By Cliff White 

Staff Writer

Awaiting school district and county costs which will almost certainly show an increase over last year, Hollis’ proposed budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year is up 3 percent over last year, said Selectman Ben Severance.

Hollis’ municipal budget proposal is estimated at $2.21 million, up about $80,000 or 3.1 percent over last year’s total of $2.13 million, Severance said.

“The local budget looks fine,” Severance said. “But the school budget is going to be our big ticket item.”

The Maine School Administrative District No. 6 Board of Directors approved its proposed budget in March, with Hollis paying $2.85 million, an increase of $76,000 over last year’s contributed total.

Residents will vote on the SAD6 budget in May. But the number used to calculate estimated costs was itself an estimation – provided by the governor’s office, and action in Augusta could change totals for both the school district and its towns of Standish, Buxton, Limington, Frye Island and Hollis.

“The school district budget is going to be a killer for us because we haven’t had enough growth in Hollis – due to the economy – to be able to take a big hit,” Severance said.

Hollis was also awaiting a final tally for the estimate of what it owes in taxes to York County. Last year the town paid about $170,000 in taxes to the county.

“Right now if the county budget comes in at less than a three percent increase, we’ll be good with the count,” Severance said.

The biggest individual increase in the town’s budget was $120,000 in additional funds for public works – $100,000 of which will go toward paying additional expenses of the private contract the town has for snow removal and sanding of public roads. Rising costs of emergency services will cost the town about $20,000 and the hiring of George Davis as fire department chief adds $46,350 to the budget.

Salary raises for town administration, treasurer, town clerk and tax collector will increase the budget by $10,000, while the cost of “solid waste disposal, including curbside trash and recycling pickup and the tipping fee due to ecomaine,” will reduce by $12,000 to $404,000. Maintenance of the Hollis Sports Complex will rise $11,000 to $26,622.

The budget committee did not recommend the approval of two items on the warrant. The first was $21,000 toward the purchase of a new tractor/mower for the municipal complex. The second was $11,500 to replace the gazebo in Eagle Park. The selectmen recommended passage of both issues.

Severance said he believed the cost of the vehicle was worth it to make the grounds around the municipal center look nicer.

“A few people on the budget committee just hate the idea of us having the grounds look good out here,” Severance said.

Hollis’ Town Meeting is scheduled for June 10. The 39 articles on the warrant will be discussed and voted on at 7 p.m. on June 11 at the Plains Road Fire Department Station, Town Clerk Claire Dunne said.