BATH
The Bath City Council quickly adopted a $15.25 million 2014-15 budget Tuesday with a series of unanimous votes.
The council granted initial approval of the proposed budget at its May 21 meeting after only two people from the public spoke during a public hearing.
The city’s proposed $15,252,737 budget includes a $770,452 increase and a $253,579 increase in the amount to be raised by taxes, with a 1.4 percent tax increase. The combined city, county and school tax increase would raise the current tax rate of $19.64 per $1,000 of assessed property value by $0.61 — or 3.1 percent — to an estimated $20.25 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Council David Sinclair made motions to reduce the interest rate on delinquent taxes that he felt is too high — from 7 to 5 percent per annum as well as the interest rate on delinquent sewer bills from 7 to 5 percent; but both failed when no councilor offered to second the motion.
No one from the public spoke during a public hearing that took place regard- ing several items the council was scheduled to give final approval of on Wednesday night. The council approved a land use code amendment for the Plant Home contract zone initially approved last year. The clerical amendment, Director of Planning and Development Andrew Deci said, adds a reference of the contract zone in the city’s shoreland zoning ordinance to allow for the Plant Home expansion project.
The council also unanimously approved a new contract zone for the Residence Inn Marriott hotel that will be built at the site of the former Holiday Inn at 139 Richardson St. The old hotel is to be demolished to make way for the new 103-room hotel, the first phase of which will include construction of 87 rooms. The contract zone will remedy setback and yard areas and maximum height requirements in the Commercial 4 district, Deci said.
The council then authorized issuance of up to $675,000 in general obligation bonds to allow for purchase of an ambulance, defibrillator, police vehicle, public works boiler, tractor, bucket truck and chipper, mower and crew cab for public works, a sidewalk sander and snow blower, and a skid steer, scale deck and bulldozer for the landfill.
A contract with the Bath Firefighters Association from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2016, was also unanimously approved and includes a 2 percent salary increase for Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of this year, and 1.5 percent increases in both subsequent years. The council also approved unanimously a $545,000 supplemental appropriation.
The council also honored Franklin Talbot of the Bath Wastewater Treatment Department during a presentation at the start of the meeting with a proclamation recognizing his more than 32 years of service to the city.
dmoore@timesrecord.com
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