With its final recommendation secured Wednesday night, the Wells municipal budget is set to go to voters on the ballot this June.

The total budget, sitting at $33,570,120, was advanced by selectmen and budget committee members at the joint Budget Reconciliation Meeting held at the Wells Town Hall.

Town Manager Michael Pardue and Finance Director Jodie Sanborn discussed three things voters should know about the proposal.

TAX INCREASE

According to Pardue and Sanborn, the property tax increase is about 4.28%.

Pardue said that Wells has one of the lowest tax rates in York County, with the current rate at $6.46 per $1,000 of assessed value.

“For the level of service we’re able to provide, I think all of us are very pleased with that,” said Pardue.

He said a major focus on the select board and budget board is to maintain a stable tax rate, as well as transparency with the taxpayers.

Pardue said with the increase, they’re aiming for an adjusted rate of about $6.74 per $1,000, but that the number could fluctuate slightly based on valuation changes that they won’t know the result of until the end of the summer.

MAIN DRIVERS

The biggest forces behind the budget increase were the rising costs of employee benefits and the addition of a position in the public works department.

In the budget proposal packet, the town describes the new role as an assistant who “will support the Facilities Manager in the maintenance and upkeep of all Town-owned facilities.”

Pardue said health insurance increased 12% this year. He said that as consumers see the cost of goods and services go up, the cost on the town to provide those services goes up as well.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Sanborn said the town wants voters to know the plan for the informational public hearings on the budget in May.

“ We try to be as transparent as we can about our budget with all our taxpayers,” said Sanborn, “we want our taxpayers to be as informed as they can at the ballot box.”

She said the public hearings are important parts of the budget process where voters can ask questions as well as voice their concerns.

The public hearings are currently scheduled to be a part of the select board meetings on May 5 and May 19. Both Pardue and Sanborn said there may be more, but as of right now those are the only dates set in stone.

Wells Board of Selectmen meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 6 p.m. in the Littlefield Meeting Room on the 2nd floor of the town hall at 208 Sanford Road.