BOWDOINHAM

A total of 73 voters made quick work of the 39-article town meeting warrant Wednesday at Bowdoinham Community School.

In only 40 minutes, with no debate, voters approved a 2016-17 municipal budget of $1.6 million, a 2.6 increase over the current budget. The budget, combined with school and county spending plans, is expected to result in either no increase or a small increase to the tax rate, but the tax commitment hasn’t yet been calculated.

Resident Dan Billings asked for clarification about a couple of line items, starting with town office and town hall capital improvements in the town facilities maintenance budget.

Town Manager Bill Post said it is a new line and for 2017 is money to create ADA accessibility to the front and back of the town office, including electronic door openers on the front of the building.

Billings also asked about the engineering and site survey line item in the public works department budget — totaling $5,000 — and its intended use.

“That is for preliminary engineering or site work to locate a new public works facility,” Post said. “It’s one of the projects that I’ve been working on since I’ve been here.”

Post said the town is narrowing down the potential sites and he’d like some money in the budget to have an engineer determine the best location on a site or whether or not a site is appropriate to build a facility on.

Also, the town began raising funds for a skateboard park more than 10 years ago in honor of skateboard enthusiast Matthew Parker. He was 15 in 2005 when he died of encephalitis and many people donated money toward a skateboard park in his memory.

As recommended by selectmen, the town’s residents Wednesday voted down an article that would have appropriated a contingent amount up to $10,000 from the undesignated fund balance to complete the skate park.

The town meeting warrant was approved before selectmen had a contract for the skate park. With a contract in place, the town doesn’t need the money, according to a statement from selectmen read into the record Wednesday night before the vote defeating the article. The goal is to get the park built before the snow flies this coming winter.

This year’s annual town report was dedicated to Jack Tourtelotte, who served on the town’s fire department 57 years — 14 as chief — before retiring in 2013.

Selectman Doug Tourtelotte, a contractor in town, received the Spirit of America award for all the work he does in town without hesitation or self-promotion.

dmoore@timesrecord.com

Future tax rate

• THE $1.6 MILLION municipal budget, combined with school and county spending plans, is expected to result in either no increase or a small increase to the tax rate, but the tax commitment hasn’t yet been calculated.