POMFRET — Voters will be asked to vote on $1.5 million in municipal spending, including $405,492 for town operations and $1.1 million for the highway budget with $922,493 to be raised by taxes, which could amount to a 3.6% tax increase if some surplus money is used to mitigate the impact.
Last year, voters approved a $1.3 million town and highway budget.
The proposed general fund budget is 13.2% higher than the fiscal year 2020 budget, according to a budget narrative from the Selectboard in the Town Report. The increase is attributed to $12,000 for improving the fire department and $32,544 for ambulance coverage from Woodstock. The proposed highway budget is 14.6% higher than fiscal year 2020’s budget, largely due to adding $100,000 to the paving reserve fund. However, officials plan to use $50,959 in the highway fund balance to offset the increase.
Two ballot measures ask voters to approve $176,381 in surplus funds from fiscal year 2019 to offset the amount of money to be raised by taxes. One article asks for the funds to be split between $72,381 to offset the amount to be raised by taxes, $85,000 to go to the paving reserve fund to be used for the Howe Hill Road paving project, $4,000 for the communications reserve fund and $15,000 for the town building reserve fund. A second article seeks to divide the surplus funds in two, earmarking $90,000 to put in the highway paving reserve fund and using $86,381 to offset the amount of money to be raised by taxes.
Nominations are from the floor and voters will be asked to elect two Selectboard members for one-year terms and one Selectboard member for a three-year term.
Town Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 3, at 9 a.m., at Pomfret Town Hall at 5233 Pomfret Road.