NORRIDGEWOCK — Residents at Monday’s annual Town Meeting approved a $2.85 million municipal budget, voted in 16 town officials and restricted new medical marijuana stores from opening in town.
The budget rose from $2.5 million the year before, Town Manager Richard LaBelle said Tuesday, explaining that much of the increase was an additional request of $200,000 for the road advisory committee this year. He said wages for town employees also rose this year.
He said it’s not yet clear how the tax rate will be impacted, but said the town was able to use some excess revenue from 2022 to offset some of the increase.
“It’s still early, with the school and the county (budgets) coming together,” LaBelle said. “My hope is that (the tax rate) would be able to stay flat for taxpayers as it has in the past.”
All warrant articles were approved except one, he said, adding that there was “significant discussion” about expenditures for town administration before that spending item was OK’d by residents.
There were residents pushing to decrease LaBelle’s salary, which is $97,250. He said town officials told residents that individual line items were not able to be voted on, and so the group instead attempted to cut spending for the town administration by about $50,000.
After four failed attempts, supported by around 15 to 20 people, LaBelle said residents ended up passing the town administration budget as it was proposed: $404,700. The increase in LaBelle’s salary this year was 3%, which he said is an automatic increase he receives each year per his contract.
The one article not approved Monday was a proposal to authorize the operation of additional medical marijuana retail stores in town. It was rejected 90-69.
LaBelle said there is already one medical marijuana store in town, Norridgewock Springs LLC on Waterville Road. No additional ones are allowed to open.
In other matters, 16 town officials were elected to office Monday. Five people were elected to the Select Board: incumbents Matthew Everett, Lindsey Lynch and Dylan Wentworth, and newcomers Ronnie Blodgett and Kelsea Bickford. Incumbent Charlotte Curtis lost her seat.
Incumbents James Lyman, Ronald Frederick and Curtis were reelected as tax assessors. Sara Wilder was reelected to the budget committee. Charles Farrand and Margaret O’Connell were reelected to the Planning Board for a two-year term, and Curtis for a three-year term.
Jean Lancaster was reelected as library trustee and John Ames was reelected to the sewer commission for a two-year term. Desiree Libby and Bruce Obert were both elected to three-year terms on the board of directors for Maine School Administrative District 54, but LaBelle said that Obert called in Tuesday to decline the position, leaving the seat vacant. Obert had been a write-in candidate.
An additional seat on the school board and one on the sewer commission were left open after the election, as candidates vying for the positions tied.
LaBelle said it’ll now be up to the Select Board to appoint someone to those positions.
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