Hodgdon

Despite efforts to hold the tax rate at $14.20 per $1,000 in property valuation, town officials wouldn’t be surprised if it went up to $16 when all the bills are in.

Jim Griffin, the town manager for almost 10 years, said the most difficult part of budgeting expenses for the community of 1,250 is the limited income for revenues other than taxation.

“And we are always grappling with school costs that keep going up,” he said Wednesday. “We have a small growth in new housing but not enough to offset increased costs.”

A $442,196 budget to support municipal expenses and an estimated county assessment was approved April 7 by 40 voters at the hour-long annual town meeting. That budget was reduced by about $10,000 from a year ago.

“We didn’t fund the equipment reserve account or a bridges reserve account we set up two years ago to replace an existing bridge on the McIntyre Road over the Meduxnekeag River,” Griffin explained. “We will take another look at it next year.”

The $21,588 contract for ambulance service with the town of Houlton was reduced by $4,000.

Voters raised $44,000 for the volunteer Fire Department, an amount unchanged from a year ago.

Funding for work on roads and bridges was reduced $10,000 to a total of $60,000.

Voters raised $97,000 for winter roads, $1,000 more than last year.

The general government account was up by $8,000 for increases to health and liability insurances and wage increases.

Following a recommendation by selectmen to transfer $27,000 from the surplus fund to support the budget, voters decided against a recommendation by the budget committee to remove $57,000 from that account.

“We didn’t want to reduce the surplus fund too much,” said Griffin. “In years past, it has been hard to build it up. If we face tough times in the next two or three years, we will need it.”

At the polls, voters elected John Tribou and David Winship to three-year terms on the Board of Selectmen, defeating Leslie Rheinlander.

Deanna Quint and Tim Blanchard were unopposed for the two three-year seats on the SAD 70 board of directors. Robin Cleary was unopposed for the two-year seat on that board.

Wade

The annual town meeting and elections will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at the Dunntown Advent Christian Church.

Voters will elect a second selectman to fill the three-year seat held by Sterling Haynes, who isn’t seeking re-election.

The one-year positions of clerk, tax collector and treasurer, held by Kelly White, also are open. Voters may choose to separate those positions by hiring a clerk and another person to become tax collector and treasurer, Charles Kelley, first selectman, said Wednesday.

Town officials have prepared a proposed municipal budget at approximately $103,000, similar to last year’s spending plan. They estimate the school budget at $123,341 and the county assessment at $10,514.

Kelley didn’t think expenses would increase significantly this year.

The proposed municipal budget features a 50 percent reduction in the solid-waste disposal account, which dropped from $6,331 to $3,120 because of a new method of weighing trucks.

The proposed budget also held the public works account at nearly $52,000, the same amount allotted last year. Ambulance service from Crown Ambulance at The Aroostook Medical Center in Presque Isle was unchanged from $2,430, and fire protection from the town of Washburn remained at $4,000.

The tax rate in this community of 251 residents is $21.70 per $1,000 in property valuation.

“I think we will have to try to follow our budget and get through a couple more years and build up some reserves and get back on our feet,” said Kelley, who is in his second year as first selectman. “That’s what we have to do.”

The town hopes to complete a joint project it began last year with the town of Castle Hill to improve Hayes Road with funds from the state urban renewal initiative program.

Wallagrass

The $167,129 municipal budget voters approved on March 27 was pretty much unchanged from a year ago.

The 30-minute meeting was attended by 29 voters.

Costs associated with running the local government won’t change the tax rate of $13.25 per $1,000 in property valuation, according to Bonnie Lamarre, town manager, clerk, tax collector and treasurer for almost four years.

“The town runs fairly well,” Lamarre said Thursday. “I’m hoping throughout my time in office we are able to maintain the same tax level. I don’t know if that means bringing in businesses or commercializing what we already have in town.”

Lamarre estimated a $13,000 increase to the $275,000 school budget. She also expected a 2 percent increase in the $27,470 county assessment.

The cost to participate in the Northern Aroostook Solid Waste Association went up by $2,046, the first increase since 1995 when the town started paying $38,148 annually.

Snow removal was budgeted the same at $42,000 to clear the 11.5 miles of town road in the community of 561 residents.

The contract for ambulance service with the town of Fort Kent, at $8,595, was up slightly.

Voters gave 4 percent raises to the town manager and three selectmen.

They also returned incumbent James Gagnon to a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen.

Esse Hammel was elected, unopposed, to a one-year term on the SAD 27 board of directors.

– Compiled by Gloria Flannery