JAY — Residents will consider a proposed $6.1 million municipal budget and election of town, school and water district officials at the polls April 23 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Community Building, 13 Community Drive.
Voters will also be asked to consider amending the town’s environmental control and improvement ordinance and the shoreland zoning ordinance to comply with a new state law.
Another question on the 33-article warrant asks voters to give the Select Board the authority to negotiate a road agreement in the best interest of the town, not to exceed seven years, with Polycor New England, a granite company in Jay.
The proposed spending plan is about $282,800 more than the current budget, which will expire June 30.
The majority of the increase is coming from wages and benefits to keep up in a competitive job market, Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere previously said.
After estimated revenues are factored in, taxpayers will be responsible for about $3.3 million, or $149,300 more than the current budget.
LaFreniere said in January that she was very conservative in estimating revenues and kept the number the same as last year. She expects the state revenue-sharing to increase because of the anticipated lower valuation of the town.
The municipal budget does not include the town’s share of Regional School Unit 73 and Franklin County budgets, which are not finalized.
Selectpersons and the Budget Committee earlier this year approved taking $39,330 from the tower/recreation reserve account, instead of raising it through taxation for several recreation-related proposals.
The recreation-related items include $19,220 for the Summer Recreation Program and $13,560 for insurance for the Spruce Mountain Ski Slope. The $675 requested by the North Jay Grange will come from the regular budget because it is not recreation related.
Up for election in uncontested races for the Select Board are incumbents Terry Bergeron and Thomas “Tom” Goding. They are running for three-year terms.
Bryan Riley and Dawn Strout are seeking three-year terms on the school board. The seats are held by Chantelle Woodcock and Joel Pike, who are not seeking reelection. Residents Shari Ouellette and Danielle Brotherton have informed the Town Office staff that they are running as write-in candidates for the two positions.
Joseph Holley is running for a three-year term as a trustee of the Jay Village Water District. There is a vacant trustee seat on the North Jay Water District for which no one took out nomination papers. People may write in the name of a candidate.
The proposed amendment to the subdivision section in the environmental ordinance would bring the town into compliance with a new law that aims to increase affordable housing and allows accessory dwelling units to be added to single family homes. There are also proposed minor changes to the shoreland zoning ordinance to comply with the law.
If voters approve Article 32, it would allow the Select Board to negotiate an agreement with Polycor to make financial contributions to the town’s road paving reserve account to not post to seasonal gross registered vehicle weight limits. It is for a section of Old Jay Hill Road and Woodman Hill Road running from state Route 4, at the top of Jay Hill, to just past Polycor’s driveway entrance at about 16 Woodman Hill Road, about 1.4 miles in length.
It is provided that, at minimum, the agreement allows the town to spend funds contributed by Polycor for whatever road paving projects the Select Board deems to be in the best interest on the town. There are clauses that would allow for the agreement to be changed.
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