Westport Island selectmen authorized the board chairman and treasurer to obtain a $500,000 loan to the town during their Feb. 8 meeting and agreed to stay in contact with the budget committee to streamline the budget process this fiscal year.
In addition to having a brief discussion with budget committee chair Dennis Dunbar, selectmen also heard from the conservation commission regarding a natural habitat presentation.
Selectmen chair George Richardson said the town has been in arrears since the switchover from a calendar year to a fiscal year for budgeting. Selectmen approved obtaining the loan from The First bank on a drawdown of $500,000 due on Oct. 15 this year.
“We used to have enough money to carry us,” Richardson said. “Now we don’t.”
Residents voted to use surplus funds in past years to reduce the impact on the tax rate. The funds the town will borrow will be paid back after taxes come in, according to town officials.
Dunbar appealed to selectmen in an effort to streamline the budget formation process during the meeting.
“We (the Budget Committee) would like to work toward improving the process with selectmen,” Dunbar said, adding the committee has in the past worked ahead of selectmen in the town budget’s formation.
Richardson said selectmen would not start the town budget process until April, to be ready in time for the June town meeting.
A Westport Island Budget Committee letter to the board states, “In past years, the Board of Selectmen has taken up the budget and warrants very close to town meeting, leaving inadequate time for the budget committee to make meaningful recommendations on what is being proposed. This has led the Budget Committee to work independently and in advance of the selectmen, resulting in coordination challenges which were evident at town meeting.”
Dunbar said the committee wants to schedule workshops with selectmen to improve the process. Selectmen Richardson and Ross Norton agreed they would stay in contact with the budget committee.
A representative from the Dept. of Conservation will speak about the island’s valuable wetlands, rare plant and animal colonies and other natural habitats. As stated on a flyer submitted for public notice, Beginning with Habitat is a program to support the natural habitats of all native plant and animal species.
The program comes in as the state has been updating maps and identifies habitat focus areas for wading birds and other species. Dunbar said the commission held a similar town event in 2004.
“That was a good presentation they did the last time,” Richardson said.
The program goal is to provide each town in Maine with maps and other information and identify the many natural habitats in their respective geographical areas. The information will work to help guide communities toward conservation of these habitats.
