When most towns in the county are facing increased budgets and higher taxes, Westport Island could see a decrease of about $162,000 in their budget, and possibly a lower mil rate or at least the same mil rate as last year $7.75 per assessed $1,000.
During the selectmen’s weekly meeting June 16, First Selectman George Richardson said the tax rate won’t be known until after the voters have made their decisions at their annual town meeting. The main reason for the decrease of $162,000 is the reduction in the RSU 12 school assessment to the town, according to Richardson.
The voters will meet at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 21, at the island’s historic town hall to decide more than 40 warrant articles.
Before the townspeople get into the budget items, they will be asked repeal the Westport Island Budget Committee Ordinance that was adopted in 2007. According to the ordinance, the members of the budget committee are to be elected.
There were no announced candidates in the recent election, June 10, and currently the terms of the members who have served on the committee have expired or the members have resigned, leaving the committee with no members currently. There are no recommendations from the town’s budget committee on this year’s town warrant.
The planning board and selectmen also recommend the voters accept revisions and changes to the building code, minimum lot size and subdivisions ordinances. These changes were discussed at a public hearing April 8.
The revisions include changes to grammar, spelling, punctuation and definitions, appeal processes, clarification, and updates to changes in the law have been added.
The selectmen and planning board recommend decreasing the minimum lot size from three acres to two acres for commercial, industrial, institutional and government structures in the Commercial Fisheries/Maritime Activities districts.
The planning board and the selectmen also recommend amending the building code and subdivision ordinance to add wording for E-911 addressing notification to the fire chief and approval for underground propane tanks.
Officers’ salaries
The selectmen are recommending a 1.75 percent cost of living increase in town officers’ salaries and an increase of the town clerk’s hours from 8 hours to 10 hours per week.
The voters will also consider hiring someone to train for the duties of the tax collector/treasurer and administrative assistant at a cost of $10 per hour working up to 12 hours per week. The selectmen are making this request on the anticipation of the resignation of the person currently holding those positions.
Boards and committees
The selectmen are recommending the town to raise and appropriate a total of $2,450 for the boards and committees operating expenses. $2,400 to be carried forward and $415 be raised.
The proposed appropriation for snow removal contractual services is $100,000, $25,480 for sand and $4,950 for salt. The funds for this service and material are be transferred from motor vehicle excise tax collection, according to the town warrant.
The Westport Island Fire Department is requesting $13,000, an amount recommended by the selectmen.
The town is also being asked to raise $28,201.76 for the second year’s debt on the Oshkosh loan for the town’s new fire truck.
Other articles
Also on the warrant is an article asking voters if they wish to discontinue funding charitable organizations through the town budget or if would they prefer having the opportunity to make voluntary contributions directly to the agencies with approved applications to the town.
A listing of approved agencies and instructions for making a donation would be included with each tax bill. Applications for approval would be available at the town office and town hall in July, according the information provided on the warrant.
If the voters approve the article to discontinue donations through the town budget, the article funding donations to area service organizations would be deleted. Service organizations on the warrant include New Hope for Women ($710), Maine Mid-Coast Community Action ($420), American Red Cross ($500) and Coastal Transportation ($400).
The selectmen and town hall committee are recommending $4,000 be appropriated for the operation and minor maintenance of the town hall ($400).
The voters will also be asked to raise $2,500 toward painting the front and rear of the town hall and repair the flagpole on the site of the town hall. The cost of the work is estimated to be $4,500 with the balance of the cost to be appropriated from the Town Hall Reserve Account.
