Dexter has busy summer on tap
DEXTER — Despite a cool start to the spring season, planning is well underway for summertime as the Dexter Town Council gave its approval to closures on public ways for three events across July and August during a May 11 meeting.
Streets will be closed for the annual Fourth of July parade as the procession will start at 9:30 a.m. at the fire station, travel down Church Street (Route 7) to Main Street, proceed through to the Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union and then follow Lincoln Street to the conclusion at the Factory One parking lot.
“I don’t believe there will be a rain date because July 5 everyone will be at work,” Town Manager Shelley Watson said as July 4-5 fall on a Tuesday and Wednesday. Councilors kept the rain date wording in the motion, as a decision on the parade status in the event of inclement weather will be made at a later time.
The council also authorized the closure of the municipal parking lot behind Bangor Savings Bank on Main Street for the Dexter Historical Society’s Cruise-In on Saturday, July 22 from 4 to 9 p.m.
The municipal parking lot will also be the site of the second annual Maine Red Hot Dog Festival on Saturday, Aug. 12 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Grove Street from the Tillson’s parking lot entrance to Main Street, Main Street from the Spring Street intersection to the end of Wayside Park and from the parking lot down Water Street to the Center Street intersection will all be closed for the festival.
In other business, Watson wrote in her report that she has finished meetings with department heads about the upcoming budget requests. She said the initial municipal budget is up considerably and there are many adjustments to be looked at. Budget meetings are scheduled for Thursday, May 18 and Monday, May 22.
The current fiscal year’s net budget totals just over $4,386,200 — the amount raised through property taxes — which was up by about $43,300 (1 percent) from the year before.
The council opted to table a decision on declaring a structure located at 121 Main Street a dangerous building after meeting with the town attorney and counsel for property owner Linda Van Dyke of Oklahoma who has not resided in Dexter since at least 2014. Councilors are scheduled to look at the matter again during the June meeting once a revised declaration specifying cleanup and repair timeframes and penalties for failure to comply has been drafted and reviewed.