When Winslow residents go to the polls Tuesday, they will be asked to vote on a local Question 1 and a state Question 1 — two different, unrelated questions that apparently are causing some confusion among residents because they both deal with school funding.
The local Question 1 is about consolidating classes at Winslow elementary and high schools and leaving the junior high school either to a wrecker’s ball or a developer’s plan. It comes with a price tag of $10.33 million. Supporters of the bond color their signs orange and black, the colors of the Winslow High School Black Raiders.
The other, state Question 1, also mentions millions of dollars, as well as schools and jobs, in its ads and on placards and mailers. What the backers of this Question 1 don’t make so clear is that voters are deciding whether to allow a casino to be developed in York County. Casino backers have been slapped with penalties because of ethics breaches.
It will pay voters to be well-informed about what they are voting on.
STATE REFERENDUMS
Question 1: A citizen initiative asking if a casino with table games and slot machines should be allowed in York County.
Question 2: A citizen initiative asking if Medicaid should be expanded to provide health care coverage for qualified adults under 65 who have incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level, which in 2017 means $16,643 for a single person and $22,412 for a family of two.
Question 3: A bond question that would authorize a $105 million bond for infrastructure projects, including the construction and rehabilitation of highways, bridges and other facilities. The bond would be matched with an estimated $137,000,000 in federal and other funds.
Question 4: A resolution that would affect actuaries primarily, as opposed to members of the general public. It would amend the Maine Constitution to reduce volatility in state pension funding requirements caused by financial markets. In accordance with pension industry standards, it would increase the length of time over which experienced losses are amortized from 10 years to 20 years.
BELGRADE
Belgrade voters will consider two questions pertaining to Regional School Unit 18, the school district that also includes China, South China, Oakland, Rome and Sidney.
One of the questions, a citizen initiative, would continue the process required for Belgrade to withdraw from the school district. It will ask voters if they want to file a petition to withdraw from RSU 18 and authorize a withdrawal committee to spend $15,000, which is the first of 22 steps that are required before a town can withdraw from a regional school unit.
The other school question, which is going to all towns in RSU 18, would authorize the district to take out a $13.9 million bond to improve its athletic complex, address a number of fire code violations, and make other facility upgrades.
A third question asks if voters would authorize the town’s historical society to spend donated money to restore the Old Town House on Cemetery Road.
CHINA
Voters in China, a member town of RSU 18, will decide whether to authorize the district to take out a $13.9 million bond to improve its athletic complex, address a number of fire code violations, and make other facility upgrades.
Running for two two-year terms on the Select Board:
Irene Belanger
Ron Breton
Frederick Glidden
Robert MacFarland
One one-year term, Select Board:
Wayne Chadwick
Randall Downer
Ralph Howe
Donna Mills-Stevens
District 1 seat, Planning Board, two years:
Steven Hadsell
Kevin Michaud
No candidates have declared that they are running for the Planning Board District 3 seat or the Planning Board alternate at-large seat.
Robert Batteese is running unopposed for Budget Committee chairman, and Kevin C. Maroon is running unopposed for the Budget Committee District 1 seat
No candidates have declared to run for the Budget Committee District 3 seat
China voters also will decide three local questions: whether to take $8,500 from unassigned fund balance to build a fire pond off Neck Road, whether to require all nonprofits requesting money from town to submit current respective financial statements, and whether to let the Select Board enter into agreements with organizations to rent tower space on the town’s communication tower.
FAIRFIELD
Vying for one seat on the Town Council:
Jeff Neubauer
Courtney Chandler
Running for two seats on the School Administrative District 49 Board of Directors:
Shelley Rudnicki
Danielle Boutin
For Kennebec Water District, one seat:
Mark McCluskey
MADISON
Refendum question: Shall the town prohibit all types of retail marijuana establishments?
OAKLAND
Oakland is a member town of Regional School Unit 18, and Oakland voters will decide whether to authorize the district to take out a $13.9 million bond to improve its athletic complex, address a number of fire code violations, and make other facility upgrades.
Running for Town Council, one seat:
Robert Nutting
Kelly Roderick
For school board, one seat:
Charles Stubbert
For Budget Committee, three seats:
Angela Jurdak
Shawn O’Leary
ROME
Rome is a member town of Regional School Unit 18, and Rome voters will decide whether to authorize the district to take out a $13.9 million bond to improve its athletic complex, address a number of fire code violations, and make other facility upgrades.
SIDNEY
Sidney is a member town of Regional School Unit 18, and Sidney voters will decide whether to authorize the district to take out a $13.9 million bond to improve its athletic complex, address a number of fire code violations, and make other facility upgrades.
VASSALBORO
Vying for selectman, one seat:
Larisa Batchelder
Lewis Devoe
John Melrose
WATERVILLE
Running for mayor:
Nicholas S. Isgro
John C. Levesque
Erik Thomas
For City Council, Ward 2:
Robert K. Hussey
Nathaniel J. White
Ward 4:
Sydney R. Mayhew
Christopher Rancourt
Ward 6:
Winifred Tate unopposed
Waterville Board of Education, Ward 2:
Susan M. Reisert
Patrick J. Roy
Ward 4:
Maryanne Bernier
Rebekah Kathryn Collins
Ward 5:
Mary E. Fitzpatrick
Julian A. Payne
Kennebec Water District Trustees, citywide, two seats:
Denise Ann Bruesewitz
Alexander Gregory Wild
WINSLOW
Referendum question: $10.33 million bond for school renovations?
Winslow Public Library Trustee, two seats:
Bruce McCaslin
Charles Morrill
Town Council District 1, one seat:
Patricia West
School board District 1, one seat:
Joel Selwood
At-large, one seat:
Tyler Nathan
Kennebec Water District, one seat:
William Boucher
Town Council District 5, one seat:
Steve Russell
William Sadulsky
District 3, one seat:
Jerry Quirion
Lee Trahan
School board District 3, one seat:
Cory Dow
Amy Calder — 861-9247
acalder@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @AmyCalder17
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