SMITHFIELD — Selectmen are asking residents about whether the town should follow a fiscal calendar that aligns with state, county and school district schedules.

Voters will be asked to participate in a nonbinding vote about whether to switch from a fiscal year of Feb. 1 to Jan. 31 to one that runs from July 1 to June 30. The vote will be taken during the annual Town Meeting at 7 p.m. Saturday.

They also will be asked to vote on a proposed municipal budget of $724,088. The current municipal budget is about $730,100, said Nicole Clark, administrative assistant to the Board of Selectmen.

“There are not a whole lot of rising costs. Last year’s proposed budget at town meeting was higher because we knew we would be taking out bonds for road repairs, but the actual money spent was not much different,” she said.

A fiscal calendar that runs from July 1 to June 30 would be the same calendar that is used by the school district, state and county and would make it easier to do the town’s budget, said Clark.

“Of course everybody is sort of in the dark this year because of the governor’s proposals but this would make budgeting easier,” said Clark.

If Gov. Paul LePage’s proposed two-year suspension of municipal revenue sharing is passed, she said, the town could lose $70,000 in funding.

Selectmen are recommending a switch to the new calendar and would look into how to make the switch if the suggestion is favored at town meeting, said Clark.

Elections will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the town office. There are no contested races.

Rachel Ohm — 612-2368
rohm@mainetoday.com

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