This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
02/26/2024 12:42 PMBudget season is well underway in Westbrook. The Board of Finance (BOF) will spend the next several weeks reviewing each individual town department budget in addition to the Board of Education budget and a capital plan budget. A public hearing is scheduled for April 17.
The BOF can opt to make changes during the process by late March or potentially early April. The approved budgets will be sent to a public hearing to be held on April 17. At that meeting, voters can speak in favor or against any part of the proposed budget. Immediately following the public hearing, the BOF will meet and make any last-minute changes to the proposed budget.
The Westbrook Board of Selectmen has forwarded a Town budget of $15,075,599, a $1,141,030 or 8.2% increase, to the BOF for review. BOF Chairman Paul Winch cautioned that there is still a way to go before voters get to weigh in on the proposed budget, however.
“The Selectmen forwarded us an operating budget. We’re still at step one of a multi-step process,” Winch said.
When it comes time to vote for the final budget, the town budget will be combined with an education budget as well as a capital plan. Winch noted the Board and Education budget, as well as the capital budget, will need to be reviewed by the BOF as well.
When it comes to the current proposed town operating budget, Winch said, “While much higher than some of the more recent increases, this represents a budget that not only maintains current services but also provides some expansion of them, particularly in the area of facilities, and also takes into consideration anticipated contract negotiations as well as funds associated with overall town wages, which will require additional research and consideration by the BOF. The original requested budget was increased by $668,681 and left in all new increases and staffing changes.”
While most area towns conduct their budget approvals via a referendum, Westbrook has mainly used a town meeting format for budget approval over the last seven years. One of the benefits of doing a town meeting vote is that the town can publish a citizen’s voting guide for the budget.
The citizen’s guide is intended to inform voters about the budget and the town’s finances prior to voting. State guidance directs that the town remain neutral in presenting the budget details in any summary document presented to the voters.
The BOS will formally decide whether or not to have a meeting or referendum next month.