Blue Hill OKs ambulance corps funding Town meeting voters signal interest in reopening Dodge Fountain for public use

BLUE HILL – Town officials expected a “business as usual” town meeting last weekend and, for the most part, that is what they got.

Voters approved the list of warrant articles, but not without discussion in some cases.

According to Selectman John Bannister, the article seeking funding for the Peninsula Ambulance Corps drew some of that discussion. The organization had requested $18,000, an increase over last year’s allocation. The selectmen and the budget committee had recommended a 5 percent increase, which would have been about $15,000.

The amount the selectmen had recommended was printed in the body of the warrant article by accident, which prevented voters from increasing that amount if they chose.

“We assured the people up front that it was not done intentionally to deprive them of the opportunity to change the figure if they wanted to,” Bannister said.

It required some parliamentary maneuvering, he said, but eventually the body held a straw poll to see whether voters would support the organization’s original request.

“The people there supported the larger amount, so the selectmen assured them that we would find a way to make sure that happens,” Bannister said.

At this point, he said, they had not decided whether to hold a special town meeting or to try to find the funds from other areas in the budget.

Voters also approved an allocation of $10,000 to be used as part of an effort to acquire access to the salt water. The voters amended the original article that the funds not be used exclusively for working waterfront property but for access in general.

Voters also made their opinions heard in a straw poll during balloting Friday. The selectmen had posed six questions on issues facing the town. Some of the results were surprising, Bannister said.

“There doesn’t appear to be much interest in pursuing a local police officer anytime soon,” he said. “That was a little surprising.”

In the poll, 194 voters favored hiring a local police officer, 253 were opposed to the idea.

With a vote of 310-138, residents favored investigating how to reopen the Dodge Fountain for public use. The fountain, located on the Parker Point Road, was once a public source of water, but has been closed for a number of years. Tests have indicated a higher percentage of bacteria in the water than allowed for public use.

“It seems a large percentage of people would like us to look into it,” Bannister said. “We’ll spend a little time and resources to find out what it would cost to treat the water. We’ll get some more information.”

In other straw poll questions, voters rejected the idea of having the selectmen appoint the road commissioner and the planning board members, and favored starting a public works department and extending the town’s sewer line down South Street.

In the only contested race, David Cousins was elected to a two-year term as road commissioner. Cousins received 239 votes to William Cousins’ 226 votes. David Cousins will succeed Michael Astbury, the road commissioner for the past 10 years, who chose not to seek re-election.

There were a number of write-in votes cast in other races.

Incumbent John Bannister was the only declared candidate for the another three-year term as selectman, but Susan Walsh mounted a last minute write-in campaign. Bannister won re-election handily, receiving 334 votes to Walsh’s 120.

Write-ins also determined the two new members for the planning board. There were no declared candidates for the two open seats. Elizabeth Stookey received 82 votes and Kenneth Charles received 37 votes.

Incumbents Susan Keenan and Benjamin Wootten were unopposed for re-election to the school committee. Keenan received 413 votes; Wootten, 363.

rhewitt@bangordailynews.net

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