STRONG – A warrant of 42 articles will be presented to residents at the annual town meeting this Saturday, March 16 at 9:30 a.m.
Elections will take place Friday, March 15, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. There are seven open positions this year, including three seats on the Board of Selectmen, a seat on the MSAD 58 board, two budget committee positions and the chief of the fire department.
Three candidates are running for two three-year seats on the Board of Selectman: incumbent selectman Gerald “Mike” Pond and new candidates James Burrill and Andrew Pratt II. Incumbent Robert Elliott is running unopposed for another two-year seat on the board. Two vacant seats on the Budget Committee are being sought by incumbent Susan Pratt, Thomas Piekart II and Robert Webster. Duayne Boyd is seeking another three-year term in his position as fire department chief, running unopposed.
Town Treasurer Sandra Mitchell said residents should expect a proposed $15,700 increase from last year’s budget, bringing the total recommended amount to $807,696.
Article 35, if passed, would be a part of that increase. It requests permission to acquire a new wheeler truck and plow equipment via lease purchase. The lease purchase agreement would be for six years and would not exceed $158,000, along with the trade-in of a 2004 Volvo. Payments would not exceed $31,000 per year and the first payment would be taken from the Special Equipment fund.
