Orrington board accepts selectman’s resignation

ORRINGTON – Hard economic times have forced Selectman John Hannington to resign his post effective immediately, according to his resignation letter, which was accepted with regret on Monday by the four remaining selectmen.

“My family and I have made every attempt to make a life for ourselves here in Orrington and unfortunately we have come up short,” his letter states. “We must put our home on the market and consider other options.”

The other options include the possibility of his family moving out of state, the letter goes on to state.

Local elections on June 5 will determine who will fill Hannington’s remaining two-year term and the three-year posts currently held by David Levine, who replaced Paul White in January, and Christine Lavoie.

“Two three-year terms and one two-year term” will be up for grabs, Chairman Howard Grover said after the meeting.

Residents interested in running for selectmen can pick up nomination petitions, which need at least 25 signatures from registered Orrington voters, at the town office. The forms must be returned to the town by May 1 in order for names to be printed on the ballot.

After the school and town budget hearings, held at the beginning of Monday’s meeting, only one change was made to the town budget. The amount set aside for the senior center was increased from $2,380 to $3,000.

The overall budget for 2006-07, including the town, school and county tax, is $8,219,047, which is an increase of $534,789 over this year.

The draft school budget is $5.9 million, the proposed town budget is $1.9 million and the Penobscot County tax is $296,967.

Residents will have the final say on the budget at the June 5 annual town meeting.

During Monday’s meeting, the board also:

. Announced an April 24 meeting to continue discussions about new Town Hall proposals. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at Center Drive School.

. Discussed private roads and issues with maintenance. Suggestions were made that residents along private roadways who might require emergency services create associations to maintain the roadways. Selectman David Levine asked that the issue be placed on the April 24 agenda to continue the discussion.

. Heard from Al and Elizabeth Bicknell, Swetts Pond Road residents who would like a culvert on their land removed or the water runoff to be somehow diverted. Town Manager Carl Young said he was waiting for an engineering report to act on the matter.

. Accepted a $2,500 check from D&H Construction for remaining heavy equipment funds unused because of the light winter, and thanked owner Dan Howard for generously returning the funds.

. Approved allowing the town manager to live in Dedham.