RUMFORD — Selectmen approved a $7.4 million municipal budget Thursday night in 5.5 hours as their recommendation for town meeting in June.

Now it’s the Finance Committee’s turn to draft its recommendations.

The $7,423,500 is $574,292 more than last year’s budget of $6,849,208. It doesn’t include the county and school assessment, just endorsements for 49 budget items or departments.

“These are just recommendations, so it’s all up to the vote,” Town Manager Carlo Puiia said Friday afternoon.

“Again, what are the citizens willing to pay for services and, if they’re not, what services would they be willing to give up?”

A few years back, the tax rate was dropped after a large increase, Puiia said. Then last year the budget was flat-funded to keep the tax rate unchanged.

“This year we tried to maintain the services that we have,” he said.

“We’re the same as any household — our fuel costs, insurance costs — we have to pay those increases just as anyone else does.”

Capital improvements account for the largest increase at $514,136, which is up $164,138 over last year’s budget of $350,000.

“Our auditor told us in this year’s audit, when you have a plan, you should stick with it,” Puiia said.

“So I think that’s an effect of the last four or five years of either the Finance Committee or the Board of Selectpersons not making their recommended amounts.”

Among the projects are replacing the voting machines, which he thinks this will be the last year for that; and maintaining town buildings like the Information Center, Chisholm School, which is leased to Community Concepts but owned by the town, and the Rumford Center Meeting House.

“Just like people’s houses, we have to do some repairs and upgrades, energy efficiency improvements,” he said.

Health and liability insurance increases drove the board’s recommendation for Unclassified/Insurances and Social Security account to $1,184,6008, which is up $131,400 from last year’s budget of $1,053,200.

Selectmen recommended raising $724,069 for the Fire Department budget, up $46,069 from last year’s budget of $678,000.

“Last year was flat-funded and (selectmen) signed a union contract with a 3 percent increase but didn’t fund it, so they’re looking to bring that in line with the manpower that’s in place,” Puiia said.

Additionally, some of the increase came in fuel, heating and maintenance costs, he said.

The board also recommends raising $35,000 to replace sidewalks on the island downtown, rather than doing patching.

The library budget was approved at $229,754, which is up $29,754 over last year’s $200,000.

“They had a significant cut a few years ago, and there were a lot of citizens that were looking to get some of the hours back that were made from the cuts,” Puiia said.

“They didn’t have any Saturday hours. They were just able to bring some of that back, so they’re looking to restore some of that service that has been cut.”

Selectmen also recommend raising $40,000 for economic development, which is up $15,000 from last year’s budget of $25,000.

Puiia attributed this to needs related to the board’s recent creation of three tax-increment financing districts and working with the River Valley Growth Council to grow the economy. They’re also considering joining the Maine Downtown Center Initiative.

More money is recommended for the summer and winter roads accounts, which are driven by increased fuel and material costs, Puiia said.

The recommended budget for summer roads is $311,796, up $26,836 over last year’s $284,962, while winter roads is at $601,222, up $19,817 over last year’s budget of $581,405.

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