WATERFORD — Town meeting voters approved a $1.4 million budget that exceeded this year’s spending plan by 3.15 percent.

About 50 voters approved the 62-article warrant at the Waterford Municipal Building on Saturday.

The budget was approved, but not before voters questioned several line items including an $80,000 request for health insurance and $16,000 for the Waterford Memorial Library.

Voters also OK‘d the $80,000 for health insurance premiums for seven full-time employees. The health insurance premiums are paid for the town at 100 percent, but Board of Selectmen Chairman Randy Lessard said that based on a survey of some 20 towns and coupled with retirement and other benefits, it represents an equitable benefits package that allows the town to retain employees for a long time. In Waterford, full-time employees are those who work 24 hours or more per week.

The majority of voters approved that request.

A request for $16,000 for the operating budget of the library was questioned by a resident who asked when the trustees would make the building handicapped-accessible.

Trustee Geraldine O’Donnell said the trustees were aware of the situation but making the historic building handicapped-accessible will take careful planning. Using the entrance-way for handicapped-accessibility would be difficult because of its position to property owned by the state. Using the side would interfere with an apartment that brings in money for the library.

A study is ongoing to deal with the issue.

Voters did deviate from the recommendations by providing Safe Voices $200 as they had in previous years. This year no one asked for a town donation for the organization that helps abused women, but voters felt they should provide the donation nonetheless.

Voters were told that this year’s budget increase was driven primarily by an increase to the asphalt budget of $66,000 using surplus from last year’s highway and the winter road budget (and $200,000 in taxes.) Last year’s surplus provided an opportunity to nearly double the paving budget of two years ago and to possibly double up on road paving this season.

Voters approved $63,089 for future equipment purchases and $40,000 for legal expenses; $45,000 for the Fire Department and $118,214 for winter roads and $224,589 for highways and bridges.

A total of $26,300 was OK’d for fuel, utilities and maintenance of municipal buildings; $113,338 for town official salaries; $169,031 for use and maintenance of the Transfer Station and $508,107 from 2015 revenues to lower the tax rate.

Voters also approved changes to the Waterfront Shoreland Zoning that in part limits height addition to 30 percent of the structure’s footprint. The height restriction is based on the structure’s setback from the shoreline.

Code Enforcement Officer Bill Haynes said the move was made to simplify previous restrictions. He said officials believe the changes will benefit townspeople.

Lessard said the projected mill rate for this year’s budget, if a projected 3 percent school and county assessments are factored in, is $15.40, up 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value over last year, and about half of the average yearly increase since 2007.

ldixon@sunmediagroup.net

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