Millinocket council approves $11.6 million budget

MILLINOCKET – The Town Council on Thursday approved town and school budgets totaling $11.6 million.

Town Manager Gene Conlogue said taxpayers might see a slight increase in the new tax rate.

Conlogue estimates the tax rate will increase by 30 cents, from $22.90 to $23.20 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The manager stressed that the estimate is based on last year’s total town valuation, which could change.

About 45 residents turned out for hearings on the municipal, school and wastewater budgets on Thursday. After the hearings, the council approved the budgets.

The total town and school budgets of $11,614,061 represent an increase of $247,177, or 2 percent compared with last year. The $6,241,900 to be raised from local taxes represents an increase of $188,062, or 3.1 percent compared with last year. These figures do not include the Penobscot County tax assessment.

The total amount approved for municipal operations is $4,541,060. It represents a decrease of $4,939 compared with last year. The amount to be raised from local taxes is $2,548,674, an increase of $51,396, or 2 percent compared with last year.

Conlogue described the municipal budget as a “maintenance” budget.

The manager said the budget included funds for a new part-time position of 32 hours a week at the town’s transfer station. He said the position was being added because the town’s recycling rate had declined in the last two years, resulting in more trash being trucked to the Penobscot Energy Recovery Co. and the town paying more for disposal costs. He said some residents were coming to the transfer station with their trash and recycled items, but were throwing them all in the trash side of the facility.

The manager said the municipal budget includes funds for a 2 percent pay increase for employees. He said the budget also included extra funds to cover the rising costs of electricity and fuel.

The council also approved a total school budget of $7,073,001. It represents an increase of $252,116, or 3.69 percent compared with last year. The amount approved to be raised from local taxes is $3,693,226. It represents an increase of $136,666, or 3.8 percent compared with last year.

Some residents suggested the council add $10,000 to the school budget for the high school hockey program. Some said they believed if a program was offered it should be fully funded by the town rather than relying on a local booster group to provide some of the funding. Council members offered no amendment to add the extra funds.

A few residents expressed concern about the school department having a surplus of more than $100,000, saying those funds should be spent for children’s programs. Superintendent Brent Colbry said the balance was small considering the school department has a $7 million budget.

Colbry described the proposal as a maintenance budget. He said it would provide the same services as last year with seven fewer positions. Changes in program needs and a reorganization of the special education program resulted in the elimination of a contracted occupational therapy position and three teacher’s aide positions. A high school teaching position won’t be filled and two elementary teacher aide positions were cut because of smaller class sizes.

The school budget includes negotiated salary increases that average about 2.5 percent.

The council also approved a wastewater budget of $612,150, an increase of $5,617. Conlogue said user fees would remain the same.

Some residents said they believed sewer rates should drop. Later, the manager said the reason rates did not drop was because of debt service costs. He said the debt costs are to pay for major improvements made to the system a few years ago.