PERU — Voters will go to the polls next month to consider a $2 million budget, three ordinances and election of six officers.

Raquel Welch, chairwoman of the Select Board, said voters will be asked to take $250,000 from excise taxes and $200,000 from surplus to reduce the tax commitment. She the budget was trimmed to offset a $44,000 increase in the Med-Care assessment.

The budget for fiscal year 2019-20, which ends June 30, is $1.92 million, she said.

The property tax rate stands at $20.25 per $1,000 of assessed value, based on the municipal budget.

The Regional School Unit 56 budget for 2020-21 will go to voters July 14.

At a public hearing on the warrant June 15 held via Zoom, Finance Committee member Gail Belyea asked if there is enough excise tax revenue to take $250,000.

“As of today, we’ve got $250,515,” Welch said.

An article asks to take $3,000 from surplus toward the cost of a backhoe purchase approved last year. Welch said the original dealer didn’t uphold its agreement so the town had to go with a different company. The payments will remain at $38,835 each.

“Is it my understanding that if Article 15 does not pass, it could put us in jeopardy of defaulting on our loan to the company?” resident Jackie Child asked.

“Absolutely,” Welch said.

Regarding ordinances, voters will be asked to replace the Building Permit Ordinance with the Building the Land Use Permit/Property Change Notification Ordinance. Enactment of the ordinance would not mandate the town to inspect or enforce the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code requirements, according to the warrant article.

“Who does the inspection if we’re not going to be doing any additional building permits, who do they need to go to to make sure they are meeting the correct guidelines?” Child asked.

Selectperson Carol Roach said, “We do have a new land use permit in place. The residents who are going to be modifying an existing building, or their land, have to request and complete, a land use permit/property change notification form. That document then goes to the Planning Board, once it’s complete.

“And the Planning Board has been authorized by the Select Board to do site inspections and make the determination of approving or denying all those requests. Their authority is limited to non-shoreland zoning permitting,” she said.

“We have hired a code enforcement officer to handle shoreland zoning permit requests,” Roach said. “We’ll continue to address any land use issues, whether that be construction or land modification, including removal of buildings on the property.”

The other two ordinances are to regulate wholesale and retail marijuana establishments and retail marijuana social clubs, and to regulate home cultivation of recreational, non-medical, adult-use purposes marijuana.

Welch said the board did not take an official stance on the marijuana articles.

The ordinances can be viewed on the town website or at the Town Office.

In annual elections, three people are seeking two seats on the Select Board: Selectperson Tammi Lyons, Jason Dolloff and Don Roach. Both positions are for three years.

Roach is not seeking re-election.

Road Commissioner Brad Hutchins is being challenged by Matt Dyke, a former mechanic for the town.

Fire Chief Bill Hussey is running unopposed.

Konstantin Almandi is seeking the three-year on the Regional School Unit 56 board, and Joe Bressette is seeking the one-year position.

Voting on the warrant will be held July 14 at the Town Office. Absentee ballots are available.

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