Town meetings

Wade

Fifty-two residents spent two hours Wednesday evening formulating a budget that would meet the town’s needs over the next year.

They came up with a $113,787.92 municipal budget, $3,000 higher than last year, with anticipated expenses for road maintenance.

Voters in this community of 251 residents raised an extra $1,000 for each of these accounts: summer roads, bringing that total to $20,000; winter roads, for a total of $19,000; and salaries.

The town hopes to complete reconstruction of the Haynes Road this summer in a joint venture with the town of Castle Hill using state funds.

The good news came with the solid waste account, which was cut almost in half with a weighing program at the disposal site in Presque Isle. The $3,212 total for the service is down about $3,118 from a year ago.

The town’s cost for ambulance service provided by Crown Ambulance Service in Presque Isle remained the same at $2,430.

The tax rate is $21.70 per $1,000 in property valuation.

Andy Turner was elected to a three-year term as second selectman. Selectmen also serve as assessors and overseers of the poor.

Donna Turner was elected to a one-year term as clerk, tax collector and treasurer.

Richard Bell was elected to a one-year term as animal control officer and surveyor of wood, bark and lumber.

Bills for education and county taxes are expected in June.

Ludlow

Residents will choose between two candidates for selectman at the annual elections on Monday, April 28, at the Moose Brook School.

Barry Ivey is challenging incumbent Joyce Folsom for that three-year seat.

Polls will be open 1-5 p.m. followed by the 7 p.m. business meeting at the same building.

Incumbent Karen Beaulieu is unopposed for return to her position as town clerk.

Voters will consider a proposed $168,634 municipal budget, $7,400 higher than last year’s spending plan.

Mary Foley, town manager for nearly six years, said Thursday the proposed increase was largely due to an expected higher cost to maintain winter roads. Some of the proposed increase also was designated for matching funds to obtain grants to update a comprehensive plan for the town and for additional equipment at the Fire Department.

Budget planners in the town of 402 residents have proposed a winter roads account at $68,000, about $6,000 higher than a year ago to allow for increased fuel costs, insurances and a contract award to do the work.

Planners have budgeted the summer roads account at the same amount, $20,000, as they did a year ago.

The Fire Department account featured a proposed $100 increase, totaling $12,436.

The cost for ambulance service dropped from $7,859 to $6,999.

Foley said the proposed budget for general government at $32,000 was $2,000 less than a year ago. Town officials decided to use a balance in that fund to decrease the amount appropriated a year ago.

The town’s tax rate is $21.50 per $1,000 in property valuation.

Foley said the cost of education may increase from the $112,516 the town paid last year. That bill, along with the bill for county taxes, assessed last year at $12,641, are expected later in the spring.

– Compiled by Gloria Flannery