POLAND — Residents marked their 227th annual town meeting Saturday by passing all 35 warrant articles and endorsing a $6.8 million municipal budget.
In opening remarks, Lionel Ferland Jr. asked for a moment of silence for Norm Beauparlant, who died in August 2021. He was an active and involved resident who served more than 40 years on various boards and committees in town.
Residents discussed the 25-year agreement with ReVision Solar Power to change the electrical source for the town’s municipal facilities to solar power.
Questions covered included maintenance responsibility, long-term efficiency of panels, actual cost savings and concerns over whether Central Maine Power Co. or the state Legislature could change municipality rules in regard to utilizing solar power.
Town Manager Matt Garside said ReVision had been chosen several years ago in a bidding process when Poland first looked into investigating solar power for its facilities, and that the issue came up for discussion among Select Board members this year as it related to energy costs. ReVision was contacted to submit a proposal.
Garside said he and the electrical inspector visited Windham to see how ReVision has impacted that town’s facilities.
ReVision has also been contracted to provide solar power to Augusta, Bucksport, Camden, Cumberland, Freeport, Hope and Lincolnville.
Voters Saturday also passed a 10-year bond not to exceed the principal of $850,000 to expand Ricker Memorial Library.
In a related article, the town may also utilize $150,000 from the Stone Trust for expenses associated in the design stage of the library’s expansion.
Voters approved expenditures from Poland’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act. The town will tap up to $200,000 from the fund “to replace and enhance the HVAC system in the Town Office, to more efficiently control heat and air exchange and provide for virus protection.”
Another $65,000 can be spent for two power-lift stretchers for the Poland Fire Rescue Department.
Also approved were five articles amending Poland’s Comprehensive Land Use Code and an amendment authorizing an addition of 104.2 acres to The Heart of Poland Conservation Area.
After the meeting, Board of Selectpersons Chair Stephen Robinson said he was surprised no discussion surfaced on the article that passed allowing the transfer of $675,000 from the town’s unassigned balance for the purpose of reducing local taxation.
Several positions were filled by the 139 residents who voted Friday.
Stephen Robinson was reelected with 109 votes and Stanley Tetenman garnered 88 votes to both earn three-year terms on the Board of Selectpersons.
Elected for three-year terms on the Ricker Library Board of Trustees were incumbent Claire Walker with 104 votes and newcomer Claire Ledoux Dick with 93.
Melanie Harvey, with 50 write-in votes, will serve a three-year term as a member of the Regional School Unit 16 board of directors.
Torrey Erland had three write-in votes to earn a two-year term on the Budget Committee.
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