DIXFIELD — The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted Monday evening to send a request for the town to use up to $10,000 from the Ione Harlow Dixfield Community Fund to build an enclosure for the new electronic scoreboard at Dirigo High School to a special town meeting.
Resident Mark Thompson originally made the request during the town’s July 28 board meeting, upon which the selectmen told Thompson that they would have to make sure that there was enough money in the Ione Harlow fund before approving the request.
Town Manager Carlo Puiia told selectmen that there was $52,380.46 in the Ione Harlow Dixfield Community Fund.
“I did a little research, and a decision like this is going to have to go to a special town meeting,” Puiia told the board. “At our last meeting, everyone seemed to agree that they wanted to use the money if it was in the fund.”
Puiia said that he drafted an addendum warrant for the upcoming Aug. 21 special town meeting that added the Ione Harlow fund request. Residents will also vote during the Aug. 21 meeting on whether to enact a 180-day wind energy facility moratorium.
“I put together the warrant question using language from the special town meeting held a few years ago to approve the lights for Harlow Park,” Puiia said.
In other business, the board discussed whether or not the town should consider an ordinance for the recall of elected officials.
“I was reading through a nice little article in the Maine Townsman about towns having an ordinance for the recall of elected officials,” Puiia said.
After providing copies of the article to the board, Puiia added, “I figured this could be something for you to look at and read about. A couple other towns in the area have done this, including Mexico. Rumford voted one in a couple of years ago.”
Selectman Mac Gill said that he thought a recall ordinance would be a good idea for Dixfield.
“It’s better to be proactive as a board with these things, rather than reactive,” Gill said.
Selectman Dana Whittemore agreed with Gill, adding, “I think it’d be a wise decision for us to make.”
mdaigle@sunjournal.com
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- Selectmen Norman Mitchell, left, and Dana Whittemore, middle, and Town Manager Carlo Puiia review an addendum warrant for the upcoming Aug. 21 special town meeting during Monday evening’s selectmen meeting at Ludden Memorial Library.
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