MERCER — Residents at Saturday’s Town Meeting will consider a proposed $463,165 budget that includes a request to spend $30,000 to repair the first three-quarters of a mile of West Sandy River Road.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Mercer Community Center gymnasium, with elections to be held 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday in the center’s solarium.
Incumbent First Selectman Vernon E. Worthen II is running unopposed for his position, which also includes assessor and overseer of the poor. Third Selectman Norman G. Redlevske is running unopposed for his seat, which also includes assessor and overseer. Incumbent Yolanda Violette is running unopposed for town clerk, tax collector and treasurer; and Maryellen Charles is running unopposed for a seat on the School Administrative District 54 board of directors.
No one is listed on the ballot for an open second selectman’s seat, two seats on the Planning Board and one Shaw Library trustee position, but write-ins are expected.
At Saturday’s Town Meeting, voters will consider a 42-article warrant. If they approve all funds requested in that warrant, the budget will be $463,165, according to Violette. She said that budget would represent an $86,533 increase over the budget voters approved last year.
Major increases are proposed in four articles on the warrant, she said.
Article 26 asks voters to consider appropriating money for paving, with the Budget Committee recommending $20,000 from taxes, $10,000 from surplus and the rest from the 2019 local road assistance program.
Article 27 asks voters what amount they would appropriate for ditching. The Budget Committee recommends $10,000 from taxes for that purpose. Article 28 is the paving request for West Sandy River Road and article 29 asks how much voters will appropriate for winter road maintenance, including plowing, sanding and stockpiling salt and sand. The article asks for $190,000, with $140,000 proposed to be taken from excise tax and $50,000 from taxes, and any shortfall to come from surplus. The Budget Committee was unable to come to a consensus about the request, according to the warrant article.
In other matters, voters will consider a Budget Committee recommendation to spend $80,000 from taxes for summer road maintenance and $27,750 from taxes for public safety to include traffic and street lights and fire protection provided by Norridgewock.
Article 15 asks how much the town will raise and appropriate for solid waste disposal, recycling and blue bag purchase. The Budget Committee recommends $23,000 from taxes and the rest from transfer station revenue.
Amy Calder — 861-9247
Twitter: @AmyCalder17
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