By Amanda Estes
Staff Writer
      During the coming months, the Scarborough Town Council and the finance committee will be reviewing the municipal operating budget for the 2008 fiscal year.
     At Wednesday night’s regular meeting Town Manager Ron Owens presented to the council a total gross budget of $74.1 million, which increases the property tax rate by 2.5 percent.
      In his presentation to the council, Owens said department budgets were limited to a 3.5 percent increase, with the increase being used for employee salaries and benefits.
     As drafted, the budget provides all employees with a three percent salary increase under the town’s three collective bargaining agreements. Two new positions in the public safety department  and one new position in the public works department were requested, but denied in order to stay within the council’s guidelines.
      The budget does not call for any new programs, however, it does allocate funds to capital improvement projects as well as capital equipment expenses.
     Proposed funding includes such projects as Black Point Park, which comprises 10 acres given to the town by a developer; the renovation and expansion of the public safety building; the continuation of the Green Acres drainage project, which will include work on Maple Avenue; and improvements to Jasper Street.
     Requested equipment expenses include repairs to the library and renovations to the first floor of the Town Hall.
     During the past nine months, the town was able to save close to $500,000 in capital projects by transferring purchasing duties from department heads to a purchasing office.
      Owens said that judging from the current year, the town will meet its budget target. With the exception of an increase in legal fees due to two lawsuits and an increase in engineering expenses due to projects pending with the planning board, Owens determined departments were meeting or operating below their budget targets.
      The finance committee will review the proposed budget next month and submit their recommendations to the council. The council is expected to adopt the budget sometime in May.