The Damariscotta Board of Selectmen and Damariscotta Budget Committee will hold a special joint meeting at the town office at 5:30 p.m., Monday, May 18.
The selectmen and the budget committee will hear an update on the secondary education budget and consider amendments to the 2015-2016 municipal budget, according to the meeting agenda.
The meeting follows the news of and public reaction to a $444,092 or 34.97 percent increase in Damariscotta’s 2015-2016 secondary education budget proposal.
Damariscotta voters did not pass the secondary education budget during a special town meeting May 6. They will reconsider the same budget at a special town meeting Thursday, May 28.
The selectmen and budget committee have approved a $2,716,900.94 municipal budget, an increase of $80,400.94 or 3.05 percent.
The selectmen and the budget committee “have been reviewing the budgets again, so I believe they will likely have suggestions for changes to many of the line items,” Damariscotta Town Manager Matt Lutkus said.
There are no specific proposals for cuts, Lutkus said. He does not think the selectmen and budget committee will seek to make up the entire increase in the secondary education budget with cuts to the municipal budget.
“A number even approaching $440,000 isn’t plausible in my view,” Lutkus said.
Damariscotta Board of Selectmen Chairman Ronn Orenstein and Damariscotta Budget Committee Chairwoman Mary Trescot called the meetings of their respective boards, according to an email from Lutkus.
Lutkus and the town department heads – Fire Chief John Roberts, Police Chief Ron Young, Road Commissioner Steve Reynolds, and Town Clerk Cheryl Pinkham – will attend the meeting.
