MIL RATE NOT FINALIZED WHILE AWAITING RSU 14 BUDGET
By Ed Pierce
During the Windham Town Council meeting on April 14, councilors approved the town Finance Committee’s budget recommendation and scheduled a public hearing for the proposal for the April 28 council meeting.
 |
| Upon review of the Town of Windham's annual budget proposal, the Windham Finance Committee found additional ways to reduce town operating expenses by 2.63 percent less than the original budget proposal suggested. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
Burns reviewed changes with councilors that the Finance Committee made to the budget proposal, saying that the committee reduced revenue in the original proposal by 9.31 percent and found additional ways to slash town operating expenses by 2.63 percent less than the original budget suggested.
He said much of that decrease can be attributed to fewer bond projects during the next fiscal year in the town.
The town’s mil rate for taxation is a combination of Windham’s budget, RSU 14’s budget, and Cumberland County’s budget.
“We are awaiting what the RSU 14 budget proposal will be so there still is some uncertainty as of yet,” Burns said.
According to Burns, Cumberland County’s budget proposal will increase 9.15 percent.
“Unfortunately, the county had three union contracts to negotiate in the same year and that’s why their budget is going up,” he said.
If the budget proposal is eventually approved by voters, many small capital projects, equipment projects and new equipment are included in the budget proposal.
Some of those items include a new ambulance for Windham Fire-Rescue, new tasers for Windham Police, new servers, firewalls and software licensing for the Windham Police Department, the first year of a three-year Comprehensive Plan Update, Community Park Stormwater Treatment, creation of Forbes Lane Park, repaving of the Mountain Division Trail, and a Brine System and Calcium Tank for Public Works.
New equipment to be purchased if the budget is approved includes a Tilt Trailer, Mower, Dump Truck, Pickup Truck, Chipper, Asphalt Planer, and Used Bucket Truck. The town also plans various equipment rentals, supplies and materials, gravel road reconstruction, surveying, pavement assessment, paving and reconstruction work, roof repair for the Windham sand shed, Varney Mill Estates drainage, a wash bay upgrade for Public Works and continuing the Smith Cemetery expansion project.
Ongoing capital projects for Windham include the North Windham Wastewater Treatment Plant and Conveyance System, the North Windham Wastewater Treatment System Service Connections, the MaineDOT North Windham Moves Project Design installing connector roads, adaptive tech signals, and bike/pedestrian lanes, preliminary engineering of the Windham Middle School reuse to a community center, and the Gambo Property road installation and Public Works Laydown Yard.
The proposed mil rate of 12.06 for Windham based upon the budget proposal is not final yet because the town is still awaiting the RSU 14 budget figures, Burns said. He said that figure is lower than Westbrook, Standish, Falmouth and Gorham. Windham’s mil rate for the 2025-2026 fiscal year was 11.47.
A 12.06 mil rate on a $400,000 assessed property value results in about $4,824 in annual property taxes.
Mark Morrison, Windham Town Council Chair, and Burns each thanked Windham Finance Committee members for their work on reviewing the budget and making further recommendations to it as part of the town’s budget process. The council voted unanimously to move the budget proposal forward for a public hearing on April 28.
Residents will be able to comment on the proposed budget at the Windham Town Council meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 28. Morrison said that Cumberland County Commissioner Tom Tyler of Windham will attend the council meeting on April 28 to explain the county’s 2026-2027 proposed budget increase. <
No comments:
Post a Comment