Carrabassett Valley — Budget set, ready for town meeting

CARRABASSETT VALLEY — Voters in town will see 57 articles on the warrant at this year's Annual Town Meeting on March 11. Voters will respond to 47 articles which relate to the town's proposed budget.

Voting for the municipal officers who are running will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the town office. The remaining warrant articles will be voted upon at the Outdoor Center starting at 7:30 p.m. Absentee ballots for the municipal election will be available on Feb. 10.

In summary, town manager Dave Cota says the municipal budget represents an increase in expenditures of $40,293. This increase represents a 2.2 percent increase and now stands at $1,879,750.

The two largest reasons for added expenditures are increased costs associated with the town's Communication Center Budget and the town's share of the Transportation System. Cota announced in a report, that the selectmen will be looking at appointing a committee to work with the police chief to assess cost containment in the future.

That budget is up $14,672 which is consistent with past practices, Cota explains. The town is responsible for the share of $170,194 of the $567,148 budget.

He also stated that after its first year of partnership with Western Maine Transportation, Sugarloaf and the state, and the ski season is over, they'll be looking at possible means of cost containment. The transportation budget is set for $463,630 of which the town is responsible for $117,072.

New to voters this year will be the voting on the 2009 school budget (typically in June). This was triggered by last year's voters' response to issues relating to school consolidation.

"It appears, based on current projections, that the net school budget will increase substantially this year from $922,739 to $1,053,243 or $130,504," Cota reported.

Also increasing is the town's projected commitment to the Franklin County budget of $49,015.

"In total," Cota reports, "we estimate that the town's net tax commitment will increase from $2,910,871 to approximately $3,131,700. I estimate that this will increase the mil (tax) rate from .0062 to .0066 or 6.4 percent," Cota reports. He noted that in 2005 the town's mil rate was also .0066 based on somewhat smaller property values.

The voters will see unchallenged officers John Beaupre and Steve Pierce renew their positions as selectmen. Pierce and Jon Clements are also looking to renew their term in the Sanitary District, as is Danielle London on the town's School Committee. They too are uncontested.

Articles 53 on the town warrant relates to an agreement with local television broadcast station WSKI. Article 55 relates to the acceptance of the new library/community center and costs and revenues associated to the town. Article 56 relates to an agreement for rental space of the new library for the Western Maine Centers for Children at projected revenues of $12,000, plus $2,500 in preschool payments.

All articles on the warrant are recommended by its respective committee or board.