Cushing voters favor simplicity

CUSHING — Voters at town meeting Tuesday refused to take steps toward more complicated municipal management.

On Monday at the polls, voters rejected, 61-45, a $20,000 measure to create a town building addition fund. The measure was intended as a prerequisite to establishing a central municipal business office.

Then they voted, 60-46, against a measure to create a “permanent position” at the town offices to collect payments and issue licenses. Both measures were rejected at last year’s town meeting. Selectmen said they were put back on the municipal ballot because more people show up at the polls.

On Tuesday night at the Cushing School, voters said they wanted to keep government as simple as possible for as long as possible, in order to keep taxes at a minimum.

Residents soundly turned down a request for $10,000 for a town garage building fund. Selectmen argued that the funds were needed to build a garage to protect and maintain the town trucks used for plowing and sanding. The current garage has a poor foundation and is no longer adequate.

Selectmen admitted they already had $30,000 in the garage building fund, with a bid for $27,000 for a new building. The additional money is needed for heating and plumbing, selectmen said.

One selectman noted that most of the people speaking against a new town garage have built new garages on their own property in recent years. But after prolonged debate, voters decided that the fund was big enough.

Residents questioned why the town needed to spend $15,000 on town roads during one of the easiest winters on record. “You ought to have a bunch of money in that account,” one voter said. Selectmen explained that in winters with low snowfall, more money is needed for sanding and salting.

“Winter is not over yet. We will have snow until June,” said Cushing resident Earl Robishaw.

Selectmen heard bitter complaints about sanding and plowing private roads, in violation of state law. Selectmen admitted the practice was illegal, but gave no explanation why the private roads were serviced every winter.

After some debate, the voters approved $10,000 for a truck reserve fund, now at $20,000. The last new truck cost $47,000 three years ago and “they aren’t getting any cheaper,” one selectman said.

After further debate, voters approved $5,000 for an account to develop public access to the waterfront. The account is at $20,000, not enough to purchase waterfront land, selectmen said.

The usual debate was held on provider agencies. Robishaw, a former traffic officer in Rockland, spoke against providing $930 for the Kno-Wal-Lin health care agency. He explained that when he was run down in a crosswalk by an angry motorist, he went to the nearby Kno-Wal-Lin agency to use the bathroom. The receptionist refused to let him use the bathroom, Robishaw said.

“I wouldn’t give them nothing,” he said.

In spite of his impassioned plea, the $930 was approved by voters. Robishaw got an apology from a Kno-Wal-Lin representative.

Voters approved zoning amendments that eased restrictions on timber harvesting, building and installation of septic systems in resource protection areas. The amendments bring the town into compliance with state law.

Voters approved a total budget of about $110,000, which is a slight decrease over last year.