KINGFIELD – Selectmen and the budget committee will present a proposed 2012-2013 budget that has increased by less than one-half of one percent.

The Saturday morning town meeting starts at 9 a. m. “sharp,” at Kingfield Elementary School, selectman Heather Moody said.

“Sometimes voters come in a few minutes past 9 a. m., and the election is over,” she said. “We don’t want people to miss their chance to vote.”

Voters will fill a selectman’s seat for a three-year term; incumbent candidate Merv Wilson is being challenged by Brad Orbeton.

The town’s administration budget has decreased from $212,750 to $205,225, while other categories have increased. Sandy River Plantation, which includes waste from Saddleback Ski Resort, will not continue to contract with the town, and the transfer station budget will reflect that $4,613 difference. Kingfield’s share of next year’s SAD 58 budget will be $1.3 million, an increase of $85,650.

“If all (articles) are approved, including the program requests, we would be $3,100.00 more than last year,” said Town Clerk Leanna Targett.

The Budget Committee met several times in April and May to review requests and ask selectmen and administrative assistant Douglas Marble to explain their recommendations. The committee then agreed or recommended a different amount.

Many of the budget requests come from non-profits, like the Red Cross and Economic Ministry, or membership groups like the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.

Requests totaling $23,100 include $6,000 for the Webster Library, $5,000 for Kingfield Festival Days, $500 for the Kingfield Historical Society, $3,000 for Kingfield SnoWanderers, $5,000 for Kingfield Pops, $300 for Kingfield Christmas lights, $300 for the American Red Cross, $1,000 for Safe Voices, and $2,000 United Economic Ministry.

Several budget requests either were reduced or turned down by the Budget Committee, including funds for the Stanley Museum, Work First, and the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. Voters may decide to vote for or against those recommendations.

Voters will be asked to appropriate $350,000 to fund Kingfield’s Tax Increment Financing and Development District. These funds are part of a 30-year tax sheltering agreement with Nestle Waters North America, which owns the Poland Spring bottling plant. The tax money includes $125,689.27 of credit enhancement agreement funds, a $35,000 annual property payment, $36,242 in bond payments for the subsurface wastewater system and $170,275 in other authorized expenditures. 

One controversial article will ask voters to accept the “Declaration of Slum and Blight for the Downtown Village area along Main Street, Mill Street and easterly to the Carrabassett River as proposed for the purpose of meeting the Federal and state eligibility requirements for applying for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.” 

The town’s grant writer, Rodney Lynch, told residents at a recent public hearing, that accepting the designation will allow him to apply for a $150,000 Community Development Block Grant. The designated area starts at the intersection of High Street and Main Street on Route 27, at the southern entrance to the village. Grant money could be applied to costs of adding handicapped access sidewalks and curbing, crosswalks, streetlights, relocation of overhead utilities, and landscaping and facades and building improvements.