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Castine Selectboard approves FY26 sewer budget, raises sewer rate up to 1.5%; tables Community Park award
Summary
At its July 28 meeting the Castine Selectboard approved the FY26 sewer budget of $598,465 and a sewer-rate increase not to exceed 1.5%, approved warrants and several board appointments, and tabled the Community Park bid pending reference checks and a site visit.
The Town of Castine Selectboard approved a $598,465 FY26 sewer department budget and authorized a sewer-rate increase of up to 1.5% at its July 28 meeting, while also approving routine warrants, confirming several local appointments and tabling the Community Park contract award until Aug. 4.
Most of the evening’s actions were handled by unanimous votes. The board approved the General Fund warrant for $26,534.63 and the Water warrant for $2,228.42, both by 3-0 votes. The Selectboard approved the minutes of the July 7, 2025 meeting by a 2-0 vote (Selectboard member Amy Gutow was not present at the July 7 meeting). The board confirmed appointments to local bodies: Bruce Boczkiewicz was appointed to the Planning Board (five-year term expiring June 30, 2030) with the vote recorded 2-0 and Chair Roberta Boczkiewicz abstaining; Charles Hodgkins was appointed to the Planning Board (term contingent on whether he serves as regular or alternate) 3-0; and Kathy Eaton and Ruth Eaton were reappointed to the Cemetery Committee to three-year terms expiring June 30, 2028 (3-0).
On finance and utility matters, the Utility Board recommended, and the Selectboard approved, a $598,465 sewer budget for FY26, a 3.8% increase ($22,491) from the prior year. Finance Officer Karen Motycka explained the town has relied on a Public Utility Commission rule that permits utilities to implement modest rate increases without a full rate case and said the Utility Board favors incremental adjustments rather than larger, infrequent hikes. The board voted 3-0 to allow a sewer-rate increase, effective on the July–September 2025 billing cycle, not to exceed 1.5%.
During other business, public attendee Doug Koos reported the sewer plant is operating at roughly 50% capacity and said that information is important for the town’s Housing Committee as it assesses development capacity; he noted the town’s water system has different constraints, including drought concerns. The board discussed two bids to build features at the Community Park; Adventure Yards submitted a bid about $3,500 lower than the competitor but did so without a site visit. The Selectboard asked that Adventure Yards’ references be checked and encouraged a site visit; public commenter Ina Schonberg said she would contact the bidder. The board voted to table awarding the Community Park contract until the Aug. 4 meeting (3-0).
Near the end of the meeting the Selectboard entered executive session under Title 1 MRSA, Chapter 13, §405(6)(C) to discuss a real-estate matter at 5:36 p.m.; it left executive session at 6:47 p.m. and adjourned at 6:48 p.m. The board’s next scheduled action related to the Community Park contract is the Aug. 4 Selectboard meeting where the award will be reconsidered.
