Dexter council approves $6M budget 

DEXTER — The Dexter Town Council gave its approval to a $6,061,501 municipal budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year during a July 16 meeting. This gross figure, which in addition to $3,785,000-plus in town operations includes nearly $320,700 for the community’s portion of the Penobscot County tax and about $1.955 million for the SAD 46 budget, is down by $162,430 from the year before.

“This is a long arduous process and be assured that every line was looked at,” Council Chair Marcia Delaware said at the start of the evening. She said every dollar and cent of the budget was scrutinized.

The $6 million-plus will be partially offset by $1,553,682 in revenues. “This is a decrease of $104,386,” Delaware said.

The net budget to be raised through property taxes is $4,507,819, $58,044 less than in 2019-20.

“With all the time I’ve been a councilor we’ve never had the opportunity like this to put money at the end into our reserve accounts,” Delaware said. She said with the coronavirus pandemic some town departments had less expenditures — such as with the Abbott Memorial Library closed and recreation programs being canceled — and this money saved is being put into reserve.

The council set the 2020-21 mil rate at $19.60, the same as the year before. Delaware said she is proud to not be passing on a tax increase to citizens.

Councilors also set Oct. 16 as the due date for this year’s property taxes, with the interest rate for the outstanding balance paid after the date to be 8% per annum.

In other business, the council approved the appointment of Steve Kimball as public works director/road commissioner.

“Steve is a long-time employee for the different stints he’s been here,” Town Manager Trampas King said. 

The council also accepted a $21,400 donation from the Bill & Joan Alfond Foundation to refurbish the municipal basketball court.

“One (Dexter Regional High School) Key Club member — Cameron Vafiades — wrote a nice letter to them saying what they needed,” King said. “They called me and asked how much we needed.”

The contribution will help cover a new surface, four hoops for the pair of adjacent courts and fencing.

The basketball court resurfacing will be part of a paving contract, along with the entrances and walkways to the municipal parking lot, approved with Shawn Thyng Paving of Jackson. The $35,200 agreement has the company coming in tearing out the old asphalt to then pave over with new surfaces.

During the public forum, Councilor Steve Gudroe asked about including marijuna-related questions on the November ballot. 

King said questions would need to be ready for the council’s August meeting in order for the group to take a vote on placing the items on the ballot, but a special meeting or two could be held before then to discuss the matter more. He said the November election should have a very high turnout being a presidential election year.

“We had a 30 percent turnout for this election which is amazing,” King said with 684 ballots cast two days prior. He said the November election could be at least twice that of July 14.

“I just want to know if the town is open to marijuana or wants to say no to sales,” Delaware said. She said the referendum questions would ask citizens “do you want it in Dexter or not, and in what ways?”

“It’s nice to be back in the building, we surely missed it over the last three months,” King said in his report as the council had its first meeting in the chambers since before the pandemic. The setup was altered to keep town officials and attendees six feet apart, including some councilors sitting on tables set up on the floor below the raised bench and the audience chairs spaced apart rather than in rows.

He said meetings are now being recorded “so people can see and be at home.”

King thanked SAD 46 Superintendent Kevin Jordan for the district allowing Dexter to hold its polls in the Ridge View Community School cafeteria, and thanked town employees for all work on and leading up to the election. 

“Our parks and library are open, but use caution,” the town manager said. King said the town hall would remain closed.