WINDHAM – Road and building maintenance and raises for non-union employees could contribute to a tax increase under the proposed 2011-2012 municipal budget.

An added position in the public works department and fuel cost increases would also drive up spending.

The Windham Finance Committee on Wednesday will have its first workshop on Town Manager Tony Plante’s proposed $14.2 million budget.

The plan would be a 3 percent increase over this year’s $13.8 million budget, and would raise the tax rate by 15 cents, adding $30 to the property tax bill of a $200,000 home.

Since the recession began, the town has reduced staff and operating hours to avoid raising taxes, Plante said. The plan for next year proposes few additional cuts to town services.

The proposed budget includes a $280,000 increase in capital improvement costs, including road paving and building maintenance projects such as a new boiler for one fire station and an emergency generator for another.

A 2 percent cost-of-living increase and step increases for non-union employees, whose salaries have been frozen for two years, would add about $72,000 to the budget. The town is currently negotiating contracts with two of its three unions, Plante said.

Plante’s budget proposes re-establishing the position of highway maintenance supervisor in the Public Works Department. That position had been folded into the job of the public works deputy director, which was eliminated last year, Plante said. Since then, the public works director has taken on supervision of highway maintenance employees, but that “wasn’t working,” Plante said.

The highway maintenance supervisor would oversee 10 employees and earn about $40,000 per year.

Increases in the cost of heating fuel and gas for police, fire and public works vehicles added about $17,000 to the budget.

Staff Writer Leslie Bridgers can be contacted at: 791-6364 or at

lbridgers@mainetoday.com

 

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