PERU — Residents will vote on a $997,685 municipal budget on the June 9 referendum ballot.
The polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Town Office.
Town Clerk Vera Parent said the town’s budget, which includes Oxford County’s assessment, is $39,329 more than the previous year.
Article 4 asks if voters to raise and appropriate $46,132 for the Town Clerk/Tax Collector Treasurer Office. The amount is $1,000 more than the previous year. The amount proposed for general expenses is $125,600, an increase of $6,350 from the previous year.
Article 23 asks for $10,000 to support operation of the Peru Community Center under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen. Three years ago, the town voted to rent the old school building to the Friends of Peru Elementary School for a minimal fee and to spend no more money on it.
The group manages the building and pays for its maintenance through fundraisers, grants, fees from events held there and rent from various groups. On Nov. 4, 2014, voters approved putting the town in charge of the building again and donating $10,000 toward maintaining it in 2014-15. The vote was 500-313.
Some residents voiced their disapproval of the selectmen putting another article on the June referendum ballot requesting another $10,000, six months after residents approved $10,000.
Nick Waugh, chairman of the Friends of Peru Elementary School group, said the budget schedule for the Peru Community Center was “out of sync with the budget schedule of the town.”
“This article will correct that discrepancy,” Waugh said.
The selectmen voted to recommended passage of the article, while the Finance Committee voted not to.
Peru is one of four towns that will decide June 9 whether to file a petition for withdrawal with the Regional School Unit 10 board of directors and Maine Commissioner of Education, and allow the town to expend $10,000 from surplus to accomplish the task.
For the past month, residents from the former School Administrative District 21 towns of Dixfield, Canton, Peru and Carthage circulated petitions asking for a vote to form a four-member committee in each town to work on withdrawal negotiations and to appropriate money to fund negotiations, research and analysis of withdrawal agreements.
The article asks for residents to approve $50,000 from surplus.
The Peru and Canton petitions asked for $10,000 each, while the Carthage petition asked for $8,000.
In town elections, Parent said three residents are running for two selectmen seats. Larry Snowman is running for re-election, while John Witherell and Wayne Moore are vying for a seat.
Parent is seeking re-election as town clerk, treasurer and tax collector.
Tammy Ferland is running against Parent.
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