SANFORD — The city’s budget committe on Thursday had their first look at a proposed combined municipal and school budget plan that will — after several perusals — be presented to the Sanford City Council for approval and eventually, to the voters for a validation vote in June.
If the $66.9 million proposed total appropriation for the fiscal year that begins July 1 were to be approved without changes — and the city’s valuation remains unchanged from today — it could increase the tax rate by 59 cents, to $23.33 per $1,000 of value.
Currently, the city is undergoing its first revaluation of commercial businesses and multi-family dwellings in many years. City Manager Steve Buck said the results of that revaluation will be included in the coming year’s tax assessment. At present, there is no estimate of what that change will be.
As well, Buck said he believes depreciation of the value of city properties is at an end. He said he expects some uptick in valuation this year, and pointed out that last year, $14 million in new growth was completely offset by depreciation.
Thursday evening’s meeting was the beginning of the budget process. The seven-member committee will spend the next five Thursdays examining the proposed municipal and school budgets in detail, before they present their recommendation to the City Council in early April.
With revenues figured in — up a projected $4.5 million overall from the current year, pending any legislative changes — the municipal and school budgets each propose a $14.8 million appropriation.
On the municipal side, proposed budget increases include four new public safety positions — one new police officer, one new dispatcher, and two firefighter/paramedics. Buck said a hike in medical insurance costs of more than double the expected 7 percent, plus unforeseen hikes in worker’s compensation and retirement premiums have also driven budget increases.
School Department authorities hope to use a carryover of $400,000 from last year and a projected $325,000 carryover from this year to help offset school spending.
School business manager Gwen Bedell pointed out that last year, there were substantial savings realized in salaries and benefits because of teacher retirements that weren’t anticipated when the budget was prepared. Replacements that were hired were paid a lesser rate than those who retired, and some positions were unfilled. As well, the School Department was able to pay an $800,000 debt it owed the city.
The School Department has also seen a substantial increase in special education students over the last several years. And while many special education students are educated locally, there are some out of district placements, including seven students educated elsewhere at an estimated cost of $80,000 each, Superintendent David Theoharides said.
Budget committee members questioned whether the School Department’s proposed budget could be figured differently.
Mayor Tom Cote asked school officials if they’d be willing to discuss having a consultant look at school spending at some point, to determine if there could be greater efficiencies.
Theoharides said that the essential programs and services model, as currently configured by the state, does that by measuring, for example, how many principals are needed depending on a school’s enrollment, and so on.
The proposed school budget contains about $68,000 to restore some extracurricular programs, like freshman basketball, cut a few years ago.
Next Thursday, the budget committee will hear in-depth detail on the municipal budget when they meet in City Council chambers at 6 p.m.
On March 16, there will be a public hearing on the proposed budget and an in-depth look at the school budget.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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