Dexter council approves $7.76 million budget

DEXTER — The Dexter Town Council approved an approximate $7.76 million municipal budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year during a July 10 meeting.

This gross figure includes monies for town operations, $2.15 million for the town’s share of the SAD 41 budget and nearly $540,000 for the Penobscot County tax. It rose by just over $246,000 from 2025-26. 

Nearly $2.2 million in revenue brings the gross Dexter budget to about $5.59 million, up about $370,000 from last year. 

When work on the budget began, councilors and town officials were looking at a figure more than $571,000 higher than last year’s budget, Council Chair Marcia Delaware said. 

“Working diligently through every line we got it down to the $370,055,” she said.

Town Manager Trampas King thanked everyone involved in developing the spending plan.

“None of these budgets are easy, it’s a month of two meetings a week, four hours apiece,” he said. “I feel that it is a sound and responsible budget that we put out there.”

The council set the 2026-27 mill rate at an amount not to exceed $19.90 for every $1,000 in assessed property. It is unchanged from the previous year. 

Property taxes are due Oct. 23. The interest rate for the outstanding balance paid after the date will be 7%.

In other business, the council accepted a $50,000 Community Development Block Grant for the Heart of Maine Resource Center. Funding will allow the 6 Main St. facility to expand into a client choice food center.

Access to food resources will be expanded through the funding of equipment and supplies for the Heart of Maine Resource Center.

Fourth of July festivities July 3-4 went well, King said.

“It was a perfect night for the fireworks and the heat dropped enough for the parade so we weren’t sweltering walking out there in the heat,” he said. “A little windy for the boat parade but it still went well.”

King thanked parade participants and organizers.