Facing higher ambulance service costs from both town providers and increased staff needs, Jefferson residents will vote on a $1,379,705.92 budget at annual town meeting on Tuesday, an increase of $232,597.92 or 20.27%.
A new six-month moratorium on solar energy projects is also on the ballot this year.
Major increases are due to ambulance service and general salary costs, which are both estimated amounts.
The combined estimate for ambulance service on the warrant totals $216,800, an increase of $45,451 or 26.5%. Unspent funds will be carried over for future ambulance costs.
The town’s two providers, Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service in the southern third and Waldoboro Emergency Services in the other two-thirds, use different fiscal year structures than Jefferson.
Jefferson signed a contract in January with Waldoboro Emergency Services in an interlocal agreement that also includes the town of Friendship. Waldoboro’s fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30, and an exact figure is expected this summer.
Costs also increased from Central Lincoln County Ambulance, which services the southern third of Jefferson. Contributing towns approved a change to the service’s billing formula, which now uses valuation as a factor.
Jefferson Select Board members said in February that there are no other options for ambulance service within reasonable distance.
The board agreed to estimate ambulance costs using last year’s figures; any overrun will come before voters in a special town meeting.
General salaries, a line that covers town office staff, totals $254,817, an increase of $39,117 or 18.1%. This includes an estimate figure to add a third full-time position to the office and keep two part-time positions.
Town Administrator Lynne Barnikow said in previous select board meetings that the office is challenged to meet resident needs at its current level of staffing.
Expenses at the town office have also increased in the office expenses line, which totals $60,000, an increase of $14,000 or 30.43%. Barnikow said at previous select board meetings this increase is a result of inflation and heating costs.
The winter maintenance budget for roads and highways is $85,000, an increase of $22,000 due largely to road salt costs. Also within roads and highways, the town snowplow contract line has increased to $282,339, up $8,423 or 3.07%.
Other requests include $65,000 for Jefferson Fire and Rescue’s fire truck reserve fund, a regular request unchanged from last year.
Most other budget lines are unchanged from or very close to last year’s figures.
Voters will also consider a six-month moratorium on commercial solar farm projects.
Jefferson Planning Board Chair Bill Farren, who suggested the moratorium, has said it will give the town time to research and gather feedback for a permanent ordinance governing the size, siting, upkeep, and disposal requirements of proposed commercial and community solar projects.
“We don’t know what people in town want,” Farren said in November.
Once developed, a permanent ordinance would come before voters.
The town currently has no ordinance for solar farm projects.
Voters will also weigh in on a warrant article approving $20,595 for an electronic sign outside the town office, similar to that outside the Jefferson Village School, to display municipal information.
In municipal elections, voters will choose one select board member, two school committee members, and three budget committee members for three-year terms and one budget committee member for a three-year term.
Robert E. “Jigger” Clark Jr. runs unopposed for reelection to his seat on the select board.
Chase Macioch is running unopposed for a seat on the school committee currently held by Allison Brooks, who is not running for reelection. Danielle Bernier is running for reelection to her seat.
Jeffrey Howe and Donna Williams run unopposed for three-year terms on the budget committee. Two three-year terms and one one-year term did not have papers returned, and may be filled by write-in candidates.
The warrant and solar farm moratorium ordinance are available on the town website, jeffersonmaine.org.
Jefferson’s annual town meeting by referendum will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, in the JVS gymnasium
