Milton passes portion of upcoming budget
Milton elected officials accepted the town's proposed $1.79 million general fund budget for fiscal year 2017 Aug. 15, but have until the end of September to vote on the $938,000 utility fund budget.
Milton officials approved a proposed fee schedule for fiscal year 2017, with no fee increases and only one minor change.
Building permits for projects that cost up to $300 will no longer be required to pay a $30 permit fee. Permits for projects estimated to cost $300 to $3,000 will come with a $30 fee; projects more than $3,000 will be charged a fee of 1.25 percent.
Specific costs for other permit and fees are available at milton.delaware.gov.
Milton Mayor Ted Kanakos and council approved the general fund expenditures and revenues with a 3-1 vote, but delayed voting on the utility fund budget because of a pending request to buy land for a new well. Councilman Michael Coté was the dissenting vote; council members Emory West, Kevin Kelly and Esthelda Parker-Selby were absent.
Town officials expect a request from the water committee for about $100,000 to purchase land for a new well; that request is not included in the town's proposed $881,000 in utility fund expenditures.
“The members of the committee did recognize that this allowance may be too low. It may be too high, depending upon the outcome of negotiations which are not underway yet,” said Councilman Sam Garde, who is also a member of the water committee. Garde said additional funds may also be needed to drill the well.
A more specific budget request is expected to come after the committee's Wednesday, Sept. 7 meeting. Mayor and council are expected to continue budget talks Monday, Sept. 12; FY 2017 begins Oct. 1.
The approved general fund budget includes no tax increases, with $1.79 million in revenue expected. Utility fund revenues are expected to increase from about $885,000 in FY 2016 to about $939,000 in FY 2017. Notable items in the budget include $16,000 set aside for an annexation fee study, $5,000 to waterproof the basement at the police station and $1,200 to install pet waste stations in Milton's parks.
Water committee members argue that a new well, which is needed because of expected growth and flood vulnerability of existing wells, should be drilled in the upcoming fiscal year. Coté, who also is a member of the committee, disagrees funding for a new well is an immediate need. The town could apply for low-interest loans, he said.
“I don't know that we need it yet,” he said. “But that's a decision to be made once we have a much more firm idea of what the two items are going to cost – to build a well and find decent land to put it on.”
