North Stonington — Residents will go to the polls for the third time Monday to try and approve a budget for 2016-17 and an ordinance that will formalize the town’s maintenance of several private roads.

The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall.

A budget compromise struck by the Board of Finance has kept the total proposed spending of $18.8 million, and the tax rate of 27 mills at the previous proposed levels, but adjusted a payment toward the Center for Emergency Services building by $10,000, removed the purchase of a $47,450 diesel mower and tractor and added $25,000 back into the town road maintenance account and $32,450 for highway department labor.

The long-stalled budget first came before residents in June, who turned it down following the passage of the $38.5 million school building project. A second failed referendum in September, in which the school budget passed but the town and capital budgets did not, saw clashes between First Selectman Shawn Murphy Murphy and the Board of Finance over reductions the finance board made to specific accounts, including the highway department labor and materials as well as the town’s legal fund.

The outcome of the budget will not affect the tax rate which has already been set. 

The proposed town road maintenance ordinance makes specific exceptions based on the town's longstanding practice that private roads are not maintained by the town. Each private road that receives service — Armstrong Pentway, Avery Lane, Billings Road Extension, Cedars Road, Cranberry Bog Road, Patricia Avenue, Princess Lane and Wrights Road — was incorporated to the town’s maintenance regimen over the years through agreements that were not recorded, said Murphy.

Murphy said he considered ending the practice over the summer due to the budget situation but drafted the ordinance after residents complained. It costs the town roughly $13,500 a year to maintain the roads.

n.lynch@theday.com