BETHEL — Selectmen and members of the Budget Committee recently finished work on a $3.8 million municipal budget, which is up $130,895 from last year.

It includes increases in wages, solid waste costs and capital improvements.

The budget will be voted on at the town meeting in June. If all monetary articles pass and estimates for the town’s share of the School Administrative District 44 budget are correct, the tax rate is estimated to rise from $13.80 to $14.36 per $1,000 of property valuation. It is also subject to adjustment by the Board of Assessors.

Town officials propose taking $150,000 from the undesignated fund balance to reduce taxes. The amount is an increase from last year.

Overall wage costs next year are expected to decrease, because there is one fewer pay period than last year.

Wage increases were approved for individuals on the ambulance crew and the Fire Department, as well as for the code enforcement officer and the deputy director of Public Works.

Town Manager Christine Landes said the heads of the ambulance and fire departments researched and found Bethel’s wages were low compared to other towns. The code enforcement officer performed his own research and provided similar information. The salary of the deputy director of Public Works was increased because he was earning little more than those he supervised, she said.

The budget increase in capital improvements includes the purchase of a new ambulance for $180,000. It would include a lift on the back of the truck for stretchers.

The total capital improvements budget is $718,455, up from last year’s $630,320. Other proposed expenses in that account include improvements to Grover Hill, Baker, Paradise, Interval, Taylor Smith, Chandler Hill, Airport and Barker roads, as well as Philbrook Street. The improvements range from shimming and paving to patching and crack sealing, for a total of $433,955.

Contracted services from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Department are up 10 percent to $324,500, after remaining steady for six years.

The proposed solid waste budget is $434,344, up $22,245. Landes said costs have generally increased, and recyclables are not generating the savings they used to.

Selectmen are proposing $2,840 for utilities and an engineering study of the Ethel Bisbee School property to see if it’s worthwhile to save the building and possibly convert it for use by the town. Some officials have suggested it simply be torn down and the land used.

Costs at Angevine Park are projected at $10,960, up $2,500. Landes said weeds need to be dug from the pond and a system put in place to keep Canada geese away because they have been dirtying the beach.

A proposed change in budgeting this year is to direct all the franchise fees received from the cable TV provider to public local Channel 11, as requested by the station. Previously, half of the fees went to the station and half to the undesignated fund, Landes said. The amount for this year would be $13,977, if approved by voters.

In other news, nomination papers for those seeking municipal offices became available last week. Selectmen Stan Howe and Don Bennett are seeking re-election.

Other seats to be filled are those of school directors Elaine Cross and Carol Everett, and Assessors David Luxton and Stan Howe.