The Dublin Budget Committee held a public hearing on the proposed 2023-2024 budget Tuesday night. The proposed operating budget is approximately $2.47 million, 6.12 percent higher than the current budget.

Budget Committee Chair Bill Gurney said they are budgeting in a 5 percent employee wage increase, a 70 percent increase for electric, substantial increases for propane, oil, gas and diesel and an increase for town cellphone costs.

Gurney said when creating the budget, their goal was that “given the rate of inflation, we hoped we could keep the budget down as much as possible in areas where we have control.”

If all money-related warrant articles pass, total spending will be just under $3.05 million, an 8.48 percent increase over current spending. Gurney said it follows the national trend for inflation and is pretty similar to last year’s expenditures.

On the warrant, Article 10 proposes a $15,000 to be appropriated from the unassigned fund balance to go toward unanticipated expenses due to the volatility of the oil market. Gurney said if oil prices level off, this sum will go back to the general fund balance.

Article 12 proposes appropriating $16,000 for replacing two overhead doors at the highway garage, to be raised by taxation. Gurney explained that these have increased in price substantially and are expected to increase even more in the future, so they hope to purchase the doors this year before they get more expensive. 

Gurney said the town is in the process of installing security cameras in town buildings. Article 18 asks for $15,000 to be used toward purchasing and installing cameras at the archive building, the transfer station and the highway barn, to be raised by taxation.

Library Trustee Christopher Sprague asked who the library should talk to about installing security cameras at the library next year. Gurney said members should talk with the Select Board. Sprague also asked who the vendor is, and Town Administrator Kate Fuller replied that the town would have to go out to bid for a vendor because the cost is over $500.

All money-related warrant articles discussed Tuesday are recommended by both the Select Board and Budget Committee. Gurney said that is the first time in a long time that has happened. Among those was Article 14, which proposes appropriating $7,986 to agencies that provide health and welfare services to the public. 

“I think the argument that carried the most weight is that so many of our residents are relying on these,” Gurney said.

Dublin’s town election is on Tuesday, March 14, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and its Town Meeting is on Saturday, March 18, at 9 a.m.

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