Wellington residents to see slight tax increase

WELLINGTON — As a result of town meeting action Saturday and good fiscal planning, Wellington residents will see only a 41 to 46 cent increase per $1,000 valuation in their 1990-91 tax bills.

More than 60 people who attended the meeting voted to allow the Wellington Grange to borrow up to $10,000 from the town’s surplus at no interest. The funds will be used to bring the grange into compliance with state safety and sanitary laws. With these funds, the grange will be able to have a well water system, chemical toilets and holding tanks.

This loan will be repaid through the volunteer efforts of the grange membership and Maine Street ’90 program.

Residents voted to lend the fire department $1,800 at no interest for the purchase of personal safety equipment. The loan will be repaid by the close of the books this year.

James Sullivan, William Emhoff and Roger Ricker were returned to their positions on the Board of Selectmen. Others elected were as follows: Patricia Pearce, administrative assistant; Emalinecq McClintock, treasurer; Betty Pratt as town clerk, registrar of voters and excise tax collector; Vaughn Bussell, road commissioner; Keith Curtis, animal control officer; Peter Kennedy, sexton; and Madelyn Cowette, Darlene Bussell and Barbara Kennedy, recreation committee. Thelma Regan was re-elected to the SAD 4 board of directors.

Because of the shortfall in projected revenue to the town, the town treasurer volunteered to have her salary reduced by $300, and the tax collector volunteered to have her salary pared about $650.

There will be no orange vapor street lights in Wellington as an article for their installation was defeated.

Residents voted to raise and appropriate the following: for town charges, $7,000; salaries, $6,430; winter sand and salt, $6,000; fire department, $4,000; recreation committee, $1,000; SAD 4, $76,350; county tax, $10,000; insurance, $5,300; general assistance, $1,000; care of cemeteries, $1,000; and street lights, $675.

Voters also approved $3,600 for the assessing services of Hamlin Associates; $398 for Penquis CAP; $140 for Eastern Area on Aging; and $800 for tax discounts.

Discounts for early payment of taxes were approved, 2 percent for the first 30 days and 1 percent for day 31 to day 60. It was further voted to charge an interest rate of 12 percent.

As approved by the residents, anyone using discontinued town roads to access woodlots for timber harvesting projects must repair and maintain the roads in a manner that will insure that firefighting vehicles have access to the area to extinguish any forest fires.

(END OF FILE)