RANGELEY — A special town meeting to revisit the recently failed Police Department budget has been set for Monday, July 7. It will be held at Rangeley Lakes Regional School, 43 Mendolia Road at 6 p.m.

Voters will have the opportunity to debate the article and set the department’s budget using either the recommendation of the Board of Selectmen or Budget Committee, or a number decided at the meeting.

The meeting format is different from recent town meetings. The town has conducted town meetings by secret ballot at the polls since 2017. Selectmen reserve the right to hold open meetings at their discretion.

The proposed 2025-26 fiscal year department budget failed to pass during the annual town meeting in June. At the time, selectmen recommended $705,944, while the Budget Committee recommended $702,218. The vote was 176-166.

All other budget articles passed. 

Selectmen and Budget Committee members discussed how to address the department during budget meetings June 23 and 26. 

Selectmen voted to recommend a budget of $691,877. It removes about $12,000 in overtime hours to cover officer vacations and sick days, Town Manager Joe Roach said.

He noted that Chief Richard Caton IV also proposed removing his 3.5% cost-of-living adjustment. The chief’s proposal was not recommended by the board.

A budget lower than the board recommendation would result in a reduction of force and loss of police coverage, Roach said in a phone call Tuesday.

The Budget Committee is recommending $602,218, $100,000 less than it recommended during the annual town meeting. The recommendation did not include adjustments to the department’s budget line items.