SUMNER — If voters approve all the articles at annual town meeting on Saturday, Aug. 6, taxpayers can expect an increase in the mil rate, mostly driven by larger contributions to RSU 10 and Oxford County.

The Sumner town meeting will get underway at 9 a.m. Saturday at Hartford Sumner Elementary School, 145 Main St.

The current mil rate is $16.40 per $1,000 of assessed value and is projected to jump by 58 cents to $16.98.

The $1.6 million municipal operating budget for fiscal 2017 is $69,244, or 4.5 percent higher, than the current $1.5 million budget. Sumner will contribute $56,792 to Oxford County, which represents a 7 percent increase, and $789,806 to RSU 10, or a 4.75 percent increase.

An article asks to appropriate $411,025 from anticipated revenues and the general fund to offset the fiscal 2017 tax commitment. This includes $251,025 in anticipated revenues and $160,000 from the general fund.

Article 5 asks voters to exceed the property tax levy limit for the town under state law. Runes explained the town’s municipal budget is less than the state’s amount by $17,509 and theoretically residents can vote to put that money back in the budget. But she noted $17,000 equates to a 25-cent increase on the mil rate.

“I wouldn’t recommend it. I think we have a decent budget,” Runes said.

In Sumner, municipal officers are voted upon during annual town meeting. Up for election this year is Ed Hinshaw for selectman, as current Selectmen Chairman Wally Litchfield isn’t seeking re-election. Planning Board Chairman Andy Wickson is the only candidate for road commissioner, as current Road Commissioner Jim Keach will withdraw from the race. No one took out nomination papers for RSU 10 school board.

“We need someone. We don’t do nominations from the floor but if a candidate was there and stood and said, ‘Please consider me as a write-in candidate,’ that would be OK,” Runes said.

If approved, an article would authorize selectmen to appoint a maintenance supervisor, Budget Committee, Planning Board, Appeals Board, Recreation Committee, Scholarship Committee, fire chief and assistant chiefs, registrar of voters, emergency management director and “any other necessary appointees.”

There are articles to set the wages for the road commissioner for $2,750 and selectmen/assessors/overseers of the poor for $10,500 at $3,500 each.

Big ticket articles include administration for $172,340 – with $114,090 in salaries – winter roads for $253,430 – with $208,430 for road maintenance and $45,000 in salt. Others include roads, bridges and maintenance for $160,000, solid waste for $59,273 and and fire protection for $55,600.

Voters are also asked to appropriate:

• $500 for a sand/salt storage shed;

• $5,000 for the road equipment account;

• $30,000 for summer roads;

• $2,000 for road equipment and repair;

• $2,250 for recreation;

• $1,500 for the Planning Board;

• $3,500 for animal control;

• $6,800 for the cemeteries, town beach and town signs;

• $400 for veterans flags;

• $1,000 for the Sumner Scholarship Fund;

• $5,000 for the fire truck fund;

• $700 for General Assistance;

• $20,000 for bonds, and

• $9,614 for overdrafts for General Assistance, winter roads and salaries.

Selectmen and the Budget Committee recommend appropriating $4,000 for social services. This includes $1,000 for Sumner Food Bank, $800 for the Zadoc Long Free Library, $300 each for Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice, Community Concepts, The Progress Center, Safe Voices, SeniorsPlus and Tri-County Mental Health, $200 for Sexual Assault Prevention Center, and $100 each for Western Maine Veterans Advisory Committee and LifeFlight.

Articles ask to set the tax due date as Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017, with a 7 percent interest rate for taxes paid after that date, set the interest rate at 3 percent on abated taxes for fiscal 2017 and to allow the tax collector to accept tax payments before commitment.

A number of sub-articles request approval for reimbursement from the state for tree growth, veteran’s exemption, municipal revenue sharing, snowmobile registration, Emergency Management Agency, state aid for education, General Assistance, Local Roads Assistance program, forest fires and state and/or federal funds appropriated by the Maine Legislature.

Another article would authorize the town to appropriate snowmobile registrations fees to the Mt. Tom Snowmobile Club to maintain the trails, which can be used by the public.

Other articles ask to:

• legalize municipal expenditures made after the fiscal year ends, before annual town meeting;

• allow selectmen to dispose of town-owned property up to $1,000;

• apply revenues from excise taxes, interest, state reimbursement, state agent fees, sales of photocopies and other revenues to the general fund;

• allow selectmen to appropriate $1,500 in contingency for unanticipated emergencies;

• authorize the treasurer to make payments from the general fund for abatements approved by selectmen;

• allow selectmen to sell and dispose of tax liens and issue quit claim deeds, and

• allow selectmen to enter into three-year contracts for maintenance services.

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