Mariaville

Residents decided Monday night against a proposal to spend $159,000 on proposed improvements to the town’s transfer station, Mariaville administrative assistant Mark Johnson said Tuesday.

“It was fairly close but it didn’t pass,” Johnson said.

A measure to reduce taxes that was put on the ballot by a citizens petition passed after voters decided to trim a proposed transfer of funds from $171,000 to $57,000, according to Johnson. The money will be transferred from undesignated fund balance to help reduce the town’s 2003-04 tax burden, he said.

Overall, voters approved a budget that includes approximately $230,000 that will be raised in taxes, Johnson said. This does not include school costs, which will be voted on at a separate meeting later this year.

Johnson predicted that neither the municipal budget nor the school budget will have much of an effect on the town’s current tax rate of $13.80 for each $1,000 in property value.

In elections, Scott Austin was re-elected as third selectman, Sheldon Dority was elected to the school committee, and Gerald Edgecomb was elected to the planning board.

Johnson said that because no one was elected Monday to replace retiring Town Clerk Geraldine Frost, selectmen will have to appoint someone to the post at a later date.

Franklin

Voters elected a new first selectman Saturday and approved a proposal to hire a part-time office assistant, according to a town official.

Bruce Setler was unopposed Saturday at Franklin’s regular town meeting in his election bid to take over Bruce Carter’s position as first selectman. Setler said Tuesday that selectmen were given authority Saturday to spend $15,000 or less on a new part-time office assistant and on office equipment the new employee will need. He said no one has been hired yet for the position.

Setler said that with the approved measure, Franklin voters approved an overall municipal budget of approximately $150,000. This does not include school costs, which will be voted upon at another meeting later this year, he said.

Jeff Albee defeated Scott Griffin in the race for Setler’s former post of second selectman. Albee edged Griffin by a 96-91 vote, Setler said.

Residents approved a measure to make each selectman’s seat a three-year position, with only one of those seats up for election each year, according to Setler.

Paul Lamoureux was unopposed in his bid for the school committee seat formerly held by Louis Plaud, who did not seek re-election.

The select board has adopted a new schedule for meetings, according to Setler. Members now will meet at 7 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month at the Franklin Community Center on Route 182.