Final public hearing Dec. 5
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — City Council is getting ready to pass a budget for the next year.
On Monday, Dec. 5 the Presque Isle City Council is holding a final public hearing on the proposed 2017 budget, during its regularly scheduled meeting.
As prepared by the city manager, the proposed 2017 budget has a total tax commitment of $13.82 million and a mill rate of $26.06 per $1,000 of property value. Both of those figures would represent a 1.4 percent increase over the prior year.
The budget is the result of an annual process of forecasting all of the incoming and outgoing money of the local government’s programs and services.
Most departments would see at least modest spending increases in the 2017 budget, although many have also submitted requests for capital expenditures that councilors may or may not decide to fund.
The Police Department, for instance, is requesting funds to add another detective — something not included in the proposed budget but that will be worth considering, said City Manager Martin Puckett, during a recent council meeting.
Presque Isle has seen “serious cases” of crime that a detective would be devoted to, “including domestic assault and vandalism,” Puckett said. (The city recently sought a grant that would have paid for two new police officers, but did not get the award).
The council will also be deciding how much to devote to funding requests for outside entities — annual solicitations from community groups and nonprofits that service the region.
Among those, Wintergreen Arts Center is seeking $40,000, the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce $23,000, the Aroostook Agency on Aging $5,000, Quoggy Jo Ski Club $6,400, the Presque Isle Snowmobile Club $2,300, the American Red Cross $2,300 and Life Flight of Maine $2,000.
