INDUSTRY – About 40 voters supported an 180-day moratorium on wind power development to give time for a town ordinance to be drafted and supported all the budgetary items except funding for the American Red Cross at the annual town meeting held Saturday afternoon.
In fairly swift action, voters moved through the 42-article warrant in a little more than two hours. In elections held prior to the meeting, Selectman Robert Geisser and Mt. Blue RSU 9 director Mark Prentiss were re-elected in unopposed elections.
Discussion stopped for a bit at Article 23, which selectmen proposed that $54,000, which appeared to be $8,000 more than last year, go toward town officials’ wages. Although selectmen took no raise, they gave a slight raise to Town Clerk Angel Davis to keep pace with other same-size towns and shifted tax collector Martha Wing’s salary to a regular flat wage total rather than continue relying on a percentage basis from fees collected from town revenues.
Davis and Wing don’t work on an hourly basis, noted Selectman Lee Ireland. “They work long hours. There’s nobody who appreciates more what the girls do here more than we do,” he said of the board of selectmen.
With $1,500 leftover in the Clearwater Lake beach maintenance account and another $1,000 approved by voters this year, selectmen hope to be able to repair any damage to the public beach from ice shack removal, but also work to repair the gazebo and dock at Allen’s Mill.
Voters decided to not fund the American Red Cross request of $817. Some residents asked how that agency got onto the warrant when no other agency did. Selectman Geisser said he looked into it and still didn’t quite know what the agency’s benefit was for the town of Industry. The overall amount of the request is based on each town’s population, Ireland said.
“I guess the question is do we think we’re getting anything out of it,” he added.
Some residents asked if the town is not funding other agencies, why are we funding this one?
Ireland noted that the county funds some agencies like the Western Maine Community Action for heating fuel assistance and other projects for those in need and that is paid for by all the county’s taxpayers.
“t would be nice if the American Red Cross were here to answer some of these questions,” Selectman Mike Senecal said. Residents voted to not fund the American Red Cross.
The decision not to fund the American Red Cross brought the overall municipal spending under last year’s total by $222 to $384,521.
Voters did unanimously decide to approve a six-month wind power development moratorium.
Selectman Ireland said he’s not aware of any interest in someone wanting to put install wind turbines in Industry. But, he said, the town would have no say if someone did.
“This is just saying ‘time out’ and give six months to form a committee” and draft a wind energy system ordinance to present to voters at town meeting, he said. “This says, let’s get together and talk about it.”
Recently, a wind power development was discussed for a range of hill summits that border the towns of Industry and New Vineyard. New Vineyard voters enacted a wind power ordinance last year. Since then, the selectmen board thought it best to look into drafting an ordinance, Ireland said.
Voters agreed and approve the moratorium and the meeting was adjourned.
People of Industry question why they are asked to fund the American Red Cross that is because they use the money funded by the towns to help fire victims and victims at time of floods. They base the amount on the poulation of the individual town. It has been done this way for many years and continues to help them when they help fire victims and flood victims as well as many other things needed. I know this because I used to be a disaster team worker out of the Androscoggin office. I received no pay I was a volunteer and was called out at all hours of the day and night to go help fire victims who had lost their home and no place to go so we put them up in a motel. I covered Franklin,Oxford and androscoggin counties along with other volunteers.I hope this answers some of Mike Sencal and others questions. If I can answer any other questions I would be happy to try to do that.
I have heard in the past that the Red Cross uses about 90% of its receipts for administrative expenses, and about 10% for actual charity. I recently decided to research whether or not it is true. An independent charity reviewer showed that in fiscal year 2010, the Red Cross actually used 92% of its receipts to help disaster victims, and only 3.9% for administrative expenses. If someone in Industry were burned out of their home and the Red Cross gave them assistance, the $817 would be a pittance for the town for which to help for a good cause in their own neighborhood.
I don’t know where “the fool” got his/her information, but as a member of the Farmington Budget Committee
I see the actual income and expense report for the local chapter that services our area. In FY2011 this
chapter listed total expenses as $1,508,163.00. The salary and wages and benefits paid to the 13 or 14
employees in this chapter totaled $876,719.00. If my math is correct, that is 58% of the total expenses
reported by this local chapter. This chapter also sent $112,361.00 to the national chapter in Washington
to support the hundreds if not thousands of administrators and their six figure salaries. That is money
collected here in Maine being sent back to the national chapter. The figures for FY 2010 were similar. Everyone knows that the Red Cross does great things for our community, but lets get the financial facts correct.
Tax revenues should only be used to run the town and not to be given to any organization for any reason. If someone wants to support a charity they should do it voluntarily and not be taxed for it.
The Red Cross also helps people in need daily not just fires, They are involved in Coats for Kids and Toys for Tots with the Marines, if you need emergency food you can get a voucher to eat, I have had to friends actively involved in the Red Cross and lived in Industry, lets just hope that the ones who ditz this will never have to or there family need the support of the RED CROSS in a time of need.
I support the Red Cross and what they do but agree with Bob that property taxes are for running the town and educating the children. If we start donating to every service agency that asks, we will see no end to our taxes going up. These agency employ some very talented and well paid professionals who will find a way to fund their needs (and salaries). Those who wanted some of their property taxes to go to the Red Cross should feel free to donate that amount directly.
Agree with Bob and Dan.
Another option is to start a town wide emergency fund, all funds would be there help people in need within their own community:-)