FARMINGDALE — Removing large dangerous trees from the cemetery and additional funds for paving are among the priorities included in Farmingdale’s proposed spending plan.

The Board of Selectmen is proposing a budget with nearly $1.69 million in spending for residents to consider at its annual Town Meeting Thursday, with just over $1 million to be raised in property taxes.

“It’ s not up much from last year,” Doug Ebert, chairman of the Board of Selectmen said. “We tried to say as flat as we could, spending-wise.”

A year ago, spending approved by voters totaled $1.5 million, and the year before that it was $1.68 million.

The property tax rate for Farmingdale factors in three components — the municipal tax, and assessments for the school district and Kennebec County government.

Farmingdale’s property tax rate is currently $17.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. Ebert said it’s too soon to say what the property tax for the coming budget year will be. While the assessment for Kennebec County has been decided, voters in Regional School Unit 2 — which includes Farmingdale — have not yet voted on the district’s proposed $32.6 million budget. Once that’s determined, the mil rate for the budget year that starts July 1 can be calculated.

“We are trying to stay as close as we can to last year, but of course there are things that have to go up, unfortunately,” Ebert said.

Ebert said the cemetery’s sexton requested that three large trees, which are in ill health, be removed before they fall and damage headstones that the town would have to pay to repair or replace.

“We’re trying to get ahead of the game,” he said. “We’ve been trying to maintain the cemetery as best we can, and then you get to a point where a big thing happens.”

Town officials are expecting increases in fees it pays for services, like dispatching services and hydrant rentals as well as in wages and administrative costs for town government. Some of those costs are mitigated by expected decreases in other costs, including the Gardiner Ambulance Service and constable services.

The selectmen added $25,000 to the highway maintenance budget line to bring it to $350,000, to be funded through $325,000 of excise tax and $25,000 of Maine local road funds.

“We want to get a little extra road work done,” he said.

Town residents will also consider whether to adopt an ordinance that would allow the Farmingdale Fire Department to seek reimbursement from insurance companies for expenses stemming from accidents or emergencies the department responds to in Farmingdale or as part of a mutual aid call. That could include everything from cleaning or containing hazardous materials or fluids, extricating people from vehicles and providing safety control at accident scenes.

The ordinance would not apply to town residents involved in traffic accidents or fires.

Wayne Kilgore is running for unopposed for re-election in the municipal election on June 8. The referendum vote on the Regional School Unit 2 proposed budget is also on the ballot. Voting will take place at the Hall-Dall Middle School gymnasium

Farmingdale’s Town Meeting is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Hall-Dale High School gymnasium.

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