Dresden voters will meet on Saturday, June 14, at Pownalborough Hall, beginning at 9 a.m. to take care of town business. The voters will face 52 articles on their town warrant.
The voters will be asked to make some tough decisions, on a change in their ambulance service provider; approving new hours for the town office, job descriptions and office hours for the Town Clerk, Treasurer, Property Tax Collector, and Excise Tax Collector., as well as their town budget.
Ambulance contract
The Dresden Board of Selectmen and the Dresden Budget Advisory Committee recommend a three-year contract with the Gardiner Ambulance Service at a cost of $3,000. This is a decrease of $2,000 from the last year of a five-year contract with North East Mobile Health Ambulance Service.
North East had proposed a one-year contract with the town for $7,750, an increase of about $3,000. The selectmen solicited proposals from Wiscasset and Gardiner. According to the selectmen, Wiscasset was unable to submit a proposal.
The town would not have any up-front expenses for the Gardiner contract. However, the town would be responsible for uncollected fees for the Dresden calls. The selectmen are estimating about $3,000.
Town office hours
The selectmen are recommending an increase of one hour each week in the town office hours, from 29 hours a week to 30 hours a week. The selectmen are also asking the voters to change the hours the town office will be open during the week.
Currently the town office is open Monday, 1-6 p.m.; Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Thursday, 1-8 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon.
The selectmen are recommending the office be open four days a week: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The office would be closed on Monday and Saturday.
Town Clerk
The selectmen are asking the voters to accept a job description for the town clerk, which would assign hours and require the town clerk to report to the selectmen and the voters.
The job description would establish a schedule of 10 hours a week: two hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, four hours on Thursday, and two hours on Friday. The town clerk would work additional hours as necessary.
The voters will also determine the salary for the position. The selectmen recommend $7,965, the same salary as last year.
Treasurer
The selectmen also recommend a job description for the treasurer, which would assign hours and require the treasurer to report to the selectmen and the voters. The treasurer would work 12 hours a week: three hours a day on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
The selectmen recommend a salary of $12,000, the same as last year.
Property tax collector
The property tax collector will report to the voters and board of selectmen if the voters approve the selectmen’s recommendation. The hours for the property tax collector would be nine hours a week.
The property tax collector would work three hours a day Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, plus and 30 hours per week for four weeks a year when property taxes are due. The salary for the property tax collector is being recommended as $7,500, the same as last year.
Excise tax collector
The selectmen are proposing the excise tax collector work 12 hours a week, three hours each on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday or to be determined by the selectmen. The salary being recommended for that office is $5,900.
However, it is noted on the town meeting warrant, if the excise tax collector is a motor vehicle agent, that person receives fees of $3 for re-registrations, $4 for new registrations, and $5 for non-resident motor vehicle registrations, which last year was about $6,500.
Other salaries
The selectmen and the budget advisory committee also recommend the following salaries: code enforcement officer and licensed plumbing inspector, $8,200; fire chief, $4,200; assistant fire chief, $2,100; administrative assistant, $36,000 salary, $2,000 benefits; animal control officer, $3,500; planning board chairman, $2,500; payroll taxes, $ 12,000, an increase of $1,500.
General administration
The selectmen are asking for $50,000 for the general administration account, the same amount as last year; $22,000 for the insurance account, an increase of $2,000 over last year; and $1,000 for the legal account to allow the account to maintain a $10,000 balance.
Fire department
The fire department request is the same as last year, $28,000 for operation of the fire department, $12,500 to purchase equipment, and $12,500 to reimburse the volunteer firefighters for clothing, fuel, and other expenses they incur while participating in the operation of the fire department.
Health and sanitation
The tipping fees appropriation for this year is $14,000, the same as last year; recycling salaries are $23,000, the same as last year; the town will pay $6,000 for the operation of the recycling center and the transfer station.
Highways
According to the warrant, there is an increase of $5,301 in the town’s snowplow contract, from $176,599 the first year of the contract to $181,900 for the second year of the contract.
The highway budget that is being proposed and recommended by the selectmen and the budget advisory committee is $310,900.
Other articles
Other items the voters will consider include: building and maintenance and repair account, $7,500; general assistance, $3,000; $9,000 to aid in the maintenance of Forest Hill, Maple Grove, and Pine Grove cemeteries; and $8,000 for the operation of Bridge Academy Public Library.
