ALBION — Voters at Town Meeting on Saturday approved a $1.03 million municipal budget and appointed several people to the town’s Budget Committee and Planning Board.

In the Friday election, several people running unopposed were re-elected to their seats and Kevin Bradstreet was elected to the Board of Selectmen for a year to complete the unexpired term of Kayla Dow, who vacated her position because she moved out of town. Newcomer Kingston Paul was elected to a three-year position on the School Administrative District 49 board of directors.

About 40 people turned out for the Town Meeting at the Besse Building, where they swiftly moved through 54 warrant articles with guidance from moderator David Bernier, of Waterville.

Voters approved a motion by Selectwoman Beverly Bradstreet to amend article 25, which asked how much they wanted to spend for town highways and bridges. The Budget Committee had recommended taking $300,000 from the general fund for that purpose as well as $30,000 from excise tax receipts and some of the local road assistance program money, estimated at $50,000. Bradstreet, mother of Kevin Bradstreet, asked instead that $110,000 be taken from the local road assistance program, $30,000 from excise taxes and $100,000 from the general fund, for a total of $240,000. Voters approved her recommendation.

Resident Kevin Shores said he was glad money was being spent on the roads, because they are in horrible shape.

“I’ve got logging roads that are better than town roads,” he said, adding that 20 years ago, an entire road would be paved, but now only parts of roads are paved.

“What she’s asking for is minor, really,” he said of Bradstreet’s request.

Selectman Michael Getchell, who was re-elected to a three-year term Friday, said it now costs about $100,000 to resurface a mile of road.

Beverly Bradstreet’s recommendation to increase town officers’ pay from the Budget Committee’s recommendation of $75,800 to $77,700 also was approved.

Voters approved raising $378,377 from taxes, which is an increase of $2,095 from the $376,282 they voted to raise last year.

The $1.03 million budget voters approved Saturday does not increase the town’s $15.50 tax rate per $1,000 worth of valuation. The county and school budgets have not yet been decided, however.

The approved budget reflects a $75,285 increase over last year’s $954,170 budget.

By a show of hands Saturday, voters re-elected incumbent Budget Committee members Julie McKenzie, Bill Najpauer and Ben Newell to three-year terms on the committee; they appointed newcomer Gordon Kenyon to a two-year term. Karen Noyes-Moody and Adam Bradstreet were appointed alternative members of the committee, to serve one-year terms.

Also by a show of hands, residents elected Jeanne Siviski to a five-year term on the Planning Board. Marianne Cogswell and Alyssa Corson were named associate members who will serve one-year terms on that board.

Besides electing newcomers Kevin Bradstreet and Kingston Paul as selectman and school board member, respectively, voters Friday returned incumbent Road Commissioner Winston Higgins to a three-year term and incumbent Amanda Dow to her town clerk, treasurer and tax collector positions, also for three years.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17

 

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