LIVERMORE FALLS — Voters approved eight of 10 warrant articles during Tuesday’s special Town Meeting at the Fire Station.
The warrant included several articles on the June 20 warrant, which was posted incorrectly and therefore votes were invalidated.
Voters opted to change the number of Budget Committee members from nine to five to make it easier to get a quorum for meetings. Prior to the change, five members were a quorum. With the change, three will be a quorum.
“The Budget Committee input has been invaluable in helping us arrive at the decisions we have,” Selectman Bruce Peary said.
Voters rejected a revised medical marijuana establishment licensing ordinance for the second time. The first rejection was June 20 but the vote didn’t count. The ordinance would have limited the number of retail marijuana licenses to three in the village area. There would be no limitations outside the village area.
Resident Roger Moulton said the ordinance would devalue his medical marijuana store if he went to sell it because there would be only three licenses available. Currently, there are six licensed businesses.
Voters also rejected increasing the property tax levy limit for the 2023-24 budget. The budget is at least $1 million less than the state established levy for the town.
Voters also passed a food vendor licensing ordinance. It was rejected in June because the annual licensing fee of $200 was a typographical error. Selectmen changed the ordinance to $20 at their last meeting.
Another article voters approved was $44,443.73 in overages in the 2022-23 administration and General Assistance accounts. Of that amount, $37,066.27 was administration and $7,377.46 is General Assistance. The state reimburses the town 70% of what it spends for General Assistance.
Contributing to the administration over draft are professional services, legal costs, elections, and salary and wages.
Residents agreed to carry over is about $6,592 in summer recreation, about $225,294 for paving, $73,000 for solid waste and $15,000 for a revaluation of properties. A typographical error in the warrant initially had a $25,000 carry over for revaluation of properties. The number was changed to $15,000 in the motion and approved.
Voters also approved raising and appropriating $38,000 for summer recreation.
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