Town budget awaits action

MOUNT DESERT – Selectmen have all but approved the proposed 2005 budget of $11.9 million, which increases spending by $711,000 over the current budget.

The four-man board has not yet taken final action on the code enforcement office, solid waste disposal and the fire department, Town Manager Michael MacDonald said Wednesday.

MacDonald said he doubted any votes on the remaining three areas would affect the budget more than $40,000.

Selectmen OK’d most of the budget proposal during their regular meeting Monday evening. They are still awaiting firm revenue projections for the new year, MacDonald said.

The town’s warrant committee heard a budget overview Tuesday, MacDonald said, and will begin its review of the spending plan in early January.

Voters will get the final say on spending during the annual town meeting in March.

Among the items showing the largest increases include $260,000 more for the Seal Harbor sewer project; $117,000 to pay Vision Appraisal Technology Inc. of Northboro, Mass., to finish the town’s property revaluation; and $27,000 to create a new clerical position at the town office.

The contract with Vision will cost more than the town initially projected, but because the firm also is doing revaluations for nearby Bar Harbor and Ellsworth, “we got significant savings,” MacDonald said.

Also Monday, selectmen endorsed a cable TV franchise extension for Adelphia Communications, which has agreed to expand service in certain areas of Somesville and Seal Harbor villages during the next two years.

MacDonald said that while people living on private roads want cable service, they must first get approval from all right-of-way owners before Adelphia can consider providing service.

The town office will be closed on both Friday, Dec. 24, and Friday, Dec. 31, in observance of the holidays, which fall this year on Saturday.