Town Meetings

New Canada

Less than 25 voters approved municipal expenditures of $83,559 at the annual town meeting recently.

Voters agreed to all expenditures proposed in the meeting warrant except for $1,827 requested by the Northern Aroostook Regional Airport Authority. Voters have historically turned down the request by the Frenchville regional airport.

Of the approved expenditures, voters agreed to use $16,230 from excise tax collections and $13,608 from a highway block grant to lower the property tax exposure to $53,721.

The amount does not include the town’s share of the Aroostook County budget and the town’s share of SAD 27 education costs which cost the town $83,000 in 1995.

Voters also elected Carey Daigle to the Board of Selectmen for three years, Judy Bossie to be treasurer for one year, Herman Deprey constable for one year and Rita F. Pelletier health officer for one year.

St. Francis

Following the Board of Selectmen’s recommendation, residents approved an operating budget of $122,600 for 1996.

Only 37 people attended the recent annual town meeting, which lasted just 40 minutes.

To reduce the property tax exposure to the budget, voters agreed to use up to $70,000 from excise tax collections for municipal expenditures.

Approved expense figures do not include the town’s share of the Aroostook County budget and the town’s share of the SAD 27 education budget. In 1995, those two amounts added another $136,000 to municipal expenditures.

Other than education, the town’s largest annual expense is disposal of solid waste. In 1996, solid waste disposal will cost the town $29,000.