SABATTUS — The Board of Selectmen voted Tuesday night to keep the tax rate at $17.75.
Town Manager Anthony Ward said officials could go down 5 cents, stay the same, or go up 5 cents to cover expenses and have an overlay.
He recommended an overlay of at least 1.4 percent, or $76,000.
Selectmen Guy Desjardins said he would rather keep the tax rate the same in order to have an overlay of $76,462.
“If we go down a nickel, it could bite us next year if there’s an emergency,” he said.
The board also voted to accept a bid from All States Asphalt for $547,069 to cover road projects. Money was approved by voters at the annual town meeting in May, not to exceed $608,000.
Works is planned on Litchfield and Williams roads, the public works lot and the transfer station lot.
The board thanked Selectman Nicholas Gayton for his work. He announced his resignation at the last meeting because he’s moving out of Sabattus.
“It was a pleasure working with you,” Desjardins said.
Connie Castonguay, the runner-up in the the most recent election, was asked to fill Gayton’s position until his term expires in November.
Resident Pat Cyr asked the board to consider officially discontinuing a road that hasn’t been used in more than 30 years. He owns Sabattus Auto and Truck Sales and is in the process of purchasing the land that used to be the road.
The Maine Department of Transportation won’t sell him the land until the town officially discontinues it. The town has no documentation that that was ever done.
Board of Selectmen Chairman Mark Duquette said a public hearing needs to be held before the board can vote on the issue.
Cyr said he has an agreement with DOT to purchase the land and the shed but needs legal documents.
“It could take nine months to complete this process,” Cyr said. “This is just the first step.”
The board will hold a public hearing to discontinue the road at its next meeting Aug. 7.
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