CORINTH – Budget increases approved at Tuesday night’s town meeting are due mainly to rising fuel costs and the anticipated school budget, Town Manager Don Strout said Wednesday.

More than 60 people attended the annual meeting and approved all items on the warrant including the $70,000 increase in winter road maintenance, up from $178,000 last year to $248,000 this year because of fuel costs.

The estimated school budget and county taxes, in addition to the municipal budget, totals about $2.16 million gross. The municipal budget is about $1.05 million, with the estimated school budget and anticipated county tax bill making up the remainder.

Based on the above budget, the anticipated mill rate is $13.50 per $1,000 of property valuation. That’s up from last year’s mill rate of $12.10 per $1,000 of property valuation.

Residents also voted Tuesday to use money from the Morrison Trust Fund to do work on Grant Road and the covered bridge. The road won’t be paved but will be improved, Strout said.

In Monday’s local election, residents re-elected incumbent Teri Jane Casavant to the Board of Selectmen, and Melody Dauphinee to the school board. Casavant received 112 votes, while opponent Allan Stehle received 39 votes. In the school board race, Dauphinee received 120 votes to her opponent James Connolly’s 111 votes.

In an uncontested race, Charlene Chesley was named cemetery trustee.

Strout also provided in an interview Wednesday an update on the town’s purchase of the Corinth Product Co. Inc. building and associated land at 10 Exeter Road.

Corinth Product used to make wood pallets at the site, but years ago there was a gas station at the corner.

Civil Engineering Services Inc. of Brewer drilled test bores last Thursday to see if there was any on-site contamination, and initial reports showed that there was minor contamination and that cleanup also is expected to be minor, Strout said. The final boring results should be available in 10 to 12 days.

Over the next five years, the plan is to remodel the building to eventually be used by the Fire Department because of a need for additional space. The town also would use a portion of the building for its recreation program.

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