PARIS — The proposed $5.2 million municipal budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year is roughly 13% more than last year, according to numbers presented by Town Manager Dawn Noyes at Monday’s public hearing.
The $682,633 increase is $22,000 less than last year’s increase, Noyes said.
The municipal budget includes money for police, fire and highway departments. It does not include money for Maine School Administrative District 17, Oxford County government, social services and Norway Paris Solid Waste, which adds $4.6 million, for an overall increase of 12%.
The NPSW budget is up 63% to $477,200 because of more expenses and higher trucking and fuel charges.
The public hearing attracted two residents, neither of whom expressed any questions or concerns.
Much of the increase to the municipal budget is due to benefits and wage increases, and higher equipment costs. The General Assistance budget is up by 211% to $15,761 because of new state mandates on what towns are required to pay.
The Fire Department is the only department with a lower budget than last year. Its budget is down 10% due to hiring one full-time employee instead of two. The town will save about $78,000 in wages and benefits due to the change.
Noyes said hiring just one is due to surrounding towns adding personnel for their daytime coverage when towns struggle to get enough firefighters to a scene.
“Kudos to the neighboring towns,” Select Board Chairman Christopher Summers said. “That’s good news for us.”
Patrick Kay of Paddle Energy in Ashville, North Carolina, gave a presentation to the board about a proposed solar farm on the town’s old landfill on Hathaway Road. Kay, who handles development activities for the company, said the project is in the early stages and needs to clear several hoops before it could start.
He could not predict the number of solar panels on the 8-acre site until a site plan is developed.
Being a landfill, the site has limited uses, Noyes said.
The 35-year life of the project would bring the town $510,000, beginning with $11,00 the first year.
The board voted 4-1 to approve the concept, with Selectman Carlton Sprague voting no.
The next step for the group is having Central Maine Power review its plan.
In other business, Noyes said the town has secured three portable toilets; one for Moore Park and two at the town ballfield. The town will lock the facilities at the ballfield when games are not being played.
The town is also trying to start a farmers market at Moore Park beginning in May.
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