EDDINGTON – Town residents will be asked tonight at the annual town meeting to vote on 21 articles, including whether to allow businesses to serve alcohol and whether Eddington should spend $32,500 on property revaluation.

The town meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Eddington School gymnasium, 440 Main Road.

The town voted in March 2004 for a revaluation but did not vote on funding, the annual town meeting warrant states.

Selectmen approved Hamlin Associates to do the job in January, with the $65,000 cost being split over two years, contingent on resident approval.

The town now is assessed at 71 percent and needs to be between 90 percent and 100 percent to qualify for several state-funded programs.

“If the town does not do a revaluation, we can lose revenue-sharing, grants, rural road assistance and any other funding available from the state,” the warrant states.

When residents vote on whether to allow businesses to serve alcohol, they will have two decisions to make. The State Liquor Commission issues the licenses for consumption of liquor to licensed establishments, but as part of the process, residents must vote to allow the serving of liquor in town.

In addition to voting if businesses can serve, residents also will be asked if liquor can be consumed on Sundays.

At the meeting, residents also will decide whether to approve amending the yard sale ordinance, which would require residents to get a free permit from the town office before holding a sale.

The proposed budget for fiscal year 2005-2006 is $789,350, which is up $22,386 or 2.92 percent over last year, according to Town Manager Russell Smith.

This amount includes $19,570 for general government; $218,041 for administrative salaries and expenses; $166,800 for highways; $224,505 for protection; $121,934 for human services; and $6,000 for the capital improvement account.

The biggest jump in costs for Eddington residents is the result of an increase of $12,419, or 11.88 percent, for the Penobscot County budget, which this year amounts to $116,998.

At the meeting, residents also will decide on whether to place $3,000 in a surplus fund to pay for small expenses throughout the year; moving $420,000 from the unappropriated surplus account to defray taxes; and taking $10,000 annually from the Police Department reserve account and putting it toward the cost of law enforcement through Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department until the account is empty.

The town has been raising $10,000 a year to purchase a new police cruiser and so far has $40,370 in the account.