look at the proposed 2015 town budget when they meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, at the Municipal Building.
The special meeting was scheduled to allow each department director to present their requests to the board prior to the Budget Committee starting work on it.
The committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7, at the Municipal Building.
The proposed requests are up by $357,583 from the budget appropriated by voters for 2014. This makes for a total requested budget of $5,373,395, according to budget materials.
The request for assessing dropped $47,104 to $79,500 for 2015, due to the town contracting with John E. O’Donnell and Associates rather than employing a full-time assessor.
Public Works is seeking an increase of $214,847 or a total of $1,267,934 for the year. Along with increases requested for wages and overtime, supplies such as motor fuel, sand and salt, road maintenance, and an increase in the vehicle and equipment reserve represent the major portion of the proposed increase.
The Police Department is asking for a budget of $1,245,377, up $52,812 over the amount appropriated for 2014. The increase is realized mostly from salaries and wages.
The proposed budgets include a 1.55 percent cost-of-living adjustment for town employees. The percentage is based on the Consumer Price Index.
The Fire Department’s proposed budget is $401,512, up $21,457. The increase represents a full year for per diems, rather than 39 weeks in 2014. Voters approved increasing the use of per diems to seven days a week at town meeting in March.
Road capital improvements are proposed to increase $100,000 for a total of $233,000 this year. Voters appropriated $133,000 from taxation and the use of Maine Department of Transportation funds last year as part of a five-year road plan.
Proposed requests for General Administration and Code Enforcement are down, $22,306 and $1,714 respectively, from last year.
abryant@sunjournal.com
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