EUSTIS – The annual town meeting will be held on Saturday, March 7 beginning at 9 a.m. in the Community Building. Residents will be voting on a 25-article town warrant.
Elections to fill out a five-member board of selectmen, school board and planning board, none of which are contested, is set for Friday, March 6, from 4 to 8 p.m., also at the Community Building.
Running for a three-year selectman and overseer of the poor term, is Stephan St. Jean. Two residents, Daphne Harp and Brandi Farnsworth are running for two open selectmen and overseers of the poor seats, both two-year terms. Running for selectman and overseer of the poor for a one-year term is James Brochu.
Two residents, Susan Fotter and David Richards are running for the two open seats on the Flagstaff Regional School Unit Board of Directors. Both terms are for three years. Running for a one year term on the school board is Casey Cote.
Two residents are running for a three-year term on the Planning Board, Lori Lemont and Jed Whiting. No one has submitted nomination papers for the one year term on the planning board, but write-ins are accepted for any of the seats.
The overall proposed budget is slightly less than last year’s expenditures. The total proposed to be raised and appropriated is $1,011,476 while last year’s budget totaled $1,025,492. Overall, the budget draft shows an increase of $14,025.
Voters will be asked to approve an overdraft of $97,169.90 to be appropriated from the town’s surplus account. The overdraft is due to last year’s challenging winter road maintenance.
An increase is proposed for the winter roads budget of $165,000, up from last year’s $110,000, to cover future winter plowing needs. The Fire Department is asking for $50,000 to be put in the equipment reserves account, up from $25,000 last year.
However those increases are offset by decreases, mostly seen in the transfer station’s proposed budget, which is down by $30,000. This is due to equipment needs for operations have been met in the last few years and the disbanding of the Sandy River Recycling Association.
Among the warrant’s last articles, voters are asked to raise and/or appropriate $2,000 to repair of the stones in the lower cemetery and another to raise and /or approriate $2,500 for a hiking trail from Kingfield to the border.
