For the second consecutive year, Boothbay residents will conduct a referendum-style town meeting. Residents will vote Monday, May 2 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and decide the 32-article, $1,999,107.95 municipal budget.

The proposed budget is a 3.24 percent increase or $62,696 more in municipal spending. Town Manager Dan Bryer described the proposed spending as being pretty close to the current year’s.

“The increase is due to some minor corrections. We’re funding some things that haven’t been funded in the past couple years,” he said. “But overall, it’s pretty close to the same as the current budget.”

The selectmen recommend $522,147.11 for general government, $390,303.08 for public safety, $726,977.77 for public works, $165,000 for capital improvements, $8,000 for general assistance, $134,480, $0 for debt service, and $52,200 for insurance.

The warrant also includes funding requests for the following organizations: Boothbay Region Ambulance Service, $162,017; Boothbay Region Cemetery District, $18,000; Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, $50,000; Boothbay Harbor Fireworks Fund, $5,000; Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District, $396,200; Boothbay Region Community Television, $20,000; Boothbay Region Historical Society, $2,000; Boothbay Region Nursing Association, $9,520; American Legion Charles Sherman Post #36, $500; New Hope for Women, $915; The Community Center, $$3,500; and Boothbay Region Community Resources, $1,000.

The selectmen are also recommending approval of the following requests: The Community Center, $3,500; The Trolley Committee, $2,000; and The Boothbay Region Senior Citizens Club, Inc., $1,000. Voters are also being asked to raise and appropriate $1,000 for the Boothbay Area Shellfish Ordinance and $25,000 for the town’s share of the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Economic Development Committee. The selectmen also recommend $165,000 for implementation of the Capital Improvement Plan.

Residents are being asked to approve three zoning amendments. Article 28 regards amending the municipal cell tower ordinance. The planning board drafted a new ordinance last year in response to the current one’s failure to keep a cell tower out of East Boothbay. The 18-page amended ordinance is modeled after state cell tower regulations and is expected to provide town officials with more influence on future cell tower placement, according to planning board officials.

The other two proposed amendments also regard changes to the land use ordinance. Article 29 involves changes defining hazard, storm-damaged, and dead trees. Article 30 regards managing these mangled trees. Maine municipalities have two years to adopt the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) guidelines for managing and defining damaged and dead trees.

The warrant also includes the municipal elections. The only contested race is for a three-year term as representative to the Community School District.  First-term incumbent William Bailey is being challenged by former State Representative Bruce MacDonald.

All other municipal races are uncontested. CSD Trustee Kevin Anthony is running for re-election, but isn’t on the ballot. He failed to return his nomination papers by the March 18 deadline.

The following incumbents are on the ballot and seeking re-election: Chuck Cunningham, selectman; Jonathan Lewis, Boothbay Region Water District trustee; and Stanley W. Lewis, Cemetery District trustee. All offices are for three-year terms.

The polls are located in the Boothbay municipal building.