Town meetings

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Sangerville

Municipal officials have found that being a landlord isn’t productive if the cost of operating a rental facility outweighs the income.

That’s the case with Sangerville’s operation of the former Abbie Fowler School, which was deeded to the town a few years ago after SAD 4 closed it as part of a districtwide consolidation effort.

Since the town is fronting some of the operational costs, town officials plan to ask residents at the annual town meeting if they want to sell the facility.

The town meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 31, in the fire station.

Since the town became the owner of the building, repairs, heat and lights have cost $26,000 more than the rental income, said Town Manager Dick Drummond. The heat for the building costs $15,000 to $18,000 a year, he said.

While all but one room in the former school is rented, Drummond said, the town in 2007 can expect income of $25,000 and expenses of $32,000.

“The people ought to know what the school is costing the citizens of the town,” Drummond said.

While selectmen have not inked the final draft of the budget, it appears that the 2007 municipal budget will be about $112,000 over the 2006 spending plan.

“We’ve done everything we can do to be conservative and be considerate of the mill rate, to keep it as low as possible and yet do the things that need to be done,” Drummond said.

Drummond said the budget includes $82,000 for the purchase of a truck with plow, wing and dump body for use throughout the year. Of that amount, $32,000 would be taken from reserves, $25,000 raised from taxation, and $25,000 would be borrowed, if approved by residents.

Town officials have $100,000 in the budget for road improvements to Goff Road. Of that, $45,000 will be carried over from last year and $55,000 will be raised from taxation.

The draft budget also calls for using $7,000 from the town hall renovation reserve to reconstruct an area in the municipal library.

Charleston

A barking dog ordinance that would carry a fine after the first offense will be up for discussion at the annual town meeting.

The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 10, in the former Charleston School.

As requested in a petition submitted by residents, town officials have placed a proposed barking-dog ordinance on the warrant for action. Under the ordinance, any person who has a dog that habitually and frequently barks, howls or yelps would be subject to a minimum fine of $50 for a second offense; a minimum fine of $100 for a third offense; and a minimum fine of $200 for each subsequent violation.

Also up for discussion is a request from selectmen to appropriate money for a new boiler at the building which now houses the town office. An estimate pegs the cost at $16,830. The budget committee made no recommendation on the warrant article.

The recreation committee has requested $12,000 for an activity bus, but the request is not supported by the budget committee. The committee also has asked to build a ball field behind the school building.

Elections will include a selectmen, three or more assessors of taxes, three or more overseers of the poor, a budget committee member, a fire chief, six members of the recreation committee, and a road commissioner.

Fire department members will serve a lunch after the meeting.

Canaan

Town meeting will be held at a new time this year, 9 a.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Canaan Elementary School.

Elections will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. the following Monday, March 19, at the town hall.

Only one position is contested, Town Clerk Barbara Geaghan said. Veteran road commissioner Ray Judkins is being challenged by Fire Chief Ray Small.

There are no major purchases or changes in the warrant, and Geaghan said because of a 2006 revaluation the tax rate fell from $17.70 to $12.50 per $1,000 valuation.

Corinna

Town elections will be held from 9:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, March 9, and town meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 10, at the Corinna Elementary School.

Both a school board seat and two selectmen’s positions are contested. Expenditures mirror last year’s and the mill rate will remain stable.

Detroit

Town elections will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 16.

Veteran Selectman Galen Faloon is not seeking re-election.

Town meeting will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 17, and Town Clerk Kathy Walston said there are no issues or major new expenditures that would affect the tax rate.

Plymouth

Town elections will be held from 1 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 16, and town meeting will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Grange Hall.

Selectman Wade Richardson said Ralph Shaw and George Dean are running for fire chief. No new expenditures are planned.

Newburgh

Town meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 10, at Newburgh Elementary School.

Polls were open on Tuesday, March 6, for voters to fill the one opening on the Board of Selectmen and SAD 22 representative.

Board of Selectmen incumbent Leonard Belcher ran unopposed for a three-year term, and SAD 22 director incumbent Liliane Deighan also ran unopposed for a three-year term.