LUDLOW, Maine — Taxpayers in Ludlow should see only a slight increase to their tax bills following the approval of a $536,366 budget during the July 27 annual town meeting.
Selectmen have yet to formally set the mill rate, but according to Town Manager Diane Hines, that rate will likely be 16.9 mills, up from last year’s tax rate of 16.2 mills.
“I definitely feel that this is a flat budget,” Hines said. “We really did a nice job of keeping costs down.”
A small crowd turned out for the July 27 meeting, with only 17 people voting on 25 warrant articles. Municipal spending was up slightly, mostly due to the fact that the town wants to set aside $20,000 to create a Capital Road Improvements fund.
“We receive $20,000 from the state and want to put that together with this $20,000 to build up this account for repairs,” Hines said. “We have some major problems to be addressed with roads in the town.”
One of those issues is Lamb Brook, which crosses under the Ludlow Road, Hines said. The culvert underneath the Ludlow Road is about 60 years old and in serious need of replacing.
Voters shot down a recommended increase in the general government account. Hines said the board was recommending $55,000 for general government, which was an increase of $5,000 over the previous year.
“We are now open on Fridays and we want to be able to hire an engineer to do any road improvements that might need to be done,” she said.
One reduction to the budget, which did not generate much discussion at the town meeting, is likely to cause additional discussion at the next board of selectmen’s meeting, Hines said. Residents at the town meeting unanimously voted to change the town’s contract for stray animals, switching from the Houlton Humane Society in Houlton to the Penobscot Valley Humane Society in Lincoln.
Last year, the town paid $2,484 to the Houlton shelter for its services of taking in stray or lost animals found within the town limits. By switching to Lincoln shelter, the town was able to reduce its cost to $800 for the year.
The Houlton Humane Society is located five miles from the town, while the Penobscot shelter is 76 miles away.
Hines said she expected the item to be brought back up for discussion at a future selectmen’s meeting.
During the municipal elections, Laura Geiger was re-elected to a three-year term on the SAD 70 school board with 22 votes and Theron Bickford was re-elected to a three-year seat on the town’s board of selectmen with 23 votes.
