POWNAL — Monday, Pownal residents will vote by secret ballot on a roughly $1.7 million municipal budget that Selectboard Chair Jon Morris said is as “bare bones” as possible in light of the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
The historic Mallett Hall, the Pownal Town Hall and, if the community supports it, the future site of the Pownal Community Center, Photo contributed by the Pownal Scenic and Historical Society
The municipal budget, which is roughly $100,000 lower than last year’s, could lower taxes by more than 1%, Morris said, and will likely have a negligible impact on the town’s tax rate of $18.30.
Pownal, a town of about 2,500 residents, has a smaller budget than its larger neighbors, but mounting costs are still a concern, and Morris said that “just like everybody else, we’re anticipating a really bad year next year.”
The annual town meeting has been replaced with a secret ballot referendum to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Because of the expected economic hardships, coupled with the fact that with a secret ballot there is no opportunity to debate or amend, Morris said the budget committee and town staff have kept the budget “as minimalist as possible.”
While the three virtual public hearings were poorly attended, town officials are anticipating record-high turnout at the polls.
“There are more absentee ballots out for the town meeting than we’ve ever had for personal representation,” Morris said, estimating that there will be “50 people beyond our highest total historically.” There are 73 ballots out.
The level of input is exciting, as it reflects “democracy in its purest form,” but it’s also scary, because with the secret ballot, if the voters don’t want to spend the money for the road department, “then we have to shut it down,” he said.
The $730,000 public works budget is by far the largest share of municipal expenses, and officials cut $8,900 from the paving and road maintenance that would have gone toward an ongoing project to improve some of the town’s many dirt roads.
Projected revenues are expected to decrease by nearly $50,000, including a 40% dip in excise tax, which is “a lot of money for a small town,” Morris said.
This, and some other departmental increases, are offset by the elimination of about $160,000 from the capital project fund.
Instead, officials are asking the town to raise and appropriate just $1 to keep the fund going.
One warrant article asks voters to “expend up to $35,000 from the dedicated impact fee recreation fund” for the purchase and installation of a community events sign.
This is money the town has already collected, and would draw about half the money in the fund.
In the last year, Pownal officials and residents have worked to foster more community spirit in the town, and hope to turn historic Mallett Hall, the current home to the town hall, into a Pownal Community Center.
Before the pandemic, residents were seeing a boost in community events, with a Twelfth Night celebration in January and a Valentine’s Day card-making gathering in February. A spring and fall festival were in the works before being canceled due to public health concerns.
A community events sign would be the next step in the process.
Another warrant article requests an additional $25,000 be taken from the fund to refurbish Engine 2 for the fire department.
When combined with the school budget, Pownal’s overall expenditure is roughly $5 million.
On Tuesday, Pownal residents voted 390 to 162 to accept the proposed $34.88 million Regional School Unit 5 school budget.
Pownal is responsible for just over 12%, or roughly $4.2 million of the overall school budget, with Durham and Freeport accounting for the remainder.
According to The Forecaster, for a home valued at $200,000, the school budget could cause a tax bill in Pownal to increase roughly $6. The mil rate will not be set until July 27 when the assessor returns.
Polls are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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