A state-funded sidewalk improvement plan is moving forward after Kingfield voters approved initial plans for the project Saturday at the annual Town Meeting.

Designs for the $5 million project were approved by a a turnout of 61 voters, along with a $970,000 budget, according to town administrative assistant Leanna Targett.

The budget is offset by $147,1000 from the town’s tax-increment financing district on the Poland Springs bottling plant.

The net budget after the offset is $823,352, up 2.4 percent from the net budget last year.

The downtown sidewalk project is being funded primarily by the state Department of Transportation. The DOT wanted Kingfield voters to approve the initial design forthe project before moving ahead with the expensive reconstruction.

The town will pay an estimated 3 percent of the total sidewalk reconstuction project, or about $147,000 of an overall estimated $5,070,000. The money has already been raised over previous years and is in a reserve account.

While the Kingfield property tax rate won’t be finalized until later in the summer, Targett said Tuesday that the school and town budgets could increase it from $16.50 per $1,000 of valuation to $17.50 or $18.50 unless the tax assessor is able to find more value.

The property tax rate is the combination of Franklin County, Kingfield and Mount Abram school district taxes.

Targett said the concern was over a change in leadership at the association and whether to support the association or to support the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. Voters decided not to support the Flagstaff Area Business Association with town money, but did agree to support the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce branch with $300.

Targett said about 61 voters attended the meeting.

Kaitlin Schroeder — 861-9252

[email protected]