The municipal budget is an increase of less
than 5 percent
over last year.
FARMINGTON – Voters are scheduled to consider a $3.7 million spending package for municipal operations Monday. That figure reflects less than a 5 percent increase over last year.
Voters also need to deal with a revised roller-skating, skateboarding and scooter riding ordinance and a change to the zoning ordinance that would affect West Farmington.
Townspeople also are to consider four candidates in uncontested races during the daytime hours between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday downstairs at the Community Center.
The town meeting follows at 7 p.m. upstairs at the Community Center.
Running unopposed are incumbent Selectmen Stephan Bunker and Dennis Pike. Two incumbent SAD 9 directors, Ray Glass and Susan Roberts, are also uncontested.
Town Clerk Leanne Pinkham said she expects it to be a long day for ballot clerks because no election is contested in this town of about 7,400 residents.
“I don’t think there is much on the warrant as far as controversy,” Pinkham said. “Hopefully, it’s in and out.”
Selectmen and Budget Committees spent months reviewing budget requests and ended up close, in terms of final proposals. Only $10,000 separates the recommendations of the two boards, said Town Manager Richard Davis.
The difference occurs in the Fire Rescue Department budget, which reflects a 9.72 decrease over last year.
Selectmen recommend $274,321 and the Budget Committee recommends $264,321 for the Fire Department. Selectmen recommend a $60,000 appropriation to the department’s equipment reserve account, which is currently $36,645, while the Budget Committee recommends only $50,000 for the reserve account.
The proposed revised ordinance covering skateboarding and other similar activities would replace the skateboard ordinance enacted in 1990.
The revised ordinance would allow skateboarding and other similar activities on most streets and sidewalks, provided the activities are conducted in a safe manner. It prohibits those activities on certain streets, including some downtown streets, sidewalks and public areas, and requires reflective clothing and/or illuminating devices to be worn when people are participating in the activities.
Voters also need to decide whether they want to rezone an area of West Farmington between Bridge and Oakes streets and Thomas McClellan Road from village residential to village/commercial.
The Zoning Board has determined that this change would promote economic development, especially service businesses and tourism, and would support the development of the recreational alternative transportation right-of-way, thus meeting several goals under the town’s Comprehensive Plan.
However, there was some objections at a public hearing on the zoning change, which included concerns about increased traffic in an already congested area.
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