FY24 Budget

Budget Development Municipal Schedule & Documents

Gray's government revised the FY24 budget after voters rejected it in the June 2023 election. Learn about the revised budget here

The FY2024 budget agenda for the Town Council can be seen below. This schedule describes which topics are being discussed in each meeting. 

You can watch all Town Council meetings, including the budget meetings described below, on Gray Community Television, on Zoom, or in person at the Henry Pennell Municipal Complex in Gray, Maine. Zoom links will be posted on the Meeting Portal before the meeting. 

You can view a list of all budget-related documents on our FY24 Budget Documents page

Tuesday – January 10th

4:30-6:30 p.m.

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

  • Cumberland County Sheriff Services
  • Yarmouth Rd/Route 115 Project update & discussion

Tuesday – January 17th

5:30-6:55 p.m.

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

  • Auditing Services RFP
  • Scholarships (Charles Baker & Grange 41)
  • Education reimbursement funds

Monday – February 2nd

4-6 p.m.

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

  • Code Enforcement – staffing proposal
  • Senior Tax Stabilization (LD290) & local Senior Tax Assistance program
  • Planning Board stipend
  • Council training/legal fees/stipend
  • Sick time fund status & projection
  • ARPA funds status

Tuesday – February 7th

6:00-6:55 p.m. (prior to Town Council meeting)

  • Review of current bonds & discussion of bond buckets

Thursday – February 16th

4-6:30 p.m.

 

Watch the meeting recording here

Public Safety Dept: (4-5 p.m.)

  • Operations / 2nd year in new contract / staffing status
  • Emergency Operations Contingency fund
  • Radio Tower/hardware status - $225,000 ARPA funds pending
  • Pumper/engine truck status / CIP

 

Buildings & Grounds Dept: (5-6:30 p.m.)

  • Operations
  • Contingency Fund status
  • Libby Hill Trails
  • Boat Ramp status – ADA portion
  • Cemetery needs/budget request
  • Gray Historical Society – reimbursement fund/designated fund (under community)
  • CIP
  • Facilities Study proposed changes update
  • Science Building – childcare option?
  • Pennell septic system/footprint master plan update
    • Electric Charging Stations
    • Electric Vehicle conversion plan
  • Skateboard Park
  • Basketball Court – relocation, lights, refurbishment
  • Fencing update – adding to CIP

Thursday – February 23rd

4-6:00 p.m.

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

  • Yarmouth Road Project review

Monday – February 27th

4-6:30 p.m.

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

Presentation of initial budget: (4-4:15 p.m.)

  • View the Inital Budget Request [PDF] here

Assessing Department: (4:15-4:45 p.m.)

  • Highest use/LD 1129 act related to the valuation of improved real property impacts
  • Senior Tax Assistance (under Community)

 

Administration Review: (4:45-6:30 p.m.)

  • Health insurance increase
  • Utilities
  • Elections
  • Manager’s contingency fund
  • Staff reorganizations – HR Director, Asst. to Town Manager, Clerks
  • COLA/merit/salary adjustments
  • Retirement benefits review

Budget Updates: (1) $1,600 Charles Baker Scholarship Fund (2) GPCOG fee increase to $2.10 per capita (3) $2,900 Educational reimbursement fund (4) Council personnel development review by Jon $1,000 correct? (5) Council stipend increased to $10,500 for Chair (6) Sick/Vacation buckets separated with $25,000 in each.

Thursday – March 2nd

4-6 p.m.

 

Watch the recorded meeting here.

Transfer Station: (4-4:30 p.m.)

  • Fee increases – Ecomaine/others
  • LD1467 – packaging law status
  • Gatekeeper / sticker price discussion
  • CIP – review buildings & grounds recommendations for Transfer station

Recreation Department: (4:30-5:15 p.m.)

  • Operations/Staffing
  • Childcare program update/Science Building discussion
  • Enterprise/Sub D funds status
  • Transportation
  • Other CIP – Wilkies Beach, benches, etc.
  • Additional program fees appendix?

 

Communications/Information Department: (5:15-5:45 p.m.)

  • Status franchise fees/contract renewal
  • Town Brands
  • Community TV metrics
  • Website status
  • Town Seal
  • Tracking Workbook transition
  • Chatbot
  • CIP requests

 

Gray Public Library: (5:45-6 p.m.)

  • Operations / usage with New Gloucester
  • CIP requests

Tuesday – March 7th

5:30-6:55 p.m. (prior to Town Council meeting)

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

Committees/boards: (5:30-5:45 p.m.)

  • Community Economic Development
  • Open Space
  • Wild Blueberry Festival
  • Zoning Board of Appeals / Planning Board – make sure personnel development reflected here instead of Community Development
  • Planning Board stipend increased to $3,500
  • Standardized form for budget proposals

 

Code Enforcement: (5:45-6 p.m.)

  • Operations – update on PT transition

Community Development/Planning: (6-6:55pm)

  • Operations – update on new organization structure
  • Watershed work / revolving loan for residential upgrades
  • Douglas Field Relocation
  • General Assistance program
  • CIP fund for engineering services
  • VALT Trail extension grant status / Pocket park grant status
  • Stormwater modeling status
  • Yellow Book Appraisal – carryforward / status

Thursday – March 16th

4-6:30 p.m.

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

Public Works: (4-5:15 p.m.)

  • Operations / Director-Engineer / Asst. to Director reorganization – driveway inspections
  • Winter/Summer Roads/addt’l Garage – changes only
  • Striping status/budget (testing options for Mayberry/other, bridge striping, etc.)
  • HOA options to join bids
  • Main St/Yarmouth Rd corner – emergency stormwater fix status
  • Paving
  • Libby Hill Road project status
  • Existing sidewalks maintenance funding
  • Speed signs/traffic calming
  • CIP – equipment
    • Route 100 South stormwater status
    • Stream crossings
    • New sidewalks

Community Service: (5:15-5:30 p.m.)

  • Lake requests
  • Club/Organization donations
  • Verify agreed upon GHS/Senior Tax assistance included

 

Law Enforcement: (5:30-5:45 p.m.)

  • Status of figures – union negotiations
  • Vehicle for School Resource Officer

 

County / School Budget: (5:45-6 p.m.)

  • Follow-up:
  • Grange 41 scholarship fund status – budget implications?

Thursday – March 23rd

4-6 p.m.

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

  • Final follow-up review
  • TIF discussions
    • Route 100 South/Yarmouth Road projections – final projected numbers/borrowing strategy
    • Northbrook – move available to active for Yarmouth Road project
    • Village – money available/amount to move to active
  • State revenue sharing projections & Town revenue projections
  • Certified ratio discussion
  • Bonding options
    • Debt level comparison/interest rates/terms
    • Buckets discussion (CIP, land acquisition, projects, etc) /costs / draft numbers
  • Final CIP discussion/Misc. leftover CIP
    • ARPA funds spreadsheet – $282,000 available - updated & final allocations
  • CIP Payment
  • Council recommendations for changes
  • Do we stay at $50,000 for sick/vacation fund or reduce?
  • MIL Rate discussion
  • LD1 discussion
  • Budget Flyer – identify items

Monday – March 27th

4-6 p.m.

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

  • Updated final budget – review/discuss/straw poll
  • Budget presentation draft – review/due in packet – 3/28
  • Separate Questions for Warrant
  • Budget Flyer - discussion
  • Tax bill insert – discussion

Tuesday – April 4th – Town Council Meeting

7 p.m. 

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

 

  • Finalize Warrant article wording

Tuesday – April 11th – Town Council Meeting

5 p.m. 

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

  • Discuss any feedback from residents

Tuesday – April 18th – Town Council Meeting

7 p.m. 

 

Watch the meeting recording here.

  • Approve Warrant Articles

Tuesday – May 2nd – Town Council Meeting

7pm

  • Approve Municipal Warrant