TOPSHAM

Topsham selectmen will hold a public hearing tonight on its 23- article draft town meeting warrant, which includes an overall $11.7 million municipal budget expected to decrease the town’s total tax request in 2017-18.

Selectmen will make any changes to the warrant after the public hearings before finalizing it for the May 17 town meeting.

The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at the municipal building at 100 Main St.

The proposed $11.7 million municipal budget represents a 9.6 percent increase and some of the budget lines show hefty increases — particularly the capital program which will increase by $875,300 to $1.6 million. However, the majority of that money already exists and won’t be raised through taxes. There are also some significant reductions, and in most cases the changes are due to money being moved to different budget lines.

Selectmen propose to take $1 million from fund balance, put half in the capital budget and use the other half as revenue to provide tax relief.

Town Manager Rich Roedner said the capital program money will be used to repair a culvert that runs from Elm St. Ext., to the Granny Hole in the Lower Village, crossing under Main Street. Some additional Lower Village projects will be funded as well.

“The old fire station down in the Lower Village is not a sustainable building for us anymore,” Roedner said, so officials proposed to demolish it and replace the storage capacity there by building a storage facility at the public works department for $180,000.

Another $220,000 will allow the town to upgrade software needed to run the town.

Despite some big numbers, Roedner said the town’s impact on taxes raised is actually a decrease of $256,028.

“It is a question of what it is the town, county and school district are trying to accomplish for the people they individually serve, how they’re able to do it, and how much revenue they can generate to help offset those impacts,” he said.

Subject to change as well, draft budgets for Sagadahoc County and School Administrative District 75 would increase Topsham’s net tax commitment by $477,887 or 2.69 percent. Combined with the proposed municipal budget, Topsham’s tax rate would increase an estimated 54 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or $108 for a home assessed at $200,000.

Highland Green is seeking to amend its existing 28-year TIF agreement with the town so it would include only the portion of the retirement community already built out, Roedner said. It seeks a new 175-acre TIF district for the portion undeveloped. The project lost time while stymied by the recession.

There is also a proposed 180-day moratorium on retail marijuana establishments, retail marijuana stores and retail marijuana social clubs. Stalling any such projects, made legal by a citizen initiative passed by Mainers in November, allows planners to develop local rules and regulations to protect residents’ health and safety, in conjunction with the state’s rule making process, Roedner said.

There are also proposed changes to the town’s sign ordinance to comply with recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that removes content based regulations for signs that aren’t commercial.

dmoore@timesrecord.com