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On Sunday, Ellsworth, Maine will have its first-ever pride celebration. Community members say it is all because of Ellsworth High School’s Gender and Sexuality Diversity Alliance, or GSDA.
While the projected tax rate may drop, the budget is up slightly. The roughly 2 percent increase, or $340,000, was laid at the feet of contractual salary raises, benefits and capital projects. Final budget numbers will be set by June 20, when the council will vote on whether to approve it.
City shoulders too much of library budget, councilors say
ELLSWORTH A discussion between library trustees and councilors on the library’s funding request went south when the two boards met on May 12. But councilors appeared poised to compromise when they met for a budget workshop five days later.
Library Director Amy Wisehart had presented councilors with a $544,907 budget request on May 12 that was 3 percent lower than the library’s FY21 request. The sum represents 81 percent of the library’s total $672,207 operating budget. But councilors expected a figure more in line with the $461,872 city appropriation they approved last year, after slicing off $100,000. That loss was offset by using money from the library’s surplus account, and a committee was formed of trustees, library personnel and councilors to hash out the issue before this year’s budget talks. But they only met once, and trustees based their FY22 budget on what it costs for the library to operate as it has h
City Council signs EMS agreement, approves school budget
ELLSWORTH Councilors unanimously approved on May 17 a three-year emergency medical services agreement with Northern Light Medical Transport (NLMT) but with reluctance because of concerns over ambulance coverage within the city and the lack of specific details of the services to be provided.
“I’ll hold my nose while I vote for it,” Councilor Marc Blanchette said.
The discussion and vote on signing the agreement had been tabled since December, as City Manager Glenn Moshier worked to negotiate the terms. However, NLMT held to its standard agreement used with other municipalities in the county.