Turner’s revenue exceeds expenses for 2020-21, town manager says

TURNER – Town revenue outpaced spending in the fiscal year ending June 30, Town Manager Kurt Schaub told selectmen Tuesday night.

The town came in about $246,600 over the $9.77 million revenue budget for 2020-21 for a total of $10 million. The boost in revenues was primarily the result of nearly $270,000 in additional motor vehicle excise taxes and additional $148,000 in revenue-sharing that was balanced with shortfalls in other department budgets.

Expenses came in nearly $202,000 under the $9.8 million expense budget. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a canceled in-person annual town meeting, the Board of Selectmen opted to operate the town using the same budget that was approved the prior fiscal year.

All-in-all, town departments “budgeted very conservatively due to COVID,” Schaub told the board.

The town manager said voters approved an additional $20,000 in contingency funds for a total of $40,000 at the May town meeting in case of future emergency situations such as the pandemic.

“But the good news is (it) looks like we’ll barely be touching that,” Schaub said.

One area where the town knew expenses would come in over budget was the recycling center/transfer station, he said. More people were staying home, which meant residents “started throwing things away in droves” and subsequently the cost to dispose and transport the waste increased.

In other news, the board will discuss the fee schedule for medical and adult use marijuana at the July 19 meeting. A public hearing for license renewals is tentatively scheduled for the following meeting.

Voters approved allowing adult use marijuana storefronts at the town meeting earlier this year. There are five medical marijuana storefronts eligible to convert their license to adult use.

The town manager is also waiting on property revaluation numbers from town assessor John O’Donnell and Associates later this week that will be used to determine the property tax rate for 2021-22.