Medway approves $3.3 million budget

MEDWAY – Residents approved town and school budgets totaling $3.3 million during Wednesday’s town meeting.

Administrative Assistant Kathy Lee said she does not expect the town’s new tax rate to go up. Lee said she hopes the tax rate will go down as the result of a revaluation of all personal property.

About 30 residents gathered for the annual town meeting and approved municipal and school budgets totaling $3,337,309. It represents an increase of $13,972 compared with last year. The amount to be raised from local taxes is $1,219,474, a decrease of $35,882 over last year. These figures do not include the Penobscot County tax assessment.

Approved for municipal operations is $834,530, a decrease of $52,854 compared with last year. The amount to be raised from local taxes is $516,601, a decrease of $51,537. Rather than funding both a regional development council and a local economic development committee, residents approved $13,000 to fund the Millinocket Area Growth and Investment Council by a vote of 15-12. Some residents said they believed the three towns working together could achieve more than the towns working individually.

Later, residents cut $9,000 from the local economic development accounts leaving $4,000 to fund Chamber of Commerce membership and the monthly fee for the town’s Web site. Selectman Darrell Lyons said the local development committee likely would be dissolved.

Residents increased funding for the old Medway Church, from $2,000 to $18,000.

The municipal budget includes funds to cover the rising costs of gasoline, heating oil, electricity and health care. It also includes funds for a 3 percent pay increase.

Residents also approved a school budget of $2,502,779, an increase of $66,826 over last year. The amount to be raised from local taxes is $702,873, an increase of $15,655, or 2.28 percent compared with last year.

Superintendent Robert Bouchard Jr. said the budget maintained existing programs. It includes no new positions.

The budget includes funds to cover the costs of higher health care, fuel and electricity costs. It also includes funds for pay increases averaging between 2 percent and 3 percent. The budget includes funds to buy a new school bus. The bus will be paid off over a three-year period through a lease purchase agreement at a cost of $18,600 a year.

Voter turnout was low during Tuesday’s municipal elections. A total of 60 ballots were cast out of the town’s 1,200 registered voters.

Rodney Scott was elected to a one-year term on the Board of Selectmen with 49 votes. Greig “Butch” Barker was elected to a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen with 32 votes. Gary Rudge, a write-in candidate, received 11 votes.

Incumbent Bruce Cox and Christine McLaughlin were elected to three-year terms on the school board. Cox received 48 votes and McLaughlin received 41 votes.