The tax levy is slightly less than the 3 percent annual increase in the tax levy allowed by the state, and expenditures are at about a 3 percent increase.

Treasurer Jim Brancel presented the budget to two residents who had attended the meeting, but the motion to approve the budget came from fellow Douglas Town Board Supervisor Doug Parrot. His motion was approved unanimously.

For the 2010 budget, the town will dip into its surplus held from previous years to balance the budget. Treasurer Jim Brancel said the town would take $24,822 from its surplus funds, which afterward would remain about $75,000.

Without taking from savings, the town’s 2010 income would have been $212,175.

Shared revenues dropped from $16,605 in 2009 to $14,114 expected in 2010. Highway aid increased from $55,392 in 2009 to $56,491 in 2010. Overall intergovernmental revenues are down very slightly compared with 2009 to a total of $76,365 in 2010. In 2009 intergovernmental revenues were $76,450.

Other revenues consist of income from licenses and permits, charges for garbage disposal and a projected income of $275 for boat landing donations.

The biggest expenses are under general government, which includes board member pay, legal fees, heating in the town hall and assessor pay. That is projected to be $45,400 in 2010, about a three percent increase over spending in 2009.

The cost of fire and ambulance service to the town is the same as budgeted in 2009 at $36,000.

The largest spending category is public works — the cost of road repair, snow plowing, sign replacements and cutting brush. In 2009, the town budgeted $109,000 and in 2010 expects to spend $115,000.

After the meeting, Brancel said the town has $14,245 remaining for 2009.

"We don’t know if we’ll spend all that. If we don’t get any snow, we may not," he said.

Brancel said in April or May every year the town evaluates which roads need repair the most. He said the town is responsible for 27.5 miles of road.

"We can’t keep up with all the repairs," Brancel said.

Chairwoman Karen Wampler said after the meeting that she believes in general the town’s roads are in fair shape. However, the cost of snow plowing can leave the board uncertain as to what it can spend on road repairs.

Several years ago she said the town spent $30,000 on snow plowing, three times what it is accustomed to spending.

"You don’t know. You can’t plan for that," she said.

Wampler said it takes about $85,000 per mile to blacktop a road.

The town is also paying $11,700 on a loan for a tanker for the fire department. Brancel said the town owes about $81,000 on the vehicle.

In other business during a regular board meeting following the budget hearing, the board took the following action: