PARIS – Residents approved a $3.6 million municipal budget at Monday evening’s annual Town Meeting at the Paris Fire Station.

The budget was $1,227 more than the previous year, resulting in no change to the tax rate, which stands at $17.80 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Departments that saw a decrease from the previous year included General Assistance, which presented a $6,809 budget, a $9,689 drop; Parks and Recreation, which presented a $26,152 budget, a drop of $8,210.

Abigail Earle, director of the town’s Parks and Recreation department, said most of the decrease is due to the town’s Summer Concert series being canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. She said the money will be put back in the budget next year when the concerts resume.

Before the town meeting began, the Board of Selectmen presented the Spirit of America Award to Ben E. Conant, the curator of the Paris Cape Historical Society.

Town Clerk Liz Knox said the award is given each year to “somebody who has done a lot for the town by volunteering hours to their community.”

The Board of Selectmen wrote of Conant’s accomplishments in the community and described him as “having a photogenic memory that could outdo any computer system ever made.”

“(Ben) epitomizes what it means to selflessly give back to one’s community,” board members wrote.