November 08, 2024
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Reshingling town office roof on ballot for Penobscot voters

PENOBSCOT – Reshingling the roof on the town office building will be among the issues voters will decide at the annual town meeting next week.

Voters will go to the polls from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the school gym on Monday, and will tackle the municipal warrant articles beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday, also at the gym. Action on the school warrants will take place on March 15.

The proposed municipal budget for 2005 is $382,070, an increase of $13,742 from the current budget, according to Selectman Bing Gross. The bulk of that increase comes from the proposal to put new shingles on the town hall roof, Gross said.

The selectmen included $13,000 in the budget for that project, but Gross anticipated it may cost more than that.

“We’ve got bids coming in and they’re quite a bit higher than $13,000,” he said. “It’s possible we may have to ask for more.”

Gross said the selectmen also would propose increases in the warrant amounts for the town report, appraisals and audit account. The warrant proposed allocating $18,000. According to Gross, the town has hired a new appraiser, which will cost about $2,500 more that the previous appraiser. In addition, the cost of the audit will increase in order to meet state requirements to include all town infrastructure as part of the town assets.

That should have been done this year, Gross said.

The selectmen also will ask for an increase of $1,273 in the workers’ compensation account after being notified that an audit of the town’s 2004 payments indicated that it had underpaid the required amount, Gross said.

There is one contested race in town this year. Peter Coleman is challenging incumbent Stanley Shorey for a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen. Audrey Bradford, Robert LeVangie and Melissa Roseberry are running unopposed for seats on the school committee, and incumbent Road Commissioner Bill Hutchins is the only candidate for that post.


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