Dresden’s annual town meeting on Saturday, June 13 resulted in the adoption of a comprehensive plan and approval of all 53 articles on the warrant. The total appropriations amounted to $733,479, which is $28,754 more than last year’s.
This is not the first time Dresden residents have voted on a comprehensive plan. The town proposed a state-approved plan over a decade ago, but voters rejected it.
According to Dresden Planning Board Chairman and state Rep. Jeff Pierce, the new plan is an updated version. The comprehensive plan aims to guide the town through the next 10 years. It is not a law, and it cannot raise taxes or impede on property rights. The comprehensive plan is essentially a guide for town officials and citizens that can be amended.
“We should continue to change the plan as the town evolves,” said Dave Probert, a member of the Dresden Budget Review Committee and former selectman.
The comprehensive plan will allow Dresden to qualify for grants from the state and substantiate zoning.
The Dresden Budget Review Committee’s recommended sum for the town’s highway accounts was $44,454 less than the selectmen’s recommendation of $355,354.
Peter Walsh, of the Budget Review Committee, attributed the committee’s lower recommendation to a surplus in the account from last year’s leftover funds. Third Selectman Allan Moeller Sr. confirmed the surplus, explaining that the town leaves extra money in the account to prevent tax fluctuation from year to year.
The town approved the $355,354 figure, which will cover the town’s roadwork expenses for 2015 while maintaining the surplus. The appropriations include $60,000 for town roads, $187,354 for a three-year snow snowplowing and ice-control contract, $30,000 for paving and capital improvement, and a sum of $78,000 for salt and sand.
Other increased expenses in the budget include the sum of $7,500 for the technology account, up $1,500 from last year due to an increase in the cost of Trio office software, according to the budget. Cemetery expenses will increase $1,500 to $10,500.
Dresden will pay Richmond $8,350 for code enforcement officer and licensed plumbing inspector services, which is $150 more than last year. The warrant attributes the raise to an increase in salary paid by Richmond.
The salaries of Dresden’s town clerk, selectmen, treasurer, tax collector, and excise tax collector will remain the same as last year, totaling $49,865. Other unchanging salaries or stipends include those of Dresden’s fire chief, assistant fire chief, administrative assistant, and planning board chairman.
Dresden will hire Richmond’s animal control officer and pay $3,500 for the contract. According to the warrant, the town may see $400 in savings because of decreased mileage expenses.
Items in this year’s budget that match those of last year include a sum of $50,000 for the town’s general administration account, $22,000 for the insurance account, $12,500 for fire department operation, $12,500 to reimburse volunteer firefighters for their expenses, $3,000 for the contract with Gardiner Ambulance Service, $60,210 for the sixth payment on the public safety building bond, $14,000 for tipping fees, $6,000 for recycling center and transfer station operations, $1,100 for the Lincoln County Humane Society, $8,000 for Bridge Academy Public Library operations, and $5,000 for unanticipated expenses.
A number of items in the budget dropped from last year because of money in the town’s accounts that carried over from last year. Among the items is a $7,000 payment for Medicare and Social Security, which is $5,000 less than last year. Dresden will appropriate $800 for its legal account, a decrease of $200 from last year. The fire department budget will decrease to $19,000, a $9,000 difference from last year.
Patricia Theriault was sworn in as town clerk, Ann Pierce as property and excise tax collector, and Peter Walsh as a member of the budget review committee. Dale Hinote was sworn in as first selectman, replacing Philip Johnston.
