Mount Vernon voters approved a $1,388,736 spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year, including $20,000 to pay for a new roof at the Town Hall.

The town had been setting money aside for the repairs in capital reserve, but the need for the new roof become immediate, Mount Vernon Select Board Chairman Paul Crockett said during a phone interview before the meeting.

The spending plan for the 2019-2020 fiscal year is up 7.45%, or $96,271, from the 2018-2019 budget of $1,292,465.

Voters at Town Meeting also approved joining the interlocal agreement with Belgrade Area Dams and spending $6,160 for the repair of Wings Mill Dam. Belgrade, Oakland and Rome are members of the agreement.

They also approved appropriating $10,000 from the undesignated fund balance to cover costs associated with the changeover of the new treasurer.

The Select Board appointed Kerry Casey as treasurer to fill out the balance of the term that ends June 30, 2020, after Treasurer Marti Gross died unexpectedly May 19 at the age of 72.

Expected revenue for 2019-2020 is $511,872 — a $10,073 or 1.93% decrease from revenue of the current year of $521,945.

The expected local share taxpayers will raise is $4,338,722, up $177,188 from $4,161,535. This figure includes Mount Vernon’s Regional School Unit 38 assessment, which is proposed to be $3,200,593, up $63,270, or 2.02%, from the current fiscal year, which is $3,137,324.

The town’s current tax rate is $17.10 per $1,000 of assessed property value. On a $100,000 home, taxes are $1,710 before any exemptions.

During a secret-ballot election Tuesday, Crockett was re-elected to serve a three-year term on the Select Board. He ran unopposed.

Melissa Tobin was elected to represent Mount Vernon on the RSU 38 board of directors with 35 votes. Tobin also was elected as a write-in with nine votes to the elementary advisory board of directors for Mount Vernon Elementary School.

 

Copy the Story Link