DIXFIELD — Voters approved all 24 articles for a $2.53 million 2021-22 municipal budget Tuesday, according to Town Clerk Theresa Hemingway.
All the articles were approved by a wide margin. Outgoing Town Manager Dustin Starbuck said the new budget is $311,019 less than last year.
“I’ve tried to be very prudent, budgeting, my entire tenure here. With some business activity here and trying to be prudent, our tax rate has actually gone down over the last three years,” he said, adding that during that time the tax rate dropped from 27 mills to around 24 mills.
Starbuck said that currently Dixfield is in a good place financially. However, down the line, the town may have to take out a bond to upgrade its water and sewer systems.
The final article approved was the purchase of a 2022 International Harvester HV507 truck with plow gear for $170,000. In doing so, they approved transferring up to $70,000 from the Public Works Equipment Reserve and up to $100,000 from the undesignated general fund balance.
In the elections, Hemingway said Peter Holman won another three-year term to the Select Board, edging out challenger Richard Pickett, 138-137.
Winning three-year terms to the RSU 56 Board of Directors were Larry Whittington (151 votes) and write-in Tim Kelly (68 votes).
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