Chester backs salt-sand shed construction

CHESTER – Residents voted during a town meeting Monday night to buy a 2-acre plot and build a new salt and sand shed that would solve a chronic town problem.

The majority of about 75 residents gathered in the Marianne Municipal Building approved buying the land from Dale and Owen Smith for $40,000 and further authorized the Board of Selectmen to explore the cost of building the shed.

The selectmen also will seek funding for the construction of the shed by seeking $200,000 from the state Revolving Loan Fund. If the effort fails or the shed costs more than $200,000, selectmen will have to call a special town meeting to fund the construction.

Selectman Roscoe Tash said the project would solve a chronic town problem. For years the town has been putting its salt and sand for snow removal at various spots. Landowners have complained that the material has fouled their water wells, Tash said.

Siting the shed on that land would solve that problem while bringing the town in compliance with state regulations requiring such a shed, Tash said.

“It will also make it easier for town truck drivers to work with it,” Tash said.

Residents also generally approved a municipal budget of $385,123 for the 2005-06 fiscal year.

Temple Ireland, who missed the meeting due to a death in his family, defeated Ann Tash, 112-58, to remain first selectman. Donna Tash was named town clerk after garnering 171 votes. John Twomey was renamed to the SAD 67 board of directors with 155 votes.

Jennifer Vachon was glad she was named the town’s tax collector and treasurer, which pays about $9,000 annually. She will do town work out of her home, she said.

“I’m glad I was elected,” Vachon said. “The money will definitely help.”

Residents also voted 23-18 with many abstentions to open a town office in the Marianne building and to renovate the building for $15,000 from the capital improvements account.

Residents voted on a total of 36 articles to appropriate funds to various organizations, including:

. $2,000 to Lincoln for use of that town’s recreational services.

. $10,000 to the capital improvements account.

. $500 for Lincoln Little League.

. $400 for the Penobscot Valley Humane Society.

. $966 to the Lincoln Lakes Region Development Corp.

. $5,000 to the Lincoln Lakes Region Dialysis Center.

Residents voted down paying $1,510 to Penobscot Valley Hospital for the purchase of two ambulances because hospital officials have said they were withdrawing the municipal fund-raising effort.