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05/16/2024 03:17 PMWestbrook voters put their near-unanimous support behind the proposed $34,106,110 2024-’25 budget, approving the measure at a May 13 town meeting.
The newly approved budget represents a $757,421 or 2.3% increase over the current spending. Following the vote, a special meeting was held at which the Board of Finance set the mill rate at 21.70. The new mill rate is a 1.8 % increase over the previous mill rate.
The entire budget includes a town budget of $14,071,368 and a Board of Education (BOE) budget of $20,034,742.
The budget vote was conducted by voice vote, so the exact number of results cannot be pinpointed. However, only one resident raised his hand when the moderator asked for any voters who were opposed to the budget.
In addition to the proposed budget, citizens also passed a five-year capital plan. That vote was also done orally; the same man voted in opposition.
The proposed capital plan has $2,455,977 in projects in year one. Board of Finance Chairman Paul Winch said that in the capital plan, funds were allocated for a new police vehicle, projects at the schools, public works and fire department equipment, and long-term projects like paving.
Beyond normal drivers of change like inflation, Winch pointed to contracted salary raises as a prominent reason for the budget increase. “We had a collecting barraging that led to a salary increase we had to build in; that is a big reason for the increase,” Winch said earlier in the budget process.
Following the vote, Winch said, “I’m very pleased with the minimal increase to the mil rate. We also kept the total budget increase below the rate of inflation.”
Winch credited the proactive work of the town departments and the BOE with making the budget process as harmonious as possible.
“I think all the department heads did a great job working with the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance to work to keep Westbrook an affordable place to live both for young and old people,” Winch said,
“Particularly with the Board of Education, we started working early in the summer months, which I really think helped the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance get a start on their priorities and made for a smoother process,” Winch continued.