GARDINER — With little fanfare, Gardiner officials gave unanimous and final approval Wednesday night to the city’s proposed $7.34 million spending plan for the coming fiscal year.
The final plan reflects reductions to the initial proposal, accomplished by shaving spending and identifying additional revenue to offset the property tax burden on city residents and business property owners.
Officials said they are still committed to adding four firefighter/paramedics to the Gardiner Fire Department, and a fly car to strengthen the response of the Gardiner Ambulance Service across its territory.
They are also funding paving projects and setting aside money to pay for a future revaluation.
That spending, in addition to assessments for the Gardiner-area school district and Kennebec County government, will be factored into the property tax rate, which is to be calculated later this summer. It now stands at $21.70 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
Among their budget-related actions, city officials also approved carrying money forward into the next fiscal year for projects that have been part of the existing spending plan, but could not be completed by June 30.
“Are these (carry forward requests) the funds that end up in the fund balance?” Ward 1 City Councilor Terry Berry asked.
Denise Brown, Gardiner’s finance director, said as part of the process of closing out the budget for the current fiscal year, money not spent or not obligated for a specific purpose ends up in the city’s surplus.
“At the end of August, we’ll be able to determine what will go into fund balance,” Brown said. “This year, it will be close. There won’t be a huge surplus going back to the fund balance.”
Tied in with the budget vote, officials approved establishing appropriations for the Gardiner Ambulance Service and Wastewater Treatment — the city’s two enterprise funds — and its tax increment finance funds.
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