CHESTERVILLE — Voters will go to the polls Friday to elect two selectpersons, casting ballots from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Town Office on Dutch Gap Road.
The remaining articles on the annual Town Meeting warrant will be taken up beginning at 7 p.m. Monday at the Fire Department on Dutch Gap Road.
Selectperson Linda Bauer is seeking another three-year term. Write-ins will determine who gets a one-year position because no one filed papers for it, Town Clerk Pamela Adams said.
On Monday, voters will consider a $1.1 million budget, an increase of $40,766 over the current spending plan. The amount does not include the town’s share of Franklin County and Regional School Unit 9 budgets, Tiffany Estabrook, chairwoman of the Board of Selectpersons, said in a recent email. The total budget will be almost $2.31 million with the $1.08 million RSU 9 share, a 3% increase, and
the $137,388 county share, also with a 3% increase, she wrote.
Selectpersons are recommending $1,612 more than the Budget Committee for payroll/taxes and supplies under administration.
“We differ with payroll for administration because the board asked for additional office support to be $15 an hour, while the Budget Committee asked for $14.57 for the position,” Estabrook wrote.
Selectpersons are also recommending $10,947 more than the Budget Committee for Public Works.
Under public works, pay for the new foreman was negotiated by the board, Estabrook wrote. The board increased the on-call plow drivers’ pay to $18 (per hour) to entice potential drivers, she noted. The board asked for $500 in Public Works office expenses for safety spill containment after the Budget Committee had made their recommendations, she said.
Selectpersons and the Budget Committee are also recommending slightly different amounts for payroll for the transfer station.
“The board recommends (pay for the) foreman and assistant to be $15.50 and $14.75 (per hour), respectively, while the Budget Committee recommends $14.50 and $13.75, respectively,” Estabrook wrote. The position is Saturday and Sunday only from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the board thought their pay should be more in line with what other employees receive, she noted.
Selectpersons are also recommending an additional $7,495 for capital road projects.
“The board is assessing roads and comparing quotes,” the chairman wrote. The board would like to repair roads as much as possible. “We added reclaiming a few roads, ditching, brush cutting etc. If you drive Chesterville roads they need attention. The board felt that we should offer the citizens the opportunity to choose what amount they want to spend on their roads. At Town Meeting the citizens can vote the article lower if they choose. The board set the article at the same amount as what was appropriated last year.”
Voters will be asked to authorize implementation of a healthy harvest wood program on town properties using a licensed forester. The town owns about 40 acres and a forester hasn’t been chosen yet, Estabrook said.
Voters will be asked to double rental fees for the Town Hall because they aren’t covering expenses, Eastabrook wrote.
Also to be considered is a straw poll on researching the feasibility of a town manager.
“A lot is for continuity for employees and the public,” Estabrook wrote. “We realize that a town manager comes at a cost. We don’t know that cost and thus the reason for the article. We, as a board, want to be focusing our efforts where the citizens would like.”
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