OAKLAND — Approximately 40 town residents gathered Thursday to vote by hand on a 25-article warrant at Oakland’s annual Town Meeting, which included a $5.9 million municipal budget and the authorization of the town to sell a parcel of land and buy two others.
Black lines of duct tape marked the seats available for use at the Messalonskee High School Performing Arts Center, three or four per row. The Town Council and administration sat at long tables on the stage and everyone wore masks, as is protocol during the coronavirus pandemic.
“What a year,” Town Manager Gary Bowman said to residents prior to starting with the warrant articles. “Last year was like living through a war zone. We made changes upside down that I never thought we’d see in a lifetime.”
The $5,872,481 municipal budget reflects a 5.18% spending increase, but property taxes will decrease by more than $17,750 townwide. For the fifth straight year, Oakland property owners will pay $16.40 per every $1,000 of assessed value, meaning the owner of a property valued at $150,000 would pay $2,460 in property taxes. By comparison, Skowhegan’s tax rate is $18 per $1,000 of assessed value and Waterville’s rate is $25.76 per $1,000 of assessed value.
This year, Oakland town leaders expect an increase in revenues, such as state revenue sharing and from other town services. Additional properties in Oakland have also widened the tax base.
“Consistency is so important for all of our bills,” Bowman said. “To make things smooth, it needs to be consistent.”
Spending on the assessor, recreation department, road improvements, transfer station, and rescue and fire department are up. Changing a 24-hour-a-week role at the transfer station to a 40-hour-a-week position will allow the department’s two full-time workers to take a vacation during the summer. The town is also adding a full-time position to split time between the assessor’s office and town office. The town will also provide a 3% cost of living raise for its employees, which accounts for $59,931.
Selectmen sit on stage Tuesday during the annual Oakland Town Meeting at the performing arts center at Messalonskee High School. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
Funds going to insurance and general assistance are decreasing significantly. The council approved the budget unanimously 5-0, while the budget advisory committee approved it unanimously with an 11-0 vote. The town’s style of government does include a council, but it still has an annual Town Meeting.
A budget article for $7,500 in community service organization requests sparked discussion, but was eventually passed by voters. One member of the budget committee voted against the article before it came to the town.
“It could be a penny, it could be $40 million, the principal of the issue is these are charitable organizations,” Willie LeHay, an Oakland resident, said. “It’s not the role of government to support charitable organizations.”
The requests are for organizations including Kennebec Valley Community Action Partners, Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter and Spectrum Generations.
“I personally don’t look at them as charitable; I look at them as necessary to keeping everybody fed and taken care of,” Budget Committee Member Dawna Doucette said.
Voters also approved the purchase of a parcel of land and the sale of another.
The town was approved to purchase land on the western portion of Fairfield Street for $75,000. The lots are on Tax Map 16, Lots 28-1 and 44, which are 14 and 12.7 acres, respectively. There’s no certainty as to what it could be, but potential abounds.
“Looking to the future, this is a piece of property that’s within a mile of downtown,” Bowman said. “It could be the home for Oakfest, walking trails, ski trails or ballfields.”
The town is authorized to sell a parcel of land on the western portion of Town Farm Road which is currently assessed at $514,000. The lot is 40 acres of the 42-acre lot known as Lot 1 on Tax Map 30. The town will retain 2 acres of land.
The Town of Oakland purchased the land in 1889. One parcel is the site of Oakland’s capped landfill and solar array. The other portion contains some trails.
Bowman also spoke about the need for building a new town office. The town recently built new police and fire stations and he hopes to build a town office approximately 2,000 square feet larger than the current one.
“We’re making progress,” Bowman said. “We’re making the town look the way it needs to be.”
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