POMFRET — The Pomfret Town Board is proposing a tax rate increase of 5 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation in the 2010 budget.

During a public hearing on the proposed $2.2 million spending plan Wednesday night in Town Hall, officials noted the budget would call for a Village of Fredonia tax rate of $3.44 per $1,000 assessed valuation and a tax rate of $4.96 per $1,000 in the rest of the town. Officials pointed to rising utility costs and employee-related expenses to justify the need for the tax hike.

Board members will vote to adopt the budget when they meet at 7 p. m. Wednesday in Town Hall.

Fredonia resident Michael Barris suggested the board increase the deputy town clerk’s work hours to 35 a week so the town clerk would have time to perform state-required files purging.

However, newly re-elected Town Clerk Roberta Valentine said that although she appreciated the request, she could not justify it in the current economy and that she is “plugging along” to meet state regulations.

In other business:

Supervisor Donald Steger plans to talk with supervisors of the towns of Portland and Dunkirk about creating a special water district that would encompass the main transmission line from Dunkirk to the Portland water tower. This would allow the towns to collaborate on maintaining the line, which is key to the efficient transmission of water within the three towns. Steger said his n proposal would only include the main line, not any side branches.

Councilman William Hart announced Roger Pacos has accepted the post of director of parks and recreation. The former director, Amy Frazita, resigned.

The board voted to ask the Chautauqua County Department of Transportation to reduce the posted speed limit on Frisbee Road, from Cassadaga Job Corps to Bachellor Hill Road. The speed there now is 55 mph.