DURHAM — Residents will gather at the Durham Community School at 9 a.m. Saturday for the annual town meeting.

Selectmen propose a $2,600,155 municipal budget, which would trigger a 1.48 percent increase of $37,969 over the 2011 budget.

Included in that proposed budget is $25,000 voters will be asked to raise and appropriate in Article 30 for legal fees and related expenses should a majority of Durham voters on June 12 indicate support for pursuing withdrawal Regional School Unit 5, the district the town shares with Freeport and Pownal. The referendum stems from a petition for withdrawal submitted to the town.

Durham Administrative Assistant Janet Smith said if the result of the June 12 vote is not to seek withdrawal, the $25,000 would lapse into the fund balance.

Also included in the $37,969 budget increase figure is Durham’s share of the Androscoggin County budget, which is increasing by 5 percent — $17,225.

Selectmen have proposed an overall 3.63 percent increase in the bottom line for municipal salaries and benefits, Smith said.

Smith said selectmen’s proposed budget would tap $77,692 less from the undesignated fund balance than in 2011, and would increase the amount to be raised through property taxes by $46,380.

Smith didn’t have an estimated property tax rate but said the tax rate could see a small increase from the $13.10 per $1,000 of assessed value 2011 tax rate — dependent on the new value in town and how much municipal revenue sharing money Durham receives from the state.

If the town’s overall valuation increases, the tax rate could remain flat, despite the proposed spending increases, Smith said.

The town’s share of the RSU 5 budget also won’t be finalized until the budget validation referendum June 12.

Articles 37 and 38 ask voters whether to change the position of tax collector and treasurer from an elected to position to an appointed position, retroactive to today, so the positions would not appear on the municipal election ballot next year. Smith said these two positions, held for almost 25 years by Pauline Paradis, are the only remaining town staff positions filled by election.

If Article 42 passes, selectmen would have the authority to make yearly appointments to the board of appeals and planning board.

Town meeting participants also will vote on a handful of ordinances or ordinance amendments. Article 33 asks voters to enact a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) ordinance. The ordinance would allow Durham residents to apply for energy improvement funds through Efficiency Maine. More information about this program can be found at www.efficiencymaine.com/pace.

Article 34 will let voters decide if they want to adopt a lock box ordinance. A lock box to hold a key to a building is designed to make access easier to firefighters and rescue workers during an emergency response. The fire department would have a key to the lock boxes, which would be kept secure and accounted for. In the event of a fire alarm call, firefighters could use a key to enter the building and check for fire without having to unduly damage property. This would only pertain to buildings monitored by an alarm company.

Article 35 proposes an E-911 addressing ordinance that regulates private road signs. Article 36 would amend the town’s subdivision ordinance by adding a section pertaining to the maintenance of private road signs in accordance with the E- 911 addressing ordinance.

Durham residents were invited to an informational meeting March 20 where attendees heard a report from the Government Study Committee, which investigated three different scenarios for road maintenance.

The options are: Have only a road commissioner to oversee all jobs done to specifications; maintain roads as currently done; or have a public works department.

Article 39 seeks residents’ opinion on whether to conduct a feasibility study focused on the creation of a public works department. Smith said that of the article passes, depending on the outcome of the feasibility study, selectmen could bring a plan of action to next year’s annual town meeting. According to the Government Study Committee, the town now spends $8,739.64 per mile for plowing for 71.17 miles of road; and $12,103.85 per mile for the approximately 46 miles of road it maintains.

The committee further states in its Jan. 9 memo to selectmen that the town has “ roads that need major repairs, some needing minor repairs and roads that need to be maintained to prevent having major rebuilds. At the current rate of monies budgeted, the town is not keeping up with maintenance.”

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