Newport raises tax levy
By Andy Steinke, Dells Events
A year after reducing its budget by $4,500, the town of Newport board is proposing a budget increase of $4,200 for 2010.
During a budget hearing Tuesday night, the board reviewed a proposed budget of $256,563, a 1.68 percent increase from 2009’s budget of $252,326.
The board is also proposing to increase the town levy by the maximum amount it is allowed, 3 percent. The increase would mean a total levy of $135,955 for town residents, nearly $4,500 more than 2009.
“I think we should do the 3 percent if we’re allowed to,” Chairman Don Nelson said.
Most budget items will remain about the same for 2010 with notable changes being in the assessor’s salary, trash removal and road expenses.
The board — which was supposed to approve a new contract for assessor Michael Marslender at its meeting following the budget hearing, but couldn’t because it wasn’t on the agenda — will likely have a town wide re-evaluation in 2011. Marslender is proposing a contract that would pay him the same amount over the three years instead of lesser amounts in 2010 and 2012 and a larger amount in 2011.
However, that would mean an increase next year of nearly $5,700 in assessor expenses.
Trash removal through Veolia Environmental Services was budgeted for $36,685 this year, but with increases in tipping fees, it looks like it might cost the town upwards of $43,000. The town is proposing a little less than $40,000 for trash removal next year.
About $117,000 was budgeted this year for road maintenance and recycling costs, but that number my be closer to $99,000 in 2010.
As for revenue, the town is budgeting for $1,500 less in state shared revenue but almost $1,900 more in state transportation aid. Other revenues, except for a $3,000 increase in special assessments and the increased levy, remain nearly the same, or the same.
The town has scheduled a special town meeting and a special town board meeting for Tuesday Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the proposed budget further, set the levy and set highway expenditures.
The board didn’t do so Tuesday night because Nelson didn’t feel there was proper notice of a special town meeting.
During its regular meeting, the board charged resident Hiroshi Kanno about $513 for addition blacktopping on the road he lives on, Thompson Road.
Kanno had Scott Construction pave an additional 59 feet on Thompson Road when they were repaving the road, and asked the board to bill him for the additional work.
The board charged him at $8.71 per square foot, which is what the town was paying for the roadwork.
In other business, the board did the following:
- Heard from Nelson that the town has an outstanding bill from attorney Tim Henney. Clerk Cecil Pittack and Treasurer Marie Gabris said they had not seen a bill, and Nelson said it may have been given to him and he lost it. He said he would get another copy of the bill.
- Heard from Pittack that Madison Area Technical College is raising the town’s school tax by $6,400, and the Dells School District is raising its tax by $55,000.
- Heard from Pittack that the annual election support fee is $216, maintenance fees for the election machines are $237 and $311 respectively, and the cost for election ballots are 10 cents each.