Town Meetings

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Westmanland

Residents spent 31/2 hours formulating a 2002 budget that reduced the tax rate nearly 1 mill.

At the Thursday, March 21, annual town meeting and elections, they appropriated $58,829 in taxes and decided to hold off on a proposed $146,000 project to repave the Westmanland Road until a better plan is conceived.

The 45 voters denied a request to provide total maintenance of the Little Madawaska Lake Road. They did say they would match approximately $11,500 in funds collected in road dues from the association of property owners on the road.

The vote also stipulated that any road work would go out to bid.

The new budget included a $6,528 tax appropriation for education of the community’s three students, two of whom attend school in New Sweden. The other student is enrolled at Caribou High School.

A year ago, town officials didn’t have to raise money for education because allocated funds were carried over until this year in the declining number of students.

Last year’s tax rate was $6.80 per $1,000 in property valuation; this year voters hope it will be around $6. The final figure will depend on revenues from tree growth and property assessments next month.

The budget allowed $1,300 for conversion to electronic processing of town records.

“I have been doing everything manually but this year the budget includes a new computer,” Sharon Olmstead, administrative assistant, said Friday.

In elections, the town’s three selectmen were chosen for one-year terms. Erich Margeson defeated incumbent Tim Collins 20-17 for first selectman. Sven Bondeson defeated Ed Margeson 19-15 for second selectman. Dick Smith defeated Ed Margeson in a 21-15 vote for third selectman.

Incumbent Donna Hale was unopposed for return to a three-year seat on the school committee.

Incumbent Tom Smart was unopposed for re-election to the one-year position as road commissioner.

Ed Margeson was elected to a three-year term on the appeals board.

Margaret Johnson was uncontested for a three-year seat on the board of assessment review.

Incumbent Vicki Zetterman was elected to another year as animal control officer.

Stacyville

During a two-hour town meeting on Monday, March 18, voters turned out a municipal budget calling for $1,800 more in taxes than a year ago.

An additional $30,000 was added to the tax requirements this year but the absence of special projects undertaken last year offset that sum.

The 34 voters raised $15,000 in a reserve fund for a new firehouse. They also chose to raise $15,000 in taxes for the Upper Valley Economic Council instead of taking it from surplus as they did last year.

Mary Ann Guiggey, town manager and clerk, said Friday the municipal budget will not change the tax rate of $18.40 per $1,000 but she is unsure of how school costs might affect it.

Incumbent candidates were returned to their three-year positions unopposed. They were Leon Robinson, selectman and John Charette, SAD 25 board of directors.

Saint Agatha

By a two-vote margin, residents at the Tuesday annual meeting approved a public easement on the Pelletier Island Road, allowing the town access to make improvements to the road.

Approximately 70 camp owners have property there.

A $3,500 project this summer will include grading of the 3.2-mile road and the addition of calcium for dust control.

The Pelletier Island Road circles the island situated in Long Lake. It is joined to the town of Madawaska by a causeway.

Opponents to the town’s participation argued that the island was a seasonal residence for owners who knew the limitations of the road before they purchased property and that it was not the responsibility of the town to provide maintenance.

Approximately 10 percent to 15 percent of each town resident’s tax bill is designated to the public works department with the remainder spent on services provided by the town.

During the 90-minute meeting, voters adopted a budget that included $459,898 in municipal expenditures. That budget included $255,814 in taxes with the remaining $204,084 derived from excise tax collections, reserve accounts and other revenues.

Last year’s budget was about $8,000 higher. Taxes were approximately $3,000 more.

Ryan Pelletier, town manager, said Friday that he expected a jump of one-half to 1 mill in the tax rate after the property valuations were completed this spring and the bills were received for education and county taxes.

The tax rate is $16.50 per $1,000 in property valuation.

At the polls in a close 71-68 vote, Jean Martin unseated incumbent Bob J. Ouellette for the three-year term on the Board of Selectmen.

Incumbent Dan Bechard handily won re-election against challenger Arlene Albert for the three-year seat on the SAD 33 board of directors. The vote was 111-35.

Smyrna

In a 2-1 vote, voters at the Thursday annual meeting approved the sale of liquor for off-premises consumption, seven days a week.

William and Rhonda Lorom, owners of the Smyrna Mills Variety Store had petitioned for the sales that generated 39 voters approving their plan and 20 against it.

“They were kind of thinking the store might close without the sales,” Norma Tarr, an employee, said Friday. Customers coming in for food wanted beer also and often would choose to travel to another store in a nearby town where it was sold, she added.

Voters changed companies to handle their solid waste disposal. They decided against contracting again with the Northern Katahdin Solid Waste District to Boyd’s Sanitation in Houlton at a 30 percent cost savings.

They also voted to rebuild and pave a 3,600-foot section of the Smyrna Center Road at a cost of $90,000. The town plans to use $60,000 in state Department of Transportation funds and to take $30,000 from the surplus account.

The $209,000 raised in taxes represents a $7,000 increase brought on by higher school costs.

During elections, incumbent Linda White was re-elected to the school board. William Lorom was elected to a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen.

Ross Crandall was elected to fill an unexpired one-year selectman term.

Oakfield

Residents at the Monday night annual town meeting adopted a $291,737 budget, reflecting a $13,000 increase over last year, mostly for hikes in insurance accounts.

The included school costs drove the tax rate 1 mill higher.

The tax rate rose from $21.50 per $1,000 in property valuation to $22.50.

Incumbent Paul Shields was returned to a three-year term on the Community School District No. 9 board of directors.

James Sholler unseated incumbent Robert Dickinson and also defeated Anthony White for the three-year term on the Board of Selectmen. Ninety votes were cast for Sholler, 78 for Dickinson and nine for White.

Merrill

The 30 voters attending town meeting on Tuesday night raised $134,000 in taxes, just a few hundred dollars shy of last year’s commitment.

The new budget transferred $14,000 from the surplus fund to hold the tax rate steady.

The budget included $15,000 for road construction.

Mark Lawler was elected to a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen.

Compiled by Gloria Flannery