Boothbay Town Manager James Chaousis’ proposed a fiscal year 2016 budget looks a lot like the current one. In fact, it actually looks like the last five.

Chaousis submitted his $1,968,172 operating and capital municipal budget proposal to the selectmen during a Dec. 10 meeting. The proposal shows a 1.64 percent increase over the current $1,937,411 figure, and is 0.31 percent higher than the five-year $1,937,952 average, according to municipal records.

Despite relatively flat funding, Chaousis believes municipal service over the past five years hasn’t been adversely impacted. Chaousis told the selectmen that municipal services has improved in recent years.

“How many services  — public or private — in the last five years have gotten better and the public didn’t pay more,” he said.

Chaousis said he based his budget draft on the selectmen’s  goals and objectives. The board developed their budgetary ambitions during an Oct. 22 workshop.

For general government, Chaousis proposed a $530,613.77 budget, which reflects a 3.9 percent increase. General government includes all boards and committees. It also includes funding for elections, administration, assessing and code enforcement.

According to Chaousis, this is the first time in three years that general government spending may see an increase. The proposed increases are due to a three percent employee salary merit increase, and health insurance is expected to increase by seven percent in the fiscal year’s first six months and eight percent in the second.

Chaousis recommended increasing the public safety budget by 1.7 percent to $401,788.38. Public safety includes fire department, harbor master, animal control, fire protection, street lights, and emergency management. The proposed increase is due to increased compensation for the public safety personnel.

Chaousis has proposed a $1 per hour increase for all firefighters, a $2,000 increase in stipends split between the three harbor masters, and a $200 increase for the animal control officer.

The town manager recommended a slightly lower public works budget. The $711,340.77 is 0.3 percent lower than this year’s.

Public works has the largest budget in municipal government. The department is responsible for snow removal, road improvements, and the fuel depot for all town agencies. Chaousis said employee attrition and lower fuel costs resulted in the lower proposed budget.

The capital improvement budget is separate from the operating budget, but in past years Boothbay town managers have intertwined both. The capital improvement budget plans to replace all town equipment and fund long range projects over the next 10 to 15 years. Chaousis proposed $140,000 for the next fiscal year as he has in his previous five.

“I have no plans to recommend any more than $140,000 in future years as well,” Chaousis said. “We have a plan and it’s working. We have a detailed capital improvement plan, and it helps us live within our means.”

The data equalization project is one of several municipal projects funded through capital improvement expenditures. The project requires the tax assessor to update and reset the town’s property tax data base.

Other proposed capital improvement projects for the next fiscal year include replacing the East Boothbay Fire Station’s water tanker, the purchase of new fire department scuba equipment, replacing the 1995 John Deere tractor, and restoring the town clerk’s historical record books.

A 20 percent decrease was recommended for the general assistance account. Chaousis proposed reducing the fund from $10,000 to $8,000. He recommended the lower figure because in past years the fund hasn’t spent the budgeted amount.

State government reimburses small municipalities 50 percent of all general assistance subsidies. Most years, Boothbay pays out less than $8,000 in assistance.

“Even if the need is greater, this is one area where the town is allowed to go over budget if necessary,” he said.

The service account budget saw the largest proposed increase. Chaousis proposed a $125,230 service budget, which is a 15.7 percent increase. The service account budget was created in 2011 to consolidate the expenditures of several budgets that purchase similar resources.

These include legal, advertising, telephone, printing, and building and ground maintenance.

“I am adding this category that previously was funded out capital improvement. This new category will include the annual service charges we incur to maintain the network and digital inventory,” Chaousis said.

The easiest budget to create this year was debt service. The town made their last payment on a 1999 bond and has no other outstanding debt.

The selectmen will review the town manager’s recommendation during a budget deliberation at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14 in the municipal building.