POWNAL

Pownal residents will convene Monday at the middle school and vote on whether to adopt a marijuana moratorium, a tax relief program for low-income seniors, and a gross $1.7 million budget to fund town operations for the coming year.

Of the total $1.7 million, $505,000 garnered from excise taxes, fees and other revenue sources, will reduce to budget to be paid for with property taxes to $587,827, down 13 percent from last year. Revenues are up $148,000 from an additional $50,000 in vehicle excise tax, and $93,000 taken from the undesignated fund balance.

Pownal’s share of the Regional School Unit 5 budget is $2.8 million, up $234,000 from last year, and the town pays $163,000 to Cumberland County. The total commitment from the town to fund town operations, pay for the school district and the county tax is $3.5 million, a 4.3 percent increase.

Department breakdown

Public Works is the largest department, requesting

$671,000 this year, an 8 percent increase. Town Administrative Assistant Scott W. Seaver said the uptick is due to a slight increase in salary and benefits within the department.

The town’s debt service is up by $ 121,000, totaling $393,000 due to a new bond issued last year for repaving roads, Seaver said.

General government is $264,000, up $39,000 because of a transition period at the town office. Seaver said he is phasing himself out, and there are now two full-time positions instead of one part-time and full-time position, accounting for the line item increase.

Capital investment remained the same from last year, at $150,000.

Public safety is down by $2,000 at $123,000.

A moratorium on the location, operation and licensing of marijuana retail and social clubs and cultivation facilities will also be decided by residents. The town is requesting the moratorium to allow time to study, review and develop ordinance changes to accommodate the change in law per the citizens’ initiative approved in November 2016 that made marijuana social clubs and retail businesses legal in the state. The town expects the time frame for such research and development to be six months. The mission of the moratorium and subsequent ordinance change is to protect the public from any health and safety risks, according to the warrant.

A new program has been proposed that was the idea of Selectman Chairman Tom Giddinge to provide property tax relief to low-income seniors. The ordinance proposed is modeled after Harpswell’s ordinance, said Seaver. To qualify for a cash refund or credit of $ 550, an individual must be 70 years old or older, have lived in town for ten years, and qualify for the state tax fairness credit program.

The money will be paid for by the town and will come from the general fund. Seaver said he expects to receive about 30 applicants from residents hoping to benefit from the program. “ It’s the only way to give low-income seniors a break,” he said.

Town meeting will be held at Pownal Elementary School Monday, June 19 at 7 p.m.

jlaaka@timesrecord.com