[Editor’s Note: This article has been changed to correctly reflect the 7 p.m. start time of the March 30 town meeting, as well as details about the proposed budget.]
FARMINGTON – The Board of Selectmen approved the March 30 town meeting warrant, a food truck license and an overlimit permit for the Maine Department of Transportation for an upcoming project at Tuesday night’s meeting.
The Town Meeting will be held Monday, March 30, at the Community Center on Middle Street; elections will begin at 9 a.m. with the evening meeting beginning at 7 p.m. The 40-article warrant presents $6.5 million in expenditures, representing an increase of 6.27 percent, or $383,696, as compared to previous budget.
The largest requested increase is the proposed addition of two full-time firefighters to allow the station to be staffed 24 hours a day, and one additional per diem firefighter during the day shift. The change would take the department from four full-time positions to six. With the cost of adding two full-time firefighter positions and one per diem position included, the department’s proposed Personnel Services cost center would go from $384,268 to $601,759.
In notable non-budgetary items, Article 13 will ask voters to weigh in on whether or not the town should negotiate and execute an agreement with Boulevard Associates, LLC, for the use of 25 acres of the town-owned landfill for the installment of a solar-power grid.
A new food truck will be permanently parked at 495 Wilton Road, in the former Office Supply site, hopefully beginning in a couple of weeks according to the owner Brian Bates. “The Outpost” will be a barbecue style lunch cart serving hamburgers, hot dogs and more, open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bates said his brother, who owns Grant Lees, had operated a food truck in the past that Bates helped out with.
“I figured I’d take a stab at it. It will be a good retirement gig for me,” Bates told the board.
A road paving project conducted by the Maine Department of Transportation required approval for use of equipment such as backhoes and bulldozers, which can exceed the legal weight limits for municipal roads. The project is slated to begin this year and will stretch down Maine Street, starting at Anson Street and heading northwest for 2.18 miles.
Wondering how the town will benefit from the solar-power grid.
Why wasn’t the fire department budget mentioned?
Bud,
Why does the town need to benefit? Doesn’t the planet benefit? I’m no climate change activist, but at the very least it won’t hurt anything and it’s someone else’s money.