WINDSOR — A proposed budget increase of almost 9.1% goes to Windsor residents at the annual town meeting Wednesday.
The spending plan for next year totals almost $2.3 million, a 9.06% increase to the current budget.
Town officials said many increases in the budget are driven by inflation and rising fixed costs.
One major increase in the budget is a $55,000 increase — to $80,000 — in a reserve fund for the purchase of trucks for the Public Works Department.
Theresa Haskell, Windsor’s town manager, said increasing that fund to $80,000 would give the town enough money to buy a new dump truck outright, rather than having to borrow to pay for the vehicle. She said a 2016 dump truck the town has now has been problematic and costly to repair, so that truck would be sold and replaced with a new one.
The town’s cost of having Delta Ambulance respond to rescue calls in Windsor is up by $26,000, to $66,000. The increase is driven by a jump in the fee charged per resident — from $15 to $25. The private ambulance service has raised per capita fees charged to multiple area towns to meet rising costs.
Funding for tax abatements and write-offs is proposed to increase by $22,500, to $30,000. Haskell said the funds are intended to cover corrections or errors that might occur in the townwide revaluation that is expected to wrap up this summer.
The revaluation, conducted by KRT Appraisal, estimates the taxable value of all properties in town. Haskell said with the revaluation taking place, it is difficult to predict the town’s new tax rate or how the proposed budget could impact taxpayers.
“The (tax) rate will drop, but the amount of taxes people will pay may be lower or higher,” Haskell said, based upon the updated values placed on their properties.
Voters will also be asked to approve a new building code, bringing the town’s code up to date.
The annual town meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Windsor Elementary School at 366 Ridge Road.
Secret ballot voting is set for 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, also at the elementary school. Local races include a three-way competition for two open positions on the Select Board, with incumbents Ray Bates and Bill Appel facing a challenge from Allison Whynot.
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