PHIPPSBURG

Faced with a surprise increase in their share of the locally funded portion of the Regional School Unit 1 budget this year, Phippsburg voters approved additional cuts and passed a 2012-13 municipal budget of $1.53 million on Tuesday evening.

But one decision, to reduce the town’s funding for Patten Free Library in Bath below what the library requested, essentially would end the town’s affiliation with that organization — and as of July 1, more than 900 Phippsburg residents would lose their library cards.

2012-13 budget

“The RSU crisis” drove much of three hours of discussion during Phippsburg’s annual town meeting Tuesday night as residents and officials grappled with how to fill a surprise $314,000 increase in the town’s share of next year’s RSU 1 budget.

Phippsburg residents approved a 2012-13 municipal budget of $1.53 million, including deep cuts to many town department budgets.

Added to a $1,069,212 Sagadahoc County budget and nearly $3 million to RSU 1, Phippsburg must raise $4.75 million through property taxes, according to Phippsburg Town Administrator Mike Young.

Altogether, voters approved using $731,000 from the town’s surplus of nearly $2 million, which along with the additional budget cuts, will result in a property tax rate of $7.78 per $1,000 of valuation — up 18 cents from $7.60, Young said today.

On Monday evening, selectmen, department heads and committee chairmen held what Selectman Gary Read called “a marathon session” at the Totman Library, determined to find last-minute cuts to keep the property tax rate from increasing 51 cents per $1,000 of valuation as a result of the RSU 1 cost-sharing change.

They emerged with a list of proposed additional cuts totaling $164,555, according to Young.

Voters on Tuesday approved cuts including $74,000 to maintain town roads — down from $250,000 to $176,000 — and $5,000 each from fire operations, fire general, rescue and fire capital accounts. They also approved a reduced request of $94,000 — down from an original request of $120,000 — for work at the town’s transfer station, opting to delay part of that project until next year.

Residents also approved “wording” and other minor changes to the shoreland zoning ordinance, and accepted a gift of more than 60 acres in the Basin Preserve from The Nature Conservancy.

Voters rejected some reductions, however, including $2,650 from the police department’s operations budget, although Phippsburg Police Chief John Skroski said trimming his department’s budget was “part of the pain of sharing the burden of the RSU.”

Lisa Wallace, Phippsburg’s tax collector and treasurer, said “Phippsburg is crazy in the summer … (the police department) is scraping by. There’s absolutely no padding in this police department (budget).”

Voters reinstated Skroski’s original request of $14,900.

They also rejected several amendments to further trim the budget, including a suggestion that legal expenses be cut from $15,000 to $10,000.

Resident Proctor Wells said, “With the RSU issue that has come up … I recommend the (legal budget) stay the same as it was.”

Patten Free Library

Perhaps the most heated discussion — and dramatic decision — occurred near the end of the meeting, when moderator John Morse read Article 71, a request by Patten Free Library for $35,493 in funding.

During Monday’s emergency meeting, selectmen and other officials proposed cutting that funding to $25,000, and on Tuesday, voters held up pink cards and supported that cut, 111 to 47.

Speaking against providing full funding to Patten Free, Kathy Perkins said the Totman Library “has everything … that you could probably need.”

Voters on Tuesday approved a total of $43,710 in funding for the Totman Library, including salaries, operations and a capital account.

“We just sat here this evening and watched all the departments strip their budgets down,” Mike Young said, concurring with Perkins and recommending that the town cease funding Patten Free Library altogether. “We have our own library. You only need a card (at Patten Free Library) to take books out.”

“I’m tired of Patten Free Library holding us hostage year after year after year,” Fred Libby Jr. said. “Those people who want to use the library, take $50 out of your pocket and go use it.”

But Camilla Healey, a Patten Free Library board member from Phippsburg, said Patten Free offers more than 60,000 volumes, increased programming, Interlibrary Loan services and other features.

However, Susan Beegel, also a Patten Free Library board member from Phippsburg, cautioned residents that the library “has no choice but to refuse the funding” because, according to its bylaws, each participating community must pay according to its population, and Phippsburg’s increased last year, according to the 2010 census.

“That means 912 Phippsburg residents have lost their cards,” she said.

A call this morning to David Miller, chairman of the Patten Free Library board of trustees, was not immediately returned.

bbrogan@timesrecord.com