STRONG — Selectmen on Tuesday called a special town meeting for June 20 to have voters decide on articles tabled at the March town meeting.
The first article asks if taxpayers want to borrow money to pave about a mile of the Pond Road.
The second article asks if voters want to sell the town’s tennis court or keep it and pay to maintain it.
Selectmen on Tuesday night agreed to put informational brochures in public places to explain the total costs to pave the Pond Road.
“I think this has been discussed enough around town (that) everybody’s aware of what’s going on,” Chairman Dick Worthley said. “The question will be how will we pay for it.”
Selectman Mike Pond said he did not have bank loan information to present Tuesday night to explain repayment options, but he expected to have it by Friday.
The brochure, he said, will be available the week before the special town meeting, explaining the costs and repayment plan.
Many of the town’s voters left the March meeting after lunch, according to Pond. Many came to vote on articles they supported and were not concerned with the rest of the budget proposals.
The tennis court is used regularly, but, according to selectmen, many of those who use it are not from Strong. Voters tabled the $3,000 request in March, but selectmen need to have voters decide if they want to continue paying the maintenance costs or sell the property.
Selectmen agreed to write the two warrant articles June 5, post the warrant June 13 and hold the special town meeting at the Forster Memorial Building on June 20.
In other matters, Regional School Union 58 Superintendent Susan Pratt provided selectmen with an overview of the school budget vote May 29.
The 6 p.m. meeting at Mt. Abram High School will allow voters in Kingfield, Strong, Phillips and Avon to challenge proposed spending.
The district faces declining enrollment, and voters have to make some decisions. If an elementary school is shut down, students will have to be bused to another school. Going outside the district is a possibility, but other schools are in the same situation. RSU 9’s Mallett Elementary School is full and could not absorb students from Strong or other districts, Pratt said.
Although the $9.287 million budget is down nearly 1 percent from current spending, the state subsidy declined by $235,000 over past year. The district also has 60 fewer students in four schools. The district could lose an average of 16 students a year for the foreseeable future, according to officials.
“That’s a large number for a small system to lose,” she said.
Pratt said setting the final budget figures May 29 is important. She also said voter participation in all four towns is critical.
Selectman Dick Worthley challenged the proposed spending, saying, “How do you present this as a responsible budget?”
He said the district’s administrative costs are too high, but he doubted the budget-approval meeting would do much to change that because teachers and those who support them outnumber the other taxpayers.
“This is the board’s budget,” Pratt said. “My original budget was even lower.”
Without a concerted community effort, Pratt said she did not see a positive future for the district.
“For all we know, SAD 58 will cease to exist,” she said.
Strong Town Office
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