MADISON — A $3.26 million municipal budget was approved at the annual town meeting Monday night, with residents asking the town to spend more money on the Madison Police Department.

In the last year, the town has seen a 24 percent increase in the amount of drug-related crime and a 4 percent increase in crimes against people, according to the town report. There was a 5 percent increase in motor vehicle thefts and a 3 percent increase in other crime, yet the board of selectmen proposed cutting the department’s funding by 5 percent.

The cut would have eliminated a full-time clerical position in the police department, something that Police Chief Barry Moores said would hurt the town.

“Our patrol time would be reduced by not having a clerical person in the office,” said Moores. “If we have an officer out in the field and he has to come back to the office, that’s a reduction in patrol time. It’s not efficient.”

Residents also asked to add a police cruiser to the town budget, voting 55-44 to add an additional $29,500 to the budget to be allocated for the purchase of a new police cruiser.

About 100 people attended the meeting in the Madison Junior High School auditorium. Town elections will be held Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the town office.

Aside from the two articles that were amended to raise a total of about $54,000 in additional funds for the police department, the 30 items in the meeting warrant passed with no change.

The $3,262,285 budget is about 4 percent less than the current budget, but it is too soon to say whether that decrease will translate to a decrease in tax commitments for residents.

“Assuming Madison’s valuation and other things remain the same, we should see a decrease in the mill rate,” said Town Manager Dana Berry. “However, it is really too soon to tell.”

The board of assessors is currently in discussions with Madison Paper Industries, the town’s largest property tax payer, as to whether the valuation of the paper mill will go down this year, said Berry. If that happens, it could impact the mill rate, he said.

The paper mill, which was assessed at $184 million last year, currently pays over $3 million in property taxes annually.

“This is something that most every mill town in the state of Maine is facing,” said Berry. “The outcome of a reduction in the value of the mill will impact the tax rate.”

The valuation of the mill should be finalized by the first week of August.

Residents also approved the town granting a $255,000 interest-free loan to School Administrative District 59 for the purchase of three new school buses. The loan will be paid back over a four-year period.

They rejected an application for a $25,000 Community Development Block Grant that would be used to fix up a blighted section of Main Street, primarily the site of a burned-out building at 87 Main St. owned by Robert Hagopian. Opponents of the grant said fixing the area would also require the use of town funds and that it would be unfair for the town to give so much support to one business owner.

Before the start of the meeting, the town recognized Raymond Soucy, a long-time member of the board of assessors and a former member of the board of selectmen, who will not be seeking re-election this year.

“It’s been a real joy working with Ray on the board of assessors. Thank you for caring so much about your community,” said Richard Bartlett, who currently serves on the board of assessors with Soucy. “When you think about the thousands of hours he’s dedicated to the town, it just goes to show how dedicated he is.”

“I’ve always loved this town and it’s been a real privilege for me,” said Soucy.

Rachel Ohm — 612-2368

[email protected]