Dexter council approves near $7M budget
DEXTER — The Dexter Town Council approved a $6,996,747 municipal budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year during a July 11 meeting.
This gross figure, which in addition to $4.5 million-plus in town operations, includes close to $422,500 for the community’s portion of the Penobscot County tax and $2,056,093 for the SAD 46 budget. The municipal budget is up $43,120 from the year before.
“Thank you guys for your work, knowledge, and dedication,” Council Vice Chair Andrew Bermudez said to the council. “It’s a lot of work but I think it’s a reasonable budget for the taxpayers.”
The near $7 million total will be partially offset by $2,080,010 in revenues, an amount down by $47,455 from 2023-24. The net budget is $4,916,737, a $90,575 increase.
The council is looking to set the 2024-24 mill rate at an amount not to exceed $19.80 for every $1,000 in assessed property. This figure is down from the previous year’s rate of $20, and had been $19.60 the two years before.
Councilors also set Oct. 15 as the due date for this year’s property taxes, with the interest rate for the outstanding balance paid after the date to be 8.5 percent per annum (nearly double the 4.5 percent rate for 2023-24).
In other business, Town Manager Trampas King thanked the Dexter Development Association and others for all their efforts toward revitalizing the Lake Wassookeag public beach and recreation area.
The council passed a motion favoring the use of ARPA funds for paving the entire beach parking lot.
Frank Spizuoco of the Dexter Development Association said he has a $40,000 estimate for the project.
King said the paving work will need to go out to bid, which would be opened and potentially voted on at a future council meeting, and the town’s ARPA account has just under $46,000 remaining.
Spizuoco said the Dexter Development Association could potentially contribute some funds if paving bids come in over budget. He also said during fundraising efforts, people have asked what the town has contributed and now with the parking lot paving he can give a definite answer.
King said at the last council meeting a discussion was held on whether the beach and adjacent 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 allowing the pets only in certain areas and/or during certain hours, an ordinance would need to be in place.
The town manager said he, Spizuoco, and others have observed who has come to Lake Wassookeag public beach and recreation area and whether they have their pets with them or not.
“What we don’t want to do is single them out, we want to give them a certain area,” King said about accommodating dogs and their owners. He drafted an ordinance which specifies where dogs are and are not permitted by the lake. Councilors will review the ordinance for a potential future vote.
Spizuoco said children are taking part in swimming lessons at the beach and security cameras would be coming the following week.
“Police have been popping in a lot, that’s making a huge difference,” he said.
Spizuoco said he has met with officials from the Piscataquis Regional YMCA of Dover-Foxcroft/Old Town-Orono YMCA to talk about potential recreation programs.