DIXFIELD — Residents rejected six budget articles on Tuesday’s referendum ballot, ballot warden Theresa Hemingway said Wednesday morning.
For the second-consecutive year, residents rejected the proposed Executive Department budget. The vote was 346-391.
The Board of Selectmen recommended $302,113, while the Finance Committee recommended $306,513. The requested amount was $317,197.
Hemingway said voters also rejected the proposed $165,901 Regional Expenses budget by a 321-394 vote. The budget encompasses the Northern Oxford Regional Solid Waste Board, the River Valley Growth Council, the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, the River Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Western Valley Access Channel.
Residents also rejected authorizing the Board of Selectmen to use up to $10,000 from the Ione Harlow Dixfield Community Fund to purchase and install an electronic message board at the Town Office on Main Street. That vote was 302-437.
Other articles rejected by residents included the Reserve Funds budget, 353-361; Debt Service budget, 357-361; Property Tax Levy Limit, 190-528.
Town Manager Carlo Puiia said he was going to contact selectmen and schedule a special meeting to review the defeated articles.
In a three-person race for two selectmen seats, Hart Daley was re-elected to a three-year term, while Scott Belskis was ousted by former Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky. Daley received 388 votes, Skibitsky received 387 votes, and Belskis received 341 votes.
Former Selectman Stephen Donahue received 310 votes.
Residents also voted 542-201 in favor of appropriating $50,000 to fund a withdrawal effort from Regional School Unit 10.
Previously, the former School Administrative District 21 towns of Dixfield, Canton, Peru and Carthage circulated petitions asking for a vote to form a four-member committee to work on withdrawal negotiations and to appropriate money to fund the cost of negotiations, research and analysis of withdrawal agreements.
Their goal: to withdraw from RSU 10 and form a new district consisting of the former SAD 21 towns.
Many years ago, Carthage and Dixfield started SAD 21, then Canton and Peru joined.
Eventually, the district and SADs 43 in Rumford and 39 in Buckfield formed RSU 10. Other towns in RSU 10 are Buckfield, Hartford, Sumner, Mexico, Rumford, Byron, Roxbury and Hanover. Byron is well into the process of withdrawing from RSU 10.
Peru and Canton approved their own articles Tuesday to use $10,000 from their surplus accounts to begin the withdrawal process.
In order for the process to continue, Carthage will have to approve a similar article at their June 23 referendum.
Belfast lawyer Kristin Collins said that “if any of the four towns vote that they don’t want to withdraw, the whole thing goes away.”
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