Sebec residents approve $541K budget

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

    SEBEC — Citizens gave their approval to a municipal budget of just over $540,870 for the 2014-15 fiscal year during the 38-article annual town meeting on Aug. 11 at the Harland A. Ladd Municipal Building. This gross budget total represents a decease of a little more than $20,400 from the previous year.

    The budget includes monies from various revenue sources and funds carried forward, which all together equal a sum of approximately $474,800 and then a net town budget figure of about $66,070. In addition to town finances, Sebec residents also contribute to both the RSU 68 school budget and Piscataquis County budget.
    One topic of conversation at the town meeting, spread across several warrant articles, concerned the town’s roads. Before a sum of over $65,567 was approved for a paving roads reserve account — with all of these funds being carried forward — Selectman Eldridge “Buzz” Small said, “After the last budget committee meeting, the conclusion I drew from that is this town cannot afford to pave its roads.”
    Small explained the community has about five miles of paved town roads, and putting asphalt down would cost approximately $225,000. “It came out at a 36 percent increase in your taxes,” Small said if these paving costs were spread out over five years, and a 16 percent increase if done over a decade.
    “That was what was originally presented to the budget committee, that cost is for paving alone,” Small said.
    He said residents living on dirt roads would likely have their property assessments adjusted to reflect this, such as with a $9,000 reduction in the assessment but those living on paved travel ways may see their assessments rise to reflect the changes.
    “I think it’s a matter of recognizing when a road has passed its useful life,” Selectman Walter Emmons said about the decision to repair roads.
    A sum of $221,250 was OKed for a road construction reserve account, to be used when needed. Nearly all of these funds come from monies carried forward and the net amount to be raised in the 2014-15 budget is zero dollars.
    Emmons said typically the town spends between $60,000-80,000 from this reserve account, but not all the funds were used last year so monies were carried forward to the 2015 fiscal year.
    A sum of $123,000 was approved for winter roads, including plowing and sanding, and after excise tax appropriations have been factored in the amount to be raised is just under $23,033. The summer roads article asked for $28,000 and the net amount to be raised is a little more than $2,090.
    Emmons said a small amount of paving is scheduled for a handicapped parking spot by the municipal building. Money for this work is included in the building item on the warrant, which totaled $19,000 and just over $18,000 after about $985 carried forward. Emmons added that no work is scheduled for the building itself.
    Several positions were voted on Aug. 11, including Small being re-elected as a selectman. Small has served for 12 years over four terms.
    Mary Downs was re-elected to another three-year term as Sebec’s representative on the RSU 68 School Board, and Gerald Nessman will serve another three years on the HAD 4 Board of Directors.
    Joan Baird and Gail Lynch were both approved to serve on the budget committee.