City Hall·Bethel Joint Budget meeting
Bethel board backs $150,000 from surplus for wastewater budget
The Bethel Select Board and Budget Committee met Sept. 30 and recommended using $150,000 from the town's undesignated fund balance to cover a shortfall in the wastewater treatment plant budget. The money would help balance the fiscal year 2027 enterprise budget, which includes two new loan payments. The request goes to a special town meeting on Oct. 15 at Crescent Park School.
Key points
- The Budget Committee and Select Board voted to recommend taking $150,000 from the undesignated fund balance to balance the wastewater treatment plant budget.
- Sharon Jackson said the FY27 wastewater budget totals $987,045 and includes the first payments on a $650,000 USDA loan ($32,819 a year for 29 years) and a $2.2 million loan ($120,000 a year for 27 years).
- Jackson said the undesignated fund balance stood at about $3.97 million as of the last audit, and that after previously approved FY26 draws and this $150,000, roughly $2.5 million would remain.
- Several residents and officials questioned why the shortfall was not addressed during the regular budget process; Jackson said the wastewater budget is an enterprise account approved only by the Select Board and is due later than other department budgets.
- Residents raised concerns that non-ratepayers would bear the cost, and officials said the Select Board will hold workshops on raising sewer rates and on whether the sewer district could become a town department.
- Jackson said the plant is estimated to add 38 residential users, though the timing is uncertain, and that a grant for additional users recently failed.
Next steps
- A special town meeting is scheduled for Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. at Crescent Park School, where voters will consider the $150,000 appropriation.
- The Select Board plans workshops on increasing sewer rates and on options for the sewer district's structure.
- Officials said they plan to have the Select Board approve the wastewater budget at the same time as other department budgets next year.
Where this came from
Bethel Maine Live via W.H.A.T. (YouTube)
The summary and transcript were made by software from the public meeting video, with names checked against the official roster, then reviewed before publishing.
Watch the meeting ↗The summary and transcript were made by software from the public meeting video, with names checked against the official roster, then reviewed before publishing.