JAY — Selectpersons have scheduled a workshop for next week to discuss a draft of the $5.36 million municipal budget for 2019-20.

The workshop is set for 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Town Office.

Once selectpersons finalize the proposed budget, residents are scheduled to vote on it April 23 at the annual town meeting at the Community Building.

Budget Committee members are also reviewing the preliminary budget.

In its current form, the budget is $803,183 less than current spending.

After factoring in an estimated $1.95 million in revenue, it leaves a net budget of $3.4 million that would need to be raised. That does not include the town’s share of the Regional School Unit 73 or the Franklin County budgets.

With a $4 million settlement to Verso Corp. paid off in the current budget, it lowers the debt service from $1.6 million to $295,042. Jay paid the company $1.3 million three years in a row to resolve an overvaluation of the Androscoggin Mill and associated equipment. 

Many of the department budgets reflect restoring funds to capital reserve accounts, which includes equipment and vehicles, that were reduced or not funded over the past few budgets.

The budget also adds back $12,000 for summer recreation, $11,300 for Spruce Mountain Ski Slope insurance, $2,750 for Area Youth Sports insurance and $2,000 for July 3 fireworks.  

Voters approved funding those items from the Recreation Reserve Account for last year and this year.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net