WASHINGTON — Residents will decide on a proposed municipal spending plan that could rise as much as 3.7 percent if approved at Town Meeting this weekend.
Voting on the meeting’s moderator and one member of the Board of Selectmen will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m Friday at Gibbs Library. The open Town Meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at Prescott Memorial School.
Municipal spending is proposed to be $1,114,601, an increase of $40,545 — or 3.7 percent — from the current budget year’s $1,074056, according to a draft budget on the Town Meeting warrant.
The biggest jump on a single budget line is a $17,000 increase for maintenance of town roads. Most other budget lines show a small increase.
The town is anticipating $438,125 in nonproperty tax revenue, $29,953 — or 7.3 percent — less than the current fiscal year’s anticipated revenue of $408,172. Other revenue will be carried over from other town accounts in the amount of $52,000, up $36,000 from last year’s $16,000.
The town will look to appropriate $624,477 from taxes this year after revenue, a $34,498 — or 5.8 percent — increase from last year’s $589,979.
Voters also will decide whether to appropriate $2,500 to erect a flashing speed limit sign on Liberty Road to remind drivers to slow down once they enter the village area. Selectman Berkley Linscott said residents told the selectmen drivers were driving too fast through the village, where the speed limit changes abruptly from 45 mph to 25 mph.
“If (residents) want to put it (on the warrant), then the Town Meeting can approve it or push it down,” Linscott said. “(The sign) isn’t real cheap, but they come down through the village pretty fast.”
Wesley Daniel, chairman of the selectmen, is running unopposed for his position. Positions on the town’s Budget Committee will be decided on Town Meeting floor. Budget Committee candidates are not required to take out papers for election.
A change to the town’s gravel mining ordinance may also be approved. Linscott said the change does not add new rules, but it adds language that would make it easier for the town to enforce annual compliance inspections.
He said the town can spend too much time trying to find gravel pit owners in efforts to make them comply with local ordinances.
“We’re not trying to do anything different,” he said. “It takes a lot time to chase them down.”
Sam Shepherd — 621-5666
Twitter: @SamShepME
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