LIVERMORE FALLS — Selectmen set the 2017-18 municipal budget at $2.37 million Friday night.

The amount is about $10,000 less than the previous year. Voters will decide the warrant articles at the June town meeting referendum.

Town Manager Kristal Flagg said warrant articles include employee benefits and employee withholding taxes in each department individually. Last year, the benefits were combined on one budget line.

Flagg pointed out that even though it appears some budgeted amounts increased sharply this year, the reason is the inclusion of employee benefits and FICA in each individual department’s budget line.

Selectmen voted 3-1 to reduce the total of their stipends from the recommended $10,500 to $500.

There was also some debate about how much money social service agencies should receive.

Chadwick said he was in favor of giving some money to Maine’s Paper and Heritage Museum in Livermore Falls, and the other board members agreed.

They decided to have the town give $1,000 to the paper museum, $1,000 to the Rural Community Action Ministry, $1,500 for the Tri-Town Ministerial Association Food Cupboard and $1,500 for the Tri-Town Fuel Fund.

The board also made an adjustment to an article for capital improvements. The original article had designated $12,000 to be put into an account for a police cruiser. Selectmen amended the article to include $10,000.

Other amounts approved were:

• $279,008 for administration;

• $537,623 for the Police Department;

• $95,470 for the Fire Department;

• $255,310 for contractual;

• $463,713 for Public Works;

• $120,000 for street paving;

• $121,059 for municipal solid waste;

• $81,221 for buildings; and 

• $30,018 for recreation.

bmatulaitis@sunmediagroup.net

Livermore Falls Town Office.