Dexter council approves $6.9 million budget
DEXTER — The Dexter Town Council approved a $6,953,627 municipal budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year during a July 13 meeting.
This gross figure, which in addition to $4.8 million-plus in town operations, includes approximately $404,000 for the community’s portion of the Penobscot County tax and $1.9-plus million for the SAD 46 budget. It is up by $39,709 from the year before.
Town Manager Trampas King thanked the council and department heads for their efforts in developing the spending plan. “This budget season has been a tough one, they came in and looked at the numbers and tried to save some money,” he said.
The $6.9 million will be partially offset by $2,127,465 in revenues, an amount down by $89,828 from 2022-23. The net budget is $4,826,162, a $129,537 increase.
“Taxpayers should be very aware this council goes through the budget line by line,” Council Vice Chairperson Marcia Delaware said. She said councilors work very hard on the budget to plan for the future and to reward town employees.
The council is looking to set the 2023-24 mill rate at $20, the same amount for every $1,000 assessed property as the year before after the previous two years’ mill rates were each $19.60. King said the 2023-24 mill rate could be adjusted down slightly to $19.80.
Councilors also set Oct. 13 as the due date for this year’s property taxes, with the interest rate for the outstanding balance paid after the date to be 4 percent per annum (the same rate as in 2023-24).
In his report, King mentioned several events taking place in town next month.
He said the Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis Cruise-In and Make-A-Wish Wings for Wheels Fly-In will present “Wheels and Wings 2023” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5 at the Dexter Regional Airport.
“The terminal building won’t be done but it should be framed,” King said about the airport construction project. He said the structure should be completed in October.
He said the Dexter Revitalization Committee is still looking for volunteers for the Maine Red Hot Dog Festival on Saturday, Aug. 12. More information is available at https://redhotdog.org/.
King said the Dexter Fire Department’s annual auction will start at 6 p.m. each evening from Aug. 3-5 in the former Factory One parking lot off Lincoln Street.