Town of Barre Seal
149 WebstervilleRd., P.O. Box 116, Websterville, Vermont, USA 05678
p:802.479.9331 f:802.479.9332 e:offices@barretown.org

     

BUDGET AND TAX INFORMATION  
For Fiscal Year 2010-2011

I. BUDGET

Barre Town utilizes fund accounting, as many municipalities do. Eight fund budgets are included in the Town budget. Except the General Fund, each budget has a specific purpose.

Fund

Purpose

Primary Revenue Source(s)

Size

Ambulance

Operate multi jurisdictional EMS

Fees charged to patients, tax subsidies

$ 1,477,420

Building Planned mainteance, repair renovations to town buildings

All other Funds

$ 55,000

Cemetery

Operate 3 cemeteries

Fees for services, sale of plots, taxsubsidy

$ 62,930

Equipment

Buy, maintain, operate Town’s vehicles and equipment

Rental payments from all departments

$ 1,334,255

General

Operate traditional local govern-ment departments

Property taxes

$ 2,933,036

Highway Build and maintain Town streetsand roads

Property taxes

$ 2,315,950

Sewer

Sewage collection and treatment

Sewer use fees paid only by users

$ 1,020,440

Water Distribution of water

Water use fees paid only by users

$ 259,300

At Barre Town’s annual Town Meeting Day on the second Tuesday of May, voters elect to approve or disapprove the Selectboard’s proposed General and Highway Fund budgets. Approval of these two budgets are decided by voters because their primary source of revenue (78% for the General Fund and 92% for the Highway Fund) is property taxes. About one-half of Barre Town property owners’ tax payments go towards operating streets and roads, and the other half pays for the myriad of services under the General Fund umbrella.

TOTAL FY 2010-2011 GENERAL FUND: $2,933,036

Barre Town’s General Fund budget is organized by departments. Most are operating departments, but some are just a group of similar accounts used to track expenses. The public safety departments dominate the General Fund. The police, fire, and EMS departments are the first, third, and fourth largest budget departments (employee benefits is second). The department budget amounts for the current year are presented below:

General Government:

Department
FY 2009-2010
FY 2010-2011
Selectboard
$ 21,025
$ 19,260
Auditing
$ 26,890
$ 28,840
Town Manager
$154,100
$153,770
Elections/BCA
$11,190
$ 16,345
Clerk-Treasurer
$189,895
$189,670
Data Processing
$ 33,710
$ 28,165
Planning/Zoning/Community Development
$ 74,935
$ 74,745
Assessor/Reappraisal
$ 75,925
$ 82,460
Municipal Building
$ 62,030
$ 57,930
Total
$665,849
$651,185

Public Safety:

Department
FY 2009-2010
FY 2010-2011
Police
$743,995
$701,375
Fire
$286,889
$286,415
Emergency Management (old Civil Defense)
$   6,160
$   6,215
Emergency Medical Services
$219,700
$349,345
Total
$1,255,474
$1,343,410

Sanitation:

Department
FY 2009-2010
FY 2010-2011
Solid Waste
$ 60,000
$ 55,510

Health & Welfare:

Department
FY 2009-2010
FY 2010-2011
Health Officer
$  2,200
$ 2,175
Animal Control
$ 15,435
$ 18,700
Total
$ 17,635
$ 20,875

Culture/Recreation/Development:

Department
FY 2009-2010
FY 2010-2011
Culture (Aldrich Library)
$ 103,000
$103,000
Recreation Department
$ 97,455
$ 90,225
Development
$ 53,775
$ 66,505
Total
$254,230
$259,730

Debt Service:

Long Term Debt
$ 58,105
$ 55,940

Insurances & Benefits:

Department
FY 2009-2010
FY 2010-2011
Insurances
$ 44,745
$ 48,305
Benefits
$364,510
$382,605
Total
$409,255
$430,910

Sundry Items:

Department
FY 2009-2010
FY 2010-2011
Other Items
$ 70,951
$65,896
Interfund Transfers
$ 42,465
$43,980
Total
$113,416
$109,876


After property taxes, fees and charges for services ($187,350) are the second leading General Fund revenue source. The Town Clerk’s Office and police department are leaders in generating fees for services. Intergovernmental revenue (State grants and school cost sharing) is the third largest revenue category at $89,840. Interest, late charges associated with delinquencies is this the fourth larges revenue at $74,000. License and permit application fees (zoning and planning, mostly) at $16,060 is the fifth highest revenue category. Like almost every Vermont municipality, Barre Town is heavily reliant on the property tax for its revenue.

_________

TOTAL FY 2010-2011 HIGHWAY FUND: $2,517,020

The Highway Fund budget is organized into departments that represent functions. The distinction between Construction and Retreatment (re-paving) is less clear today thanks to a 20-year endeavor to rebuild roads properly. These two categories could be viewed as one. The Highway Fund departments and current fiscal year amounts are presented below:

Department
FY 2009-2010
FY 2010-2011
Administration & Engineering
$ 160,420
$ 167,125
Summer Maintenance
$ 604,875
$ 585,385
Winter Maintenance
$ 593,830
$ 546,000
Summer Construction
$ 497,495
$ 354,650
Retreatment
$ 197,555
$ 374,055
Federal Grant Projects
$   24,670

$   10,500

Employee Benefits
$ 336,350
$ 323,235
Gravel Pit
$   56,820
$   58,625
Signing & Lighting
$   94,190
$   97,445
Total
$2,566,205
$2,517,020

_________

In the Highway Fund, State grants are a greater factor in the budget equation because the Highway Fund does not have the opportunities to charge for its services like some General Fund departments. The State’s general grant for highways is $193,445 for this fiscal year. Barre Town's Project grants (paving, bridges, and culverts) are applied for annually and vary from year to year.

FY 2010-2011 DEBT SERVICE

Barre Town has issued bonds to pay for capital improvements. A summary of municipal debt is provided here:

Type
Purpose
Fund
Annual Payments
Debt Service
Pay Off Date
Capital Projects Aldrich Library General $45,000 - $30,750
$ 134,790
December 2013
  Wilson Industrial Park Incubator Building General $23,300 - $10,280
$ 151,453
December 2020
  Sewage Treatment Plant Sewer $36,280
$ 471,250
September 2022
  DPW Vehicle Maintenance Bldg Equipment $66,523 - $36,641
$ 618,805
December 2023
  Old East Barre Fire District #1 Water $28,028
$ 413,259
2034
  Water Line Connection Water $15,030
$ 244,255
2041
  Mill Street Waterline Water Not applicable
$ 183,000
Not applicable
Equipment Purchases Fire Truck Equipment $21,190
$ 21,190
August 2010
  5 Ambulances Equipment $34,606
$ 34,606
November 2010
  Caterpillar Loader Equipment $19,764
$ 39,528
July 2011
  Freightliner #1 Equipment $58,033
$106,066
July 2011
  2 school buses Equipment $33,114
$ 66,228
October 2011
  F-550 Dump Truck Equipment $30,450
$ 60,900
March 2012
  Freightliner #2 Equipment $33,343
$ 100,029
January 2013
  Fire Tanker Equipment $32,750
$ 98,250
May 2013
  Caterpillar Grader Equipment $21,265
$127,590
June 2016
     
TOTAL
$2,871,199
 

Click here for information about the Budget Committee.

II TAXES

Barre Town does not have authorization to levy any tax other than the property tax. An individual owner’s tax bill is calculated by multiplying the tax rate times the property’s assessed value. The Town Assessor determines the assessed value. On the average, for tax purposes, Barre Town properties are assessed at 82.579% of their fair market value. The tax rate is expressed as a dollar figure per $100 of assessed value. Homes assessed at $175,000 are common in Barre Town. The current tax bill for such a home would be $3,621.63, ($175,000 ÷ $100 = $1,000 x $2.0695 tax rate = $3,621.63). The tax year is July 1 – June 30. One tax bill is mailed out in mid-July. The annual tax bill is payable in four installments due on August 16, November 15, February 15, and May 16. Penalties, late fees, and interest are charged if a payment is missed. For details, go to the Town Clerk-Treasurer’s tax page.  The total tax rate from 1978 to the present are listed below:

  Fiscal Year

Education

  General

Highway

Total Tax Rate

1978-79

1.68

.42

.50

2.60

1979-80

1.63

.45

.55

2.63

1980-81

1.65

.45

.60

2.70

1981-82

1.44

.28

.49

2.21*

1982-83

1.59

.30

.52

2.41

1983-84

1.66

.39

.56

2.61

1984-85

1.85

.37

.58

2.80

1985-86

2.04

.35

.55

2.94

1986-87

2.12

.35

.61

3.08

1987-88

2.11

.46

.61

3.18

1988-89

2.07

.46

.87

3.40

1989-90

1.20

.28

.44

1.92*

1990-91

1.50

.32

.44

2.26

1991-92

1.40

.35

.45

2.20

1992-93

1.375

.40

.445

2.22

1993-94

1.51

.43

.46

2.40

1994-95

1.64

.43

.49

2.56

1995-96

1.59

.43

.50

2.52

1996-97

1.74

.46

.54

2.74

1997-98

1.66

.46

.52

2.64

1998-99

1.46

.45

.53

2.44**

1999-00

1.47

.45

.52

2.44

2000-01

1.5376

.4768

.5256

2.54

2001-02

1.70953

.50378

.54669

2.76

2002-03

1.75251

.51906

.50843

2.78

2003-04

1.7984

.5708

.5108

2.88

Due to the changes in the education tax laws the tax rates have changed and are reflected in the table below..

YEAR
EDUCATION
GENERAL HIGHWAY LOCAL AGREE TOTAL RATE
2004-2005 Homestead Rate
.9909
.3956
.3308
.00
1.7173
Non-Res. Rate
1.2967
.3956
.3308
.00
2.0231
2005-2006 Homestead Rate
1.0701
.4234
.3526
.00
1.8461
Non-Res. Rate
1.4009
.4234
.3526
.00
2.1769
2006-2007 Homestead Rate
1.0989
.4457
.3768
.00
1.9214
Non-Res. Rate
1.4355
.4457
.3768
.00
2.2580
2007-2008 Homestead Rate
1.0972
.4453
.3844
.0022
1.9291
Non-Res. Rate
1.4602
.4453
.3844
.0022
2.2921
2008-2009 Homestead Rate
1.1541
.4287
.3980
.0024
1.9832
Non-Res. Rate
1.5546
.4287
.3980
.0024
2.3837
2009-2010 Homestead Rate
1.1416
.4429
.4018
.0026
1.9889
Non-Res. Rate
1.6324
.4429
.4018
.0026
2.4797
2010-2011 Homestead Rate
1.2193
.4574
.3900
.0028
2.0695
Non-Res. Rate
1.6350
.4574
.3900
.0028
2.4852

* Reappraisal
**Land only reappraisal

Departments / Boards and Commissions / Government / Publications / Permits and Forms / Charter, Ordinances and Policies / Calendars / Wilson Industrial Park

Home / Links / Search / Site Index / Contact Us