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BOWDOINHAM

Bowdoinham voters will have their say Wednesday on the municipal budget for the next fiscal year.

Voters will be presented with a budget of $ 886,538 at the annual town meeting. The total increase in spending is up $38,942, or 4.59 percent from last year.

Town Manager Bill Post said the tax rate will not be set until August, but offered an estimate of a 1.3 percent increase. At this point, the number is an estimate with Maine School Administrative District 75 funding increasing $120,212 and Sagadahoc County increasing $11,500.

Increases in spending are largely due to the town’s ambulance contract. Services from North East Health Services will cost $25,000, up from $2,500. Bowdoinham had been without a contract for ambulance services, with North East and Topsham still providing coverage to the town.

Post had reached out to Topsham about the possibility of entering into a contract for services. There had been some concern about response times as North East no longer had a base in Topsham or Dresden. Topsham selectmen opted not to enter into negotiations in January, citing concern with proving enough coverage in their own town.

The debt services line in the budget shows a $42,749 increase. This is due to payments for the reconstruction of Wildes Road and the purchase of a quick-attack fire truck that voters approved at last year’s town meeting.

The quick-attack truck should be ready for calls next month. It’s a versatile vehicle that comes with forestry capabilities. It will replace a Ford F-350 the town previously used for forestry equipment, as well as a light duty truck used to transport firefighters.

Wednesday’s town meeting begins at 7: 00 p. m. at Bowdoinham Community School.

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