Mount Vernon residents have approved a plan to move forward with purchasing a new firetruck as well as a proposal for some town officials to have two-year terms beginning in 2016.
The votes came Saturday during a fast-moving annual Town Meeting that attracted between 50 and 60 people to the Mount Vernon Community Center.
Voters indicated the board should continue work on a proposed $460,000 bond to fund the purchase of a new firetruck to replace a 1986 Ford pumper truck. The actual bond issue and purchase itself would be brought before voters at a special town meeting later in the summer, according to Chairman Clyde Dyar, chairman of the Board of Selectmen.
Voters also authorized two-year terms for the road commissioner, the tax collector, the town clerk and the treasurer.
Prior to the meeting, Dyar said the same people continue to be elected to the posts, and this could save the town time and money, plus give the candidates incentive to run because they could be assured of having the job for two years rather than one.
Voters also approved changes in the town’s Land Use Ordinance to bring it into compliance with state guidelines.
Susan Herman, chairman of the Ordinance Review Committee, gave a presentation on the changes, which allow more flexibility in dealing with nonconforming structures in the shoreland zone. Dyar said there were no questions from the attendees at the meeting, and then the proposal to update the ordinance was adopted unanimously.
Mount Vernon spends more than $3.5 million a year to support the municipal and school budgets and the county tax levy, according to figures from Town Clerk Rachel Meader. The breakdown is 27 percent for municipal costs, 67 percent for schools and 6 percent for Kennebec County.
Dyar said the effect of approving everything at the Town Meeting, plus the cost of supporting the Regional School Unit 38 budget and the county tax, would be likely to increase the town’s property tax rate. It is now at $15.20 for each $1,000 worth of valuation.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
Twitter: @betadams
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.