FARMINGTON — Selectmen on Tuesday were given an overview of the proposed $15.15 million budget for 2024, which is 5.3% more than last year’s $14.39 million. That’s an increase of about $760,000.

The figure for 2024 includes municipal, county and school expenses, the same as the amount for 2023.

“This is a preliminary, draft budget, our first shot,” Selectman Stephan Bunker said. “The Select Board and Budget Committee have not had a chance to discuss things. This is a work in progress, but I like what I see in here.”

Some members of the Budget Committee, which was to start review of the budget Thursday, attended the meeting.

According to Town Manager Erica LaCroix, increases in the budget are due to:

• $307,000 for personnel costs, including a 3% cost-of-living adjustment approved by selectmen.

• $270,570 for Public Works, including $115,606 for operations and the rest for personnel increases.

• $328,742 for Franklin County taxes.

• $393,136 for schools.

The budget percentages are 8.5% for the county, 43.6% for education and 47.9% for municipal operations, LaCroix said. The county and Regional School Unit 9 use a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year and exact numbers aren’t known yet, she said.

Bunker said it was worth having a discussion on Farmington changing to the same fiscal year, instead of the calendar year.

The increase for Public Works was almost completely offset by decreases in capital expenditure, which overall decreased $230,081, LaCroix said. A decrease of $440,000 in Public Works Facilities and Equipment far surpassed the other increases, she said.

The increase is also offset by higher revenue estimates of $418,866, LaCroix said. Most is due to the 2023 tax commitment, with $100,000 from more state revenue-sharing, she added.

Workers’ compensation insurance is dropping across all lines, LaCroix said.

The amount of $17,998 for outside organizations was removed because the county has agreed to pay those, she said.

Farmington’s net appropriation request is just over $11.8 million, LaCroix said. The estimated tax commitment, using the April 1 property valuations required by the state, would see a property tax rate 73 cents per $1,000 of valuation. It would mean raising the rate from $19.91 to $20.64, she said. It is an estimate because the assessor has to complete all required work, which doesn’t happen until August, she said.

The average home valuation in Farmington is $153,354, LaCroix said. “It takes quite a bit of movement in either direction to make significant differences,” she said. “If we change our budget in $50,000 increments, you are looking at a $13.35 (difference) on the tax bill.”

The proposed budget is more than $800,000 below the LD 1 tax limit set by the state and which requires voter approval for going over, she said.

Selectmen will meet 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to further review the budget.

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