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06/09/2021 08:00 AMOn Thursday, June 17, the Town of Westbrook will hold a town meeting to appropriate money for capital projects that were approved at a referendum last month. The meeting will be held in person in the Mulvey Municipal Center Multi-Purpose Room at 7 p.m.
On May 14 a capital plan of $1,821,707 worth of projects for the 2021-’22 fiscal year was approved by Westbrook voters by a margin of 88 in favor and 7 opposed. Some projects included in the plan include money for police rifles, a new vehicle for the fire marshal, and a paving program.
Other projects include IT upgrades, two-way radio battery replacements, building repairs, sidewalk improvements, and harbor dredging.
The improvements are part of a five-year capital plan that was approved by voters, however Board of Finance Chairman Gary Gavigan explained that only the projects lined up for the 2021-’22 fiscal year that begins July 1 will have their funding approved at this meeting.
“We’re only appropriating funds for the projects in the first fiscal year. The rest of the capital improvement plan is exactly that—a plan,” said Gavigan.
Gavigan added that while the five-year plan is approved, there is always the chance that future projects could be changed when it comes time to follow through. For example, Gavigan recalled a roofing project was postponed after there were concerns about the ability to adapt the roof to add solar capability.
“Generally, what we do is just appropriate the money for the first year,” explained Gavigan.
The money appropriated for the projects will be taken from the fund balance, according to Gavigan.
The year one capital improvements of $1,8,21,707, were part of a total budget of $31,278,297 that voters approved by a huge margin last month. The total budget has a $146,667 year-over-year increase, or a 0.5 percent increase in spending. Even with the small increase in spending, the mil rate for the town remains flat under the new budget.