BETHEL — Residents approved a $3.85 million municipal budget for 2016-17 at Wednesday’s annual town meeting at Crescent Park School.

The budget is slightly more than this fiscal year, which ends June 30.

Town Manager Christine Landes said a majority of the increase is for capital improvements, including a new ambulance and upgrades to the Town Office and Transfer Station.

An article to raise and appropriate $34,600 for the Recreation Board prompted resident Ron Savage to ask about the status of the basketball court at Davis Park that was approved in 2013.

That year, resident Jarrod Crockett told the board he had been contacted by parents interested in a basketball court. Shortly after, resident Todd Wheeler began circulating a petition that led to the question getting on the town meeting warrant.

“I keep hearing that we’re short on money,” Savage said told voters Wednesday. “The kids are going to be a whole other generation if we don’t do something about it. I heard we were still $20,000 short.”

Recreation Director Sarah Tucker said the court needs hoops. “Most importantly, we’re short $17,000 that we need for the paving,” she said. She said the town has about $6,500 that would pay for some of the concrete work.

Savage made a motion to increase the amount in the article to $44,600, with the additional funds for the court. It was overwhelmingly approved.

In other business, residents re-elected Don Bennett to the Board of Selectmen and chose Andrew Whitney over veteran Selectman Stan Howe.

mdaigle@sunmediagroup.net

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