Albion
BUDGET: Residents voted to approve the municipal budget of about $1.02 million, a decrease of $8,389 or 0.81 percent from the previous budget. The current budget will raise $37,000 more in taxes, however, because the town is taking less from surplus.
MAJOR ITEMS APPROVED: Selectman Beverly Bradstreet said all items in the town warrant passed during the meeting. Residents voted to give the requested $5,000 to the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry instead of the recommended $4,000. Some of the major items included appropriating money from the capital improvement funds to buy a rescue truck and adopting the updated state shoreland zoning ordinance. The selectmen gave the Spirit of America award to Charlene Gould for community service.
MAJOR ITEMS REJECTED: None.
ATTENDANCE: Bradstreet said about 60 people attended the March 18 Town Meeting.
CONTESTED ELECTIONS: There were no contested elections in Albion.
In the race for Selectman, incumbent Kevin Bradstreet won re-election with 29 votes.
In the race for school board member of School Administrative District 49, incumbent Kara Kugelmeyer was also re-elected.
REFERENDUMS: There were no referendum questions.
Detroit
BUDGET: Residents voted to approve the municipal budget of $398,290, an increase of about $55,218, or 16 percent, over the previous budget.
MAJOR ITEMS APPROVED: Town Clerk Kathy Walston said all items in the town warrant passed during the meeting, although residents amended the amount to give to designated agencies, such as Maine Public and Hospice, to $3,982.50 instead of the requested total of $5,025.50. Major items passed included raising and appropriating $30,000 to replace the flooring in the Town Hall and $4,500 to install lights outside Town Hall, a gate at the Brush site and repair the culvert near the Fire Department.
MAJOR ITEMS REJECTED: None.
ATTENDANCE: Walston said 19 residents and three non-residents attended the March 18 Town Meeting.
CONTESTED ELECTIONS: In the race for selectman, Stanley Kitchin II won with 29 votes, beating Wayne Basford, who had 21 votes. Neither candidate was the incumbent.
At the Town Meeting Saturday, residents also elected Corey Post to the budget committee.
REFERENDUMS: There were no referendum questions.
New Sharon
BUDGET: Residents approved the municipal budget of $909,978, an increase of $9,060 or 1.01 percent over the previous budget.
MAJOR ITEMS APPROVED: According to the results posted on the town’s website, all items in the town warrant passed during the meeting. Major items included approval of ordinances that established the New Sharon Fire and Rescue Association as the New Sharon Fire Department, a municipal department, and gave the town permission to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. Residents funded the new fire department with $75,100, providing $15,000 more than requested to fix the firehouse roof. Residents approved voting by secret ballot, so referendum questions and town officials will not be decided or elected on the floor during Town Meeting. Voters narrowly approved an article that enacted the use of nomination papers, 58-40, so submissions to nominate town officials will be required 45 days prior to the election starting next year.
MAJOR ITEMS REJECTED: None.
ATTENDANCE: About 100 people attended the March 18 Town Meeting.
CONTESTED ELECTIONS: There were a number of contested elections in New Sharon. Residents voted during the Town Meeting.
In the race for selectman, incumbent Lorna Nichols won re-election with 71 votes, beating Ben Smith, who had 48 votes.
In the race for treasurer, incumbent Erin Norton won re-election with 77 votes, beating Tracy Brackett, who had 29 votes.
In the race for road commissioner, incumbent John Pond won re-election with 27 votes. There were two write-in candidates who received four votes total.
In the race for tax collector, incumbent Pamela Griswold won re-election with 12 votes. Residents also voted to extend the term from one year to three.
In the race for water district trustee, incumbent David Ames won re-election with 14 votes. He ran unopposed.
REFERENDUMS: There were no referendum questions.
Troy
BUDGET: Residents approved the municipal budget of $578,499, an increase of $11,021 or 1.94 percent over the previous budget.
MAJOR ITEMS APPROVED: Selectman Rick Montana said all items in the town warrant passed during the meeting. Major items included raising and appropriating $5,000 to fund the purchase of a fire truck and $500 to buy new American flags to be hung on poles around town and exercising the “put option” with the Penobscot Energy Recovery Corporation to sell the town’s share back to PERC for $1,980. Troy is staying with the Municipal Review Committee, so it will be sending its trash to the new Fiberight plant in April 2018.
MAJOR ITEMS REJECTED: None.
ATTENDANCE: Montana said 21 voters, as well as their families, attended the March 18 Town Meeting.
CONTESTED ELECTIONS: There were no contested elections in Troy.
In the race for selectman, incumbent Rick Montana won with 15 votes.
In the race for trustee of the forest area, incumbent Stephen Piper won with 15 votes.
REFERENDUMS: There were no referendum questions.
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