The Boothbay town meeting will be held this year with no moderator, no long debates, and no questions about Robert’s Rules of Order. The selectmen are implementing residents’ request to hold this year’s town meeting by referendum.

Residents will vote from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, May 4 regarding the 24 town warrant articles. The selectmen recommend approval for all 24. The warrant includes electing two selectmen, an at-large Boothbay Region Water District trustee, member of the superintending school committee, trustee of the community school district and a cemetery district member. The ballot also includes several questions about municipal funding.

All five of the municipal elections are uncontested. The candidates are Dale Harmon and Steven Lewis for selectmen, Kenneth Marston for water district trustee, John Bertolet for superintending school committee, and Kim Pinkham for cemetery district trustee. There is no candidate listed on the ballot for community school district trustee. Incumbent Christopher Buchanan is running as a write-in candidate. Each office is for a three-year term.

Residents will also vote on the municipal budget for the next fiscal year. The proposed municipal budget is $1,828,174, which represents an 1.64 percent increase. The proposed spending includes $530,614 for general government, $401,789 for public safety, $711,341 for public works, $8,000 for general assistance, $125,230 for service account, and $51,200 for insurance.

The proposed general government accounts reflect a 3.9 percent increase. It includes all boards and committees. General government also includes funding for elections, administration, assessing and code enforcement. The proposed increase is due to a proposed 3 percent employee salary merit increase, and health insurance is expected to increase by 7 percent in the fiscal year’s first six months and by 8 in the second.

The recommended public safety budget reflects a 1.7 percent increase. Public safety include fire department, harbor master, animal control, fire protection, street lights, and emergency management. The proposed increase is due to increased compensation for personnel.

The budget proposes a $1 per hour raise for firefighters, a $2,000 increase stipend split between the three harbor masters, and a $200 increase for the animal control officer.

The proposed public works budget is three percent lower than this year’s. The budget was trimmed through employee attrition and lower than expected fuel costs, according to town officials.

The recommended capital improvement budget is separate from the operating budget, but in past years Boothbay town managers have intertwined both. The proposed capital improvement plans on replacing all town equipment and funding long range projects over the next 10-15 years. The selectmen have recommended appropriating $140,000 per year since 2011.

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

General assistance has the largest recommended decrease and service budget account has the largest proposed increase.

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

The selectmen recommended a 15.7 percent increase for the service account budget. The account 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.

In addition to the budget and municipal elections, residents will vote on an article which may trigger the tax levy limit question. Article 22 asks residents to approve $120,200 from the assigned fund balance pursuant to a limited option to purchase property.

The town entered into a right of first refusal agreement with owner Paul Weaver of Massachusetts to purchase, at market value, a half acre parcel located adjacent to the municipal building. Weaver notified town officials last fall that he wanted to sell the parcel located at 16 Corey Lane.

If voters approve Article 22, it would result in municipal spending exceeding the property tax levy limit. State law requires voters to override the limit when the tax commitment is greater than the property tax levy.

The warrant also include funding for several local nonprofits: Boothbay Region Ambulance Service, $160,524; Boothbay Region Cemetery District, $15,000; Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, $45,000; Town of Boothbay Harbor Fireworks Fund, $5,000; Boothbay Region Refuse District, $385,473; Boothbay Region Community Television, $20,000; Boothbay Region Historical Society, $2,000; Boothbay Region District Nursing Association, $9,250; American Legion Post No. 36, $300; New Hope for Women, $915;and Boothbay Community Resources to support the Woodchuck program, $500.