Dear Editor:

As the Town of Boothbay Harbor prepares for the upcoming annual town meeting on May 5 and 6, I thought it would be helpful to preview what to expect this year regarding the proposed budget for next year. Our goal is to minimize the tax burden as much as possible. We have done a good job at doing that over the last 10 years. While I cannot guarantee that this will happen again when the tax rate is set in August, the municipal budget of $4,241,854 for FY 2017-2018 being proposed at the town meeting is up $139,000 versus the previous year. The two line items that make up most of that increase are the Capital account and the Public Works account. Each account is up approximately $60,000. The Capital account now includes the remaining money necessary to construct a new basketball court, pickle ball court and aesthetic improvements adjacent to the high school field. The Public Works account includes additional investment in paving to resurface the entire Middle Road which is badly needed.

The town report is printed in April. As we do each year, we will do our best to deliver them in person when and where we can. Hopefully by mid April copies will be available at the town office. It will be uploaded and be available at our town website at www.boothbayharbor.org.

Thank you to the municipal department heads for formulating sound budgets and for all the dedication and effort of the Budget Committee and Board of Selectmen in reviewing and proposing another fiscally sound budget to the tax payers.

The polls are open at the Boothbay Harbor Fire Station from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, May 5 and the open town meeting begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 6 at the Boothbay Region Elementary School.

Thomas Woodin

Town Manager