The town’s longtime animal control officer and the owner of a local garage are set to square off in an election Friday as part of the New Portland Town Meeting.

Lorie Agren, 53, who grew up in New Portland and attended local schools, is facing Raymond Poulin, owner of Poulin’s Garage, for an open seat on the three-member Board of Selectmen. Selectman Wayne Rundlett declined to seek re-election, said Town Clerk and Deputy Town Manager Kristen Mitchell. The term of office is three years.

Polls are open Friday from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. at the community room of the fire station on River Road. The annual business meeting and voting on the 38-article Town Meeting warrant is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, also at the fire station.

Heather Hilenski is seeking an open seat on the Regional School Unit 74 board of directors, unopposed for a three-year term.

Agren said she is running for selectwoman because she wants to help residents stay in town, despite the decline of businesses over recent years.

“I love this town,” she said. “I’ve been here all my life and I hope that I can make some changes to do with the school budget; looking at a sand and salt shed for the town; and grants to help the people in the west village fix up their places so it looks better going through town.”

Agren, a custodian at Carrabec Community School in North Anson, said people have moved out of town and the people that remain are the ones that have jobs. She also said she would like to help improve Internet service in New Portland.

“We need to keep what we have in this community,” she said. “The people that we already have, we need to keep them here.”

Contacted twice on Thursday, Poulin declined to comment.

Agren and Poulin both were mentioned in a Morning Sentinel story this week about municipal officials and unpaid 2015 property taxes. Agren owed $778 and Poulin, $975. Agren said on Wednesday that she has paid her taxes in full. Poulin would not take a call from a reporter.

Mitchell said the total municipal budget passed by voters last year was about $509,014, with a tax rate of $17 for every $1,000 in property valuation. She said if all the spending articles are passed as written Saturday, the budget should remain about the same.

Selectmen and the town Budget Committee both recommend raising $143,139 to cover administrative charges in the coming year, including officers’ salaries, the Town Office and insurance. Both also recommend spending $23,463 for the local ambulance and rescue service.

In the roads budgets in New Portland, a sum of $231,333 is recommended for winter roads and $124,000 for summer roads. Voters will be asked to raise $10,000 for the road paving account and $12,203 for the annual payment on the grader.

Residents also will be asked to appropriate $47,290 for operating expenses for the Fire Department and $45,008 to pay the town’s share of expenses at the Kingfield transfer station.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter:@Doug_Harlow