TOWN — Topsham voters will face 20 articles at Wednesday’s town meeting and decide if they will adopt the proposed $8,072,250 municipal budget — an increase of 1.83 percent over the 2011-12 fiscal year.

The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the Commons at Mt. Ararat High School. Town Clerk Ruth Lyons urges residents to arrive early to sign in and receive their voting cards.

The Mt. Ararat High School National Honor Society will provide free child care for town meeting attendees from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

According to Town Manager Cornell Knight, the $8.07 million budget would raise the tax rate by $7 on a home valued at $100,000 — from $16.15 to $16.22 per $1,000 of assessed value.

The proposed School Administrative District 75 budget, which goes to districtwide referendum on June 12, estimates a $280,950 reduction in Topsham’s share of 2012-13 public education costs.

The town’s share of the Sagadahoc County budget will increase by $72,914, according to information included in the warrant.

Article 5 asks how much money the town will spend for public safety, and asks for $89,500 more than in 2011-12 — a large portion of which stems from a request by Highland Green and The Highlands residents to pay to station two per diem emergency medical technicians at the public safety building daily from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., starting on July 1.

The amount the town will spend on debt service will be addressed in Article 2. This year’s proposed figure is $1,535,435 — or 4.8 percent increase. The increase stems from a May 2011 town meeting vote to borrow for a new ladder truck and plow truck.

Article 4 asks how much the town will spend for capital projects. Replacement of a 1998 pickup truck is proposed. Also budgeted is $275,000 for road construction, an increase of $25,000. Town officials again recommend placing $50,000 in reserve to address Bay Park drainage problems.

Also included in the budget is an approximately $16,000 increase in hydrant rental expenses due to an increase in water district rates.

A vacant position in the Topsham Police Department would be eliminated with this budget.

In addition to the six articles related to the budget, voters will address four proposed ordinance revisions, a number of annual housekeeping matters and Article 13, which asks voters to approve a Community Development Block grant application for $300,000 on behalf of the Topsham Housing Authority and at no cost to the town.

Revised language in Article 8 aims to give more teeth to the section of the town code regulating dog control, particularly in response to repeat violators of the ordinance.

In Article 9, town meeting voters will consider proposed amendments to the Historic Overlay District. The proposed changes result from a recent survey of the town’s historic districts, according to Town Planner Rich Roedner. The amendment aims to set specific standards for contributing versus non-contributing structures. It also adds language regarding demolition and formalizes the standards used by the Historic District Commission.

The proposed amendment consolidates the existing five Historic Overlay Districts into one and clarifies boundaries.

Article 10 proposes a comprehensive revision of the sign ordinance as requested by voters at the May 2011 town meeting. The proposed revisions are meant to improve definitions; clarify what is meant by different types of signs; improve language for sign review; and differentiate what kinds of signs will be allowed in the different zones in town.

The new sign ordinance also would allow electronic message signs exclusively in Topsham Fair Mall, which is the mixed use commercial zone.

Article 11 addresses proposed amendments to the subdivision ordinance. The amended language is intended to give property owners more options when they choose to subdivide their land, Roedner said at the April 19 public hearing.

In addition to the existing subdivision standards, landowners could opt for large lot subdivisions and open space subdivisions. The amendment also institutes a pre-application procedure for major subdivision and site inventory and analysis and a compatibility analysis.

The warrant and copies of ordinances can be found online at www.topshammaine.com. Click on the town meeting tab in the top right corner.

dmoore@timesrecord.com