Dresden voters will decide whether to accept a total $704,725 in proposed appropriations for its 2014-2015 budget at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 14 at Pownalborough Hall.

The total represents a $74,372 above last year’s approved appropriations of $630,353 approved at the 2013 June town meeting.

This year Dresden has 50 articles to vote on at its annual town meeting Saturday, plus two of the articles concerning election of a moderator and election of town officials held on Tuesday. Jay Adams has been chosen to moderate the meeting.

A large share of the proposals concerns highways. Both the Dresden Board of Selectmen and budget review committee recommend a total $310,900. The amount for 2013-2014 totals $272,599.

The amount proposed for the coming fiscal year will cover costs for town road, $40,00; snow removal contract, $181,900; paving/capital improvement, $26,000; sand, $28,000; salt, $35,000.

Of the $50,000 for towns for 2013-2014, $29,000 was expended for salt. A separate account for salt has been created for 2014-2015 amounting to an increase of $6000, according to a note in the annual town report.

This year both selectmen and budget review committee seek to hold the line on elected town officials’ salaries by keeping the total at $49,865 again this year.

A separate article of the administrative assistant’s salary proposes a $36,400 salary, plus $2,000 in benefits, which totals the same as last year.

Other salary proposals include compensation for the code enforcement officer and licensed plumbing inspector to the Town of Richmond totaling $8,200, an increase of $200 due to training costs and increased salary paid by Richmond to the code enforcement officer/licensed plumbing inspector.

For general administration, both selectmen and budget review committee recommend $50,000 for the general administration account, $22,000 for the insurance account amount to a $2,000 increase, and $1,000 for the legal account, which is $899 more than last year to maintain an account balance of $10,000.

Proposed amounts for the fire department call for the same as last year, including $28,000 for fire department operation, $12,500 to purchase equipment, and $12,500 to reimburse volunteer firefighters for clothing, fuel, and related expenses they incur while participating in the department’s operation.

Selectmen seek necessary authorization from the town to enter into a contract for not more than three years for ambulance service to the town provided there is no contract price for such services as long as the town pays for all uncollected fees.

Another article calls for a proposed $3,000 for the Gardiner Ambulance contract, which has no charge for the contract. The $3,000 would be an amount set aside to reimburse Gardiner Ambulance for uncollected fees.

Dresden ends a five-year contract with North East Health Ambulance Service, which offered a new one-year contract for $7,750, an increase of $3,000 over last year. Instead selectmen sought proposals that would eliminate a contract cost from Gardiner and Wiscasset.

Selectmen also spoke at board meetings about the prospect of having quicker response times from Gardiner’s service, which they said they experienced in the past with that service.

One article seeks $60,210 as the fifth payment on the 30-year public safety building bond from the Maine Bond Bank.

Concerning sanitation, articles propose $14,000 for tipping fees and $23,000 for recycling center salaries, the same as last year.

Selectmen and budget review committee both recommend $8,000, which Bridge Academy requests for operations of the public library representing a $1,000 increase.

Instead of the total $12,000 or so requested as donation to various nonprofits, selectmen and budget review committee both recommend $3,600, which totals an increase of $400.

As for revenue sources, the town seeks authorization to sell tax acquire properties. As of October 21, 2013 uncollected taxes on such properties totaled $143,443. By April 1 of this year, the town received $40,736. Selectmen currently seek proposals to publicly sell the first group of tax acquired properties.

One of the articles requires the town acceptance of various categories of funds as provided by the Maine Legislature: state revenue sharing, $65,000; MDOT block grants, $39,000; General Assistance payments, $3,000; snowmobile registration money, $500; tree growth reimbursement, $3,600; veterans exemption reimbursement, $40,000, and other state funds, $7,000.

Town Officers

Elections were held Tuesday for town officials. The ballot included only one contested race, third selectman, for which Dale Hinote and incumbent Allan Moeller, Sr. ran.

Moeller won, 139-100.

Uncontested elections for one-year positions included treasurer, Joseph Atkinson; property tax collector, Ann Pierce; and excise tax collector, Ann Pierce.

For town clerk, there was a tie, 12-12, of write-in votes for outgoing town clerk Kim Rzasa (who has indicated to town officials that she will not accept the position), and Ann Pierce, who has been notified, and will serve as town clerk if she accepts.

No one ran for budget review committee member, but two people received write-in votes, Jeff Pierce and Melanie Gaczi, and if they accept, both will be added to the committee.