MONMOUTH – Voters curious about the issues surrounding this year’s town meeting are invited to a public hearing Wednesday night at Cumston Hall.

Monmouth’s June 10 town meeting is by a ballot, rather than the longer, discussion-style meetings held in many Maine towns. The public hearing gives people a chance to ask questions of selectmen and the town manager.

There are 27 items on the warrant, ranging from budget items to amendments to ordinances.

One would redefine the word “park” in the town’s park ordinance, so that Cumston Park isn’t designated as a park. Cumston Park is used as the town’s fairgrounds, and the livestock shows there break town regulations for acceptable park usage.

Town Manager Curtis Lunt said this year’s warrant includes few significant price increases, and that the overall warrant asks for 1 percent more than last year.

“We’ve really tried to hold the line,” Lunt said. “We know that people can’t afford more taxes.”

He said some increases, such as for public works, were unavoidable with increased fuel costs. There are also some new costs the selectmen are looking to cover, including police pensions and dispatch costs.

Article #6 of the meeting warrant requests about $18,000 for pensions for Monmouth’s full-time police officers. “There’s no current retirement system here,” Lunt said. The pensions would be available to officers after 25 years of service.

Article #15 requests $51,000 for emergency dispatching, most of which would pay for regional dispatching services through Augusta since Kennebec County has discontinued its own service. According to Lunt, the county dispatch service charges Monmouth $21,000 per year, while the regional service will cost the town $41,000.

Lunt said the town avoids new charges unless absolutely necessary. “If you can’t afford em, don’t buy them,” he said. “That’s our motto.”