Topsham residents vote from their car on July 29, 2020 during a drive-in town meeting at the Topsham Fairgrounds. Darcie Moore / The Times Record
Topsham selectmen voted unanimously Thursday to push the town meeting from May 26 to June 2 and to hold it outside, similar to last year’s.
This year’s meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the Topsham Fairgrounds. The rain date is June 3.
“Same situation as last year; we still have indoor gathering limits as directed by the state through the month of May,” said Town Manager Derek Scrapchansky.
Currently, Maine’s limit for indoor gatherings is at 50% capacity, and outdoor gatherings are limited to 75% of capacity. Starting on May 24, the limit on indoor gatherings will increase to 75% of capacity, and outdoor gatherings to 100%.
The town normally holds its annual town meeting in May, when residents vote on the budget and any zoning changes.
Topsham is proposing a $13.6 million municipal budget for 2021-22 that is expected to decrease the town’s tax rate if the expenses and revenues hold as projected. The proposed budget is an overall increase of just under 1.5% but would require about $300,000 less in taxes if the estimated school and county budgets hold steady.
That would result in an estimated tax rate drop of 2.2% and could lower the tax rate from $17.86 to $17.47 per $1,000 of assessed value, Scrapchansky said previously. For a home with an assessed value of $200,000 that could result in the tax bill dropping from $3,572 to $3,488 or by $84. Properties with an increased assessed value could still trigger an increase in taxes.
Budgets for Maine School Administrative District 75 and Sagadahoc County aren’t finalized until June.
Last year, due to the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions on indoor gatherings, the town postponed the meeting until July and moved it to the fairgrounds.
There were 126 registered voters attending that meeting out of approximately 7,800 registered voters in town. Residents voted from their vehicles during the meeting, which was broadcast over a radio station and through a speaker system.
The town has booked the same tech company to broadcast the meeting on June 2, Scrapchansky said.
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