NORWAY — The Budget Committee will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at the Town Office to discuss the proposed 2018-19 fiscal year budget, Town Manager Dennis Lajoie said.

The committee is expected to consider requests for the Norway Memorial Library, the Fire Department and utility and animal control accounts.

Lajoie told the Board of Selectmen on Thursday night that, overall, the amount of money the town would have to raise by taxation would increase by $98,192, or 2.9 percent, if the budget were approved as proposed. He said the increase did not include the Oxford County government or SAD 17 assessments.

The 2017-18 budget was $4.8 million.

Lajoie noted that the town’s General Administration budget would increase because “staff retirements, vacation time payouts and staffing overlap.”

He pointed out that Clerk Bonnie Seames will retire June 29 and Administrative Assistant Carol Millett in February 2019.

“When Bonnie and Carol step down, they’ll be owed some vacation pay,” Lajoie explained. “With Carol, when we bring in a new staff member to replace her, there will be a time when we’ll have two people here at the same time.”

Lajoie said the Planning and Enforcement budget would also increase because Code Enforcement Officer Scott Tabb is earning new certifications.

“There’s a contractual obligation with the CEO where every time he gets a certification, he gets a bump in pay,” Lajoie said.

The Police Department budget would increase because there’s “less grant money for school resource officer,” Lajoie said, so Norway would cover a higher percentage of the cost.

Later in the meeting, Lajoie told the board that one of the projects he wants to focus on this next fiscal year is researching health insurance options.

“One of the budget items that seems to increase from year to year is health insurance,” Lajoie said. “It’d be a good thing to look into.”

Other Budget Committee meetings are scheduled April 12, 18, 23 and 24 at 6 p.m. at the Town Office.

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