WEST PARIS – Town Manager Donald Woodbury said last week that his proposed $1,064,337 municipal budget is $50,000 higher than the one approved last year.

During an interview, Woodbury said selectmen and budget committee members have attempted to keep this year’s budget as close to last year’s as possible.

“The $50,000 increase comes from an increase in next summer’s road work when we plan to spend $151,000 to reclaim and pave the dirt portion of the Tuelltown Road, which we feel will save us money in maintenance in the future. It is less expensive to maintain a paved road than it is a dirt road,” he said.

Adding that project to the rest of the proposed highway budget makes that item the most expensive on the town meeting warrant, totaling $368,000. That includes money for snow removal, highways and bridges, tar and maintenance.

Woodbury said people will vote at the March town meeting on the municipal operating budget only. It will not include the Oxford County assessment or the town’s share of the SAD 17 budget.

The budget proposal has been incorporated into the March town meeting warrant, which will be on its way to the printers immediately so taxpayers will have the 2006 town report before the end of the month.

The 2007 town meeting will convene at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, in the gymnasium at the Agnes Gray Elementary School on Main Street.