DURHAM — Voters will choose municipal officers Friday and decide Saturday whether to change the fiscal year from the calendar year to a July 1 to June 30 system.

Polls will be open Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Durham Eureka Community Center at 606 Hallowell Road.

Saturday’s meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at Durham Community School at 654 Hallowell Road.

Select Board Vice Chairman Josh Klein-Golden is running unopposed for another three-year term. Longtime resident Rebekah Polster is also running unopposed for a three-year term to succeed Joe Tomm.

Budget Committee members Jill Castonguay and John Talbot are running unopposed for reelection. Resident Jeff Wakeman is running as a write-in candidate for a third three-year-term seat that is currently vacant.

Regional School Unit 5 board chairperson Michelle Ritcheson is also seeking reelection. Stephanie Worth is running unopposed for the final two years of a three-year term on the school board.

At a public presentation Wednesday, town officials explained that a new municipal fiscal year would mean an 18-month schedule January 2025 through June 2026 — to eventually match that of RSU 5 and the state. The town would return to a 12-month schedule for the 2027 fiscal year, running from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.

The proposed 18-month municipal budget is $6.48 million. Last year’s budget was $4.57 million.

Within the budget, general government, public safety and public works items are the only increases at 14.1%, 13.1% and 2.9%, respectively. Decreases in spending include a 96% reduction in community service costs, 35.6% reduction in debt service and 35.6% reduction in transfers to reserves.

Through relatively unchanged municipal revenues, and after a 26.1% reduction in fund balance, taxes for the municipal budget will decrease. However, factoring in the RSU 5 assessment and county taxes, costs to the taxpayers are expected to rise by 3.5% for a total of $12.93 over 18 months.

Within the 2026 warrant, voters will be asked Saturday to raise and appropriate $270,000 for the fire department capital reserve, $305,000 for the public works capital reserve, $15,000 for the municipal buildings capital reserve and $3,152 for the grants matching reserve.

Voters will also weigh in on several ordinance and business articles Saturday. Article 20, if enacted, will require contract zoning approval for large-scale energy projects and safety and performance standards applied to commercial and industrial battery energy storage systems.

Article 21, if enacted, will remove the Southwest Bend Historic District, placing authority on the Historic Commission to review permits submitted for exterior changes and demolition of historic structures around town.

Along with the proposed 18-month budget, voters will also decide whether to reschedule next year’s annual town meeting from the first Saturday in April to June 13, 2026.