The chairman of Washington’s Board of Selectmen faces a challenge to his seat, while the term of a resigning selectman will be filled during Friday’s election in advance of Saturday’s annual Town Meeting.

Wesley Daniel, who has served on the board for 18 years, faces challenger Roy Garnett in one of two contests on Washington’s ballot. The other involves Christopher Armstrong and Thomas Johnston, who are vying to fill the seat of longtime Selectman Duane Vigue, who is resigning effective Saturday with one year remaining on his term.

Elections will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Gibbs Library on Old Union Road, while Saturday’s Town Meeting starts at 10 a.m. at Prescott Memorial School on Waldoboro Road.

During Saturday’s meeting, selectmen will present a $678,805 proposed town budget for the 2016 fiscal year, more than $96,000 lower than last year’s budget, according to the town warrant.

This year’s budget is less because of a reduced appropriation for the maintenance of town roads. The selectmen requested $125,000 to repair and repave Hopkins Road between Route 17 and Route 126, compared to the $160,000 requested and approved last year to repair Vanner Road. The town also expects to save $3,000 on truck fuel and $5,000 on road salt.

Voters will decide whether to allow the board to establish the position of town administrator, which would be a 22-hour-per-week position. The board requests $28,000 for the position, and the warrant stipulates the money would come from $13,000 in property taxes and $15,000 as a result of a reduction of $5,000 in pay to each member of the Board of Selectmen.

Dean expects the town administrator issue to be hotly contested at the meeting because “change is hard.” Board member Berkley Linscott, who was elected last year, said he has heard from people who support hiring a town administrator and others who are against it.

“We haven’t had much time to discuss it,” Linscott said. “The town clerk really seems to be pushing it, because she claims to have too much of a workload. I bet other people don’t think it’s that important.”

Linscott said losing the $5,000 compensation for being a selectman would be tough to take because the board meets every week and has a lot to do.

Other business includes the request for $5,500 more than last year for employee health insurance and an extra $2,706 for public safety.

The town is saving money in a number of areas, including an additional $34,900 in general fund revenue, which will lower the 2016 tax commitment by $396,400. In 2015, property owners paid $14.90 per $1,000 of valuation. Washington Treasurer Ann Dean said the new tax rate would be decided after the school budget is finalized in June.

Voters also will decide whether to allow the board to purchase a fire pumper truck for no more than $325,000. Dean said the cost to the town might be reduced, depending on the town’s ability to obtain grants to offset the purchase cost. Last year, Washington voters approved a $155,000 request for the purchase of a plow truck.

But Linscott isn’t so sure that investing that kind of money is something smart for Washington, because of the mutual aid agreement with neighboring towns.

“Anything to do with the Fire Department is a touchy subject in the state of Maine,” Linscott said. “They all want new stuff, but it would be a lot of money to pay back, and we aren’t a very rich town.”

The town also will vote on whether to spend more than $5,200 to install a heat pump and cooling system in the Town Office on Old Union Road.

Jason Pafundi — 621-5663

jpafundi@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @jasonpafundiKJ

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