Dexter council passes budget intact; mil rate won’t exceed $15.90

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    DEXTER — Although the annual budget meeting drew a sizeable crowd to the Dexter council chambers Thursday night, there was virtually no debate and only two questions came up about the $3.6 million appropriation.

    The measure was passed 6-1 with Councilor Michelle Smith, who made a motion to accept the budget, voting against it.
    Nevertheless, the figures were unsettling to Council Chairman Peter Haskell. “There are probably a few things that shouldn’t be in here and a lot of things we could have put in it, but we’re trying to look out for the taxpayers,” Haskell said.
    The chairman pointed out that $192,000 was approved for the capital projects reserve fund last year, but only $69,300 was recommended for the new budget. “Somewhere down the road, it’s going to catch up to us,” Haskell said.
    Although the new municipal budget is $169,564 less than last year, revenues are projected to decrease by $231,407, bringing a net increase of $61,843. Town Manager Linda-Jean Briggs said that almost all of it can be attributed to a $99,356 increase in the town’s share of the School Administrative District 46 budget, a $15,574 hike in the Penobscot County tax and a decrease in state revenue sharing of $81,647.
    The relatively small net increase should not have much of an effect on the town’s mil rate, Briggs said, but councilors hedged their bets a little. The resolution passed Thursday night called for a “mil rate not to exceed 15.9 mils be hereby adopted for the 2013-14 tax year.”
    The current rate is $15.10; and Briggs said that once the assessor finalizes her figures, the exact rate will be set.
    Haskell added that if current trends continue, however, the town will have to raise taxes eventually. “If anybody here wants to deal with it next year, you can take out your (nomination) papers this week,” Haskell said, drawing some laughter from the audience.
    The council also approved a resolution to amend the town’s buildings, parks, sidewalks and other public places ordinance to prohibit swimming in the area designated by the Dexter Utility District near the “no wake” zone on Lake Wassookeag, and the area around or near the town-owned Wassookeag dam. Safety concerns were raised at last month’s council meeting about youngsters diving from the dam where water levels can vary drastically. The resolution will be up for a vote at the September council meeting.
    In other business, Briggs announced that Allen Emerson of Exeter has been hired as a full-time patrolman for the Dexter Police Department. Emerson has over 20 years of law enforcement experience including nine previous years with the Dexter Police Department and 13 years with the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department.
    Briggs also introduced new Assistant Town Clerk Susan Page.
    Ending the meeting on a positive note was Recreation Director Jim Bell’s announcement that Bill and Joan Alfond have donated $5,000 to the Dexter Community Playground Fund. The contribution was in honor of Ted and Judy Dube’s 50th wedding anniversary. The Dubes have been longtime friends and neighbors of the Alfonds.
    Bell said that progress on the playground is going well and work is accelerating to get all the swings up and running.