Boothbay Harbor selectmen unanimously approved the town warrant March 22. The proposed budget totals $4,891,291. Town Manager Julia Latter said it is up $61,073 or 1.26% over last year.

The warrant includes the budget committee and selectmen’s recommendation to apply $1,184,786 in estimated revenues to reduce the property tax commitment and appropriation of $3,063,255 for all remaining accounts. Said Latter, “(This) does not include the county or the school as is customary.”

Latter said absentee ballots for the May 7 election will be available beginning April 7 and can be requested online, by phone, or in person at the town office. “We will also be utilizing our secure ballot dropbox out front of the building, 24/7, which we were able to obtain last year,” she said.

Public Works Foreman Nick Upham said the winter operations budget is 53%, about 2% lower than this time last year. “We started out winter around Dec. 18 with our first big snowstorm. We had a total of 15 inches of snow and of course after all the work we did trying to get it cleaned up and moved away, it ended up melting away everywhere else by the 23rd.”

Upham said after that there were only 4-6 inch storms and bouts of sleet or heavy rain calling for sanding and salting. The minimal ground cover allowed the public works crew to tackle long overdue projects like painting and setting out tables early, clearing trees and overgrowth and trash from Lewis Park by the water tower and getting a head start on some of the other satellite parks which have not received attention in recent years. “Some of them haven't really been worked on or maintained in quite a while … The goal is hopefully to keep picking away … so people can go out and see these parks and enjoy them.”

“My hat's off to the crew this winter. They did an excellent job. We were down to two plow trucks this winter … we were understaffed and they did a really good job, so I'm very happy and pleased with them.”

Boothbay Harbor Emergency Management Agency Director David Cody has applied for Maine Municipal Association's Ed MacDonald Safety Enhancement grant, said Latter. It would fund a hot-stick, a high voltage alternating current power detector which detects live current from a safe distance. MMA covers two-thirds of the project and the town would pay the remaining $598.

Latter said Cody has also revised the regional comprehensive emergency plan. The plan will need review by Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay and Southport boards of selectmen, she said.

The Route 27 sidewalk project is going to lowest bidder Ranger Construction Corporation of Fairfield for $380,453. Latter said more information about the project will soon be available.

Selectmen unanimously approved personal property write-offs totaling $788.84 for 2015 and $1,187.95 for 2016.