Waldoboro voters will decide whether to approve a 2017-2018 municipal budget up 5.13 percent during the annual town meeting by referendum Tuesday, June 13.
The town’s budget is $4,590,595, an increase of $223,868 or 5.13 percent from last year’s budget.
The public safety budget is $1,704,529, an increase of $89,501 or 5.54 percent.
The budget for the Waldoboro Police Department is $669,084, an increase of $25,438 or 3.95 percent.
The budget raises the hourly wage for reserve officers from $14.17 per hour to $16 in an effort to attract more candidates.
The budget for Waldoboro Emergency Medical Services is $708,978, an increase of $51,698 or 7.87 percent.
During a joint meeting of the Waldoboro Board of Selectmen and Waldoboro Budget Committee in March, Waldoboro Emergency Medical Services Director Richard Lash cited an increase in call volume and expanded service to Jefferson as factors contributing to the increase, though the same factors also mean more revenue for the department.
The public works budget is $789,311, an increase of $45,711 or 7.3 percent.
The general government category of the budget is $613,103, an increase of $37,702 or 6.55 percent. The increase includes the moving of a finance director position into the budget.
The community services budget is $178,363, an increase of $16,399 or 10.13 percent. The increase stems from the position of recreation director going from a part-time to a full-time position.
The community development budget is $90,802, an increase of $15,584 or 20.72 percent. The increase reflects an increase in hours for the planning and economic development director to 34 hours per week.
The amount of the budget to come from property taxes is $2,103,166, an increase of $121,173 or 6.11 percent.
The town’s undesignated fund balance is down $150,000 due to a vote during a special town meeting March 28 authorizing the town to match a Maine Department of Transportation Small Harbor Improvement Program grant for the Pine Street Landing project.
Other articles
Article 34 of the warrant asks voters to ratify the town’s prior approval, during a town meeting in November 2014, of a project consisting of water main replacement on Pine Street and Elm Street.
In 2014, voters authorized $175,000 for the project. An additional sum of $50,000 may be required to complete the project, necessitating the ratification.
Elections
Besides the two seats up for grabs on the town’s board of selectmen (see related article in this edition) residents will vote to fill three-year terms on the RSU 40 Board of Directors, the Waldoboro Budget Committee, and the Waldoboro Utility District.
Incumbents Frederick Bess and Samuel Chapman are seeking re-election for the two seats on the utility district. Incumbent Susan Price is running for re-election to one of three seats on the budget committee. There are no candidates on the ballot for two seats on the school district’s board, though Emily Trask-Eaton is running as a write-in candidate.
