Dexter officials working on municipal budget
DEXTER — Dexter town officials are currently developing a municipal budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The budget is typically voted on at the town council’s July meeting.
During a June 20 council meeting Town Manager Trampas King thanked councilors for going through the finances during twice weekly meetings. “I believe we have got good results and we will have a good budget,” King said.
Last July the council approved a $6,953,627 municipal budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
The gross figure, which in addition to $4.8 million-plus in town operations, included approximately $404,000 for the community’s portion of the Penobscot County tax and $1.9-plus million for the SAD 46 budget. It was up by $39,709 from the year before.
The $6.9 million was partially offset by $2,127,465 in revenues for a net budget of $4,826,162, a $129,537 increase.
Council Chair Marcia Delaware said during budget meetings attendees discussed both the length and rates for hangars at the Dexter Municipal Airport with the Airport Manager Roger Nelson.. Each will be adjusted with leases going from 10 years to five years in length and the annual hangar lease fees doubling from $100 to $200.
“So the year the lease expires it will go to five years and it will go up,” Delaware said.
In other business, King thanked the Dexter Development Association and others for their efforts to revitalize the Lake Wassookeag public beach and recreation area.
The council authorized the opening of an account at Skowhegan Savings Bank to collect GoFundMe contributions for the “Bring Back the Beach” project.
While GoFundMe does take a small portion (about 3 percent) of donations, those wishing to contribute directly to the account at Skowhegan Savings can do so.
Frank Spizuco of the Dexter Development Association mentioned the council will need to decide whether the area should be a recreational beach or a dog park as many pet owners have been bringing their dogs there. To prohibit dogs, either entirely or permitting the pets only during certain hours, an ordinance would need to be in place and this will be drafted for councilors to review at an upcoming meeting.
King said the Fourth of July fireworks will be held the evening before, Wednesday, July 3, at dusk over Dexter Regional High School. The Independence Day parade starts at 10 a.m. at the fire station and proceeds through town, and this will be followed by a boat parade on Lake Wassookeag.
“The fire department has a big surprise for us so don’t miss the parade,” he said.
The town manager also reported that participants in the Group Mission Trips annual work camp were set to arrive on Sunday, June 23. The campers are scheduled to work on 25 homes in and around Dexter with a cookout hosted by the Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis set for June 26 at the beach.
In April the council approved a $7.500 contribution from the town’s economic development fund to support the work camp. Group Mission Trips is a non-profit, interdenominational Christian volunteer home-repair group.
For most years in the last half decade-plus, dozens of teenagers and adults from around the country have spent close to a week in Dexter working on home projects at no cost for area residents who otherwise could not afford to have the needed repairs made. Participants have stayed at the Ridge View Community School, while Group Mission Trips covered expenses such as food and kitchen and custodial staff.