Community members will gather for New Gloucester’s annual town meeting on Monday, May 5, 2025, at Memorial School, 86 Intervale Road. Voters will decide on the FY26 municipal budget and other items. The meeting begins at 7 p.m., with voter check in starting at 6:30. Residents can register to vote that evening.
Only 81 voters participated in town meeting last year, according to the official count. (For comparison, some 3,800 voted in November’s election.) Those 81 town meeting voters settled millions of dollars in municipal spending–some $5 million for operations alone–adopted new ordinances and more.
This year, no ordinances are on the table but, as always, the Town’s budget is. It encompasses municipal operations, debt payments, spending on capital projects and equipment, deposits into reserves for future capital spending, anticipated revenues and more. The municipal budget, together with New Gloucester’s shares of the MSAD 15 school and Cumberland County FY26 budgets, make up the overall tax rate—and your eventual tax bill.
Residents can get a head start by reviewing the Town Meeting booklet, available at this link and in print at Town Hall and at the meeting. It includes the meeting’s warrant articles—in effect, agenda items—along with explanatory information and a breakdown of the estimated FY26 tax rate.
Overview. Last year’s town meeting included a few shiny big-ticket items, including a new dump/plow truck ($340,000) and new loader ($225,000) for Public Works. Voters also approved several high-visibility improvements around town – some depicted below:
By contrast, this year’s proposed capital items mostly reflect a variety of smaller spends and additional down payments toward future equipment and longer-term projects.
Those longer-term projects include a proposed $50,000 to continue work on the Upper Village plan, $50,000 toward a structural analysis of Town Hall, a key step in determining its suitability for expansion to meet current and future needs, and $50,000 toward a safety redesign of circulation at the Transfer Station.
One long-term project might see completion if voters approve a final funding request and associated spends: the Fairgrounds bathrooms and storage project. As envisioned, the plan includes four stalls (two ADA-compliant), sinks, hand dryers, a water fountain and storage. The balance of construction monies would come from the new $75,000 request, together with draws from existing Parks & Rec accounts and funds previously allocated to the project.
As for staffing, unlike recent years, this year’s proposed budget doesn’t include significant new positions. Instead, departmental budgets reflect increased compensation in hopes of attracting new and retaining current staff, plus added hours for a few roles. Rising costs of health insurance and other benefits–increased costs of all sorts are threaded through the entire budget–also account for significant increases.
Estimated tax impacts. If everything passes at the Select Board’s recommended funding levels, the Town-only portion of the mil rate (tax rate) is estimated to increase 30 cents per thousand dollars of value, from the current $4.06 to $4.36, according to the Town Meeting booklet. That’s roughly a seven percent rise. The schools’ portion of the mil rate is shown as increasing from $10.13 per thousand to $10.48, up 3.4 percent. The county’s increase from 70 cents per thousand to 74 cents is roughly a 5.5 percent increase, according to the Town Meeting booklet.
Taken together—town, schools and county combined—the Town estimates an overall rise in the tax rate from the current $14.90 per thousand to $15.58, an increase of about 4.5 percent. That would amount to an additional $68 for a property valued at $100,000, according to the Town’s figures.
But all are estimates only. The actual FY26 tax rate will depend on final town-wide property valuation numbers, as well as votes at the May 5 Town Meeting and school budget votes in coming weeks.
Particular items of interest. The full May 5 meeting warrant has 41 articles. Some of the items below may have particular community interest:
- Paving/chip seal: $512,500 total; $372,500 new and $140,000 existing TIF funds. Roads next up include Snow Hill Road from Outlet Road to Sabbathday Road, Cobble Hill Road and Penney Road from the railroad tracks to Route 231, as well as areas at the Transfer Station.
- Updated radio systems for Fire Rescue and Public Works: $200,000 to upgrade from analog to digital systems for better reception, functionality and safety, in line with Cumberland County’s move toward digital communications in public safety operations.
- Public Works/Buildings and Grounds replacement tractor ($90,000) and Public Works replacement pick-up truck ($95,000).
- Refurb of Fire Department Tanker 2: $200,000 for a rebuild/refurb to extend the life of Fire Rescue’s 2001 tanker, an alternative to purchasing new.
- Fairgrounds bathroom project: $75,000 new, together with draws from existing accounts and approved set-asides, to construct permanent bathrooms and storage at the Fairgrounds. Septic work has already been completed using funds approved by voters.
- Fire Rescue Utility Terrain Vehicle: $40,000 for a UTV with forestry/rescue components to provide emergency response on trails, in fields and woods and other harder-to-access areas.
- Retain the former ambulance? Voters previously approved purchase of a new ambulance, and it’s now in service. Should the Town retain the old unit as a back-up, with attendant insurance, repair and registration costs, rather than sell it?
Will these and the many other items draw more than 81 people to this year’s town meeting?
However many residents do attend, they will have the opportunity to not only affect FY26 taxes but also to set priorities and express community values going forward. Add your voice to the conversation by attending Town Meeting Monday, May 5, at Memorial School, at 7 p.m.
— Joanne Cole
Editor’s note: Updated to change voter check-in time to 6:30 p.m., per the Town website.
