Chesterville residents approve recall ordinance, expenditures

CHESTERVILLE – Approximately 75 residents moved relatively swiftly through a 50-article warrant Monday evening, approving funds for public works equipment, an online registration service and a recall ordinance that would allow for the removal of elected officials.

Appearing as the final article in the warrant, the recall ordinance drew little discussion prior to approval. Based off of a similar ordinance used in Fayette, it would allow residents to submit a citizen’s petition to initiate the process to remove a selectman from office. If at least 20 percent of the number of voters at the last gubernatorial election signed the petition, a special town meeting would be held wherein the town official could be recalled.

The roughly $862,000 in proposed expenditures were approved, with few attempts to amend a warrant largely recommended by the selectmen and budget committee. That includes a plan to appropriate $25,000 and pair it with another $25,000 raised through one-year financing to purchase equipment for the Public Works Department. Resident Edward Hastings IV, who was elected to the Board of Selectmen earlier this month, did suggest using funds out of surplus rather than borrowing $25,000, but withdrew his amendment after resident Scott Gray pointed out that articles should not be modified to reflect different sources of funding. Moderator Jim Grippe confirmed that point and the article was passed as presented.

The funds will go toward public works equipment. While the need for an excavator for ditching was expressed at the meeting, the Board of Selectmen have not made a final decision. Public Works Foreman Michael Cote, responding to a question from a resident, said that in future years he wanted to review the possibility of starting a reserve fund to allow the town to begin saving for replacement trucks.

In total, the budget represented less than a $20,000 increase in expenditures as compared to the current fiscal year. The budget came in beneath the LD1 limit by roughly $5,000.

Residents took advantage of an article authorizing the board to sell town-acquired real estate to discuss unpaid taxes, in what has become a staple of Chesterville’s town meetings. In 2016, the town logged more than $208,000 in unpaid taxes, as well as another $7,344 in tax bill corrections, representing 251 accounts. The town also has recorded nearly $80,000 in liens placed on properties from 2004 to the second quarter of 2015.

Residents suggested that greater attention and effort needed to be expended to collect back taxes. Hastings asked residents who do owe taxes to consider coming to the town office and making arrangements to pay, saying he intended to make that issue a priority.

“We need to figure this out,” Hastings said of the issue, “because you need to pay your way.”

Residents approved the implementation of Rapid Renewal in Chesterville. An online renewal service provided by the state for registration renewals and the payment of excise taxes, Rapid Renewal is offered in more than 200 towns in Maine. Residents approved entering into a three-year contract with InforMe, the service manager.

While there was some discussion about the possibility of a one-year contract, voters opted to accept a five-year deal with Archie’s for the collection and disposal of solid waste. The cost of that contract will increase from $29,000 in year one up to $31,500 in year five, a rate residents found acceptable. In any case, Selectman Tyler Jenness pointed out, Archie’s appeared to be the only large-scale trash hauler willing to come to Chesterville.

The transfer station budget also includes some funds to work on a new building, adding heat for the employees.

Residents also saw fit to increase the annual appropriation to the North Chesterville Homemaker’s Extension from $500 to $1,500. The extra $1,000 will go toward the reestablishment of a summer festival, as Chesterville has enjoyed in the past, potentially featuring a barbecue, games and entertainment.

Residents reopened and accepted the dedication of sections of Gordon Hill and Adams Road; a largely housekeeping measure aimed at ensuring an official date of acceptance is recorded. Both roads have been maintained by the town for the past 20 years, however kept a public easement that allowed the town to maintain the roads. Both motions were amended to include longitude and latitude coordinates indicating where the impacted sections began and ended: in the case of Adams Road, at the intersection of Ridge Road down to the Darlene Hamel residence; and in the case of the Gordon Hill Road, at the intersection of Ridge Road down to the Rick Webster residence.