Proposed Guilford budget up slightly

Staff Report

    GUILFORD — Barring any last-minute changes or significant expenditures, Guilford’s municipal budget will probably rise 2.1 percent this year.
    Town Manager Tom Goulette presented a draft of the new figures to the board of selectmen at last week’s monthly meeting.
    The major reason for the increase is the anticipated hike in the town’s commitment to School Administrative District 4 and an increase in county taxes, according to minutes of the meeting.

    Guilford paid $1,113,127 to SAD 4 last year and Goulette estimates that the upcoming levy will be $1.17 million or a 5.1 percent increase.
    Due to an increase in valuation, the Piscataquis County tax is slated to go up from $172,320 to $182.354.
    Guilford’s projected municipal budget is down slightly from $1,131,950 to $1,123,545.
    One last-minute addition to the budget, suggested by the board, was $5,000 from surplus to help fund startup costs of the bicentennial events in 2016 as Guilford observes its 200th birthday.
    The annual town meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 16.
    In other business, only five people attended the public hearing on the proposed land use amendment to allow a limited number of chickens to be raised in the town’s urban area.
    Goulette summarized the intent of the proposal with certain restrictions and requirements. One comment from the audience was that that the ordinance was well written; and that in this economy, some folks would like the opportunity to “grow their own.”
    A public hearing was then held to discuss a shoreland zoning ordinance update. Planning Board member Lou Sidell explained its purpose and intent and recommended it be tabled until an accompanying map could be completed.
    A letter from the Maine Department of Transportation about the Memorial Bridge project was read and the agency noted that they’ll need a construction easement from the town for land on South Main Street.
    The town manger presented a proposed change to the personnel policy in which holiday hours would be considered “hours worked” for calculation of overtime purposes. The board unanimously agreed that holiday and bereavement leave hours would be counted as actual work hours.