Highlights of the Norridgewock Town Meeting and election, held Monday night.

BUDGET: Total budget approved was $1,860,710, roughly a 2 percent increase over the current budget, which is $1,650,1229. Town Manager Richard LaBelle said on all items for the town warrant, residents who attended the Town Meeting voted in favor of the Board of Selectmen’s recommendation over that of the Budget Committee. The selectmen and the Budget Committee differed on only two recommendations. The selectmen proposed a spending total of $5,420 more than the Budget Committee.

MAJOR ITEMS APPROVED: Some of the larger spending items on the warrant include appropriating $543,225 for the Public Works Department, $288,455 for administration, $117,150 for the Public Safety Department, $90,500 for the Fire Department, and $125,000 from the undesignated fund balance to fund the purchase of a new loader to replace the previous Caterpillar wheel loader. Residents also approved $29,310 for the Library Department, $32,130 for the Code Enforcement Department, $83,410 for the Debt Service on the Sewer Bond. Residents voted to appropriate $60,000 for road overlay projects. Those in attendance also approved a new Cemetery Ordinance. The ordinance seeks to resolve past disputes over family lot lines and improve record keeping about cemetery plots. The problem began several years ago when the town discovered a Sunset View Cemetery burial plot owned by the Bishop family had been sold improperly a number of times.

MAJOR ITEMS REJECTED: none

ATTENDANCE: About 50 residents at Town Meeting; 277 residents voted throughout the day during the town election

CONTESTED ELECTIONS: Six people ran for five Board of Selectmen seats, including all five incumbents. Chairman Ronald Frederick received 185 votes; Vice Chairman James Lyman, 176; Selectwoman Charlotte Curtis, 149 votes; and the lone non-incumbent, Joshua Cortland received 141 votes. Incumbent member Sara Wilder, who has been on the board since 2011, received 130 votes. There was a contested race for three spots on the Board of Tax Assessors, because four people ran: Frederick, Lyman, Curtis and Wilder. Frederick received 180 votes; Lyman, 167; and Curtis, 133. Wilder, who had been on that board in 2013, received 123 votes. The last contested race was for a single term on the Library Trustees, for which two people ran. Rebecca Ketchum received 150 votes and Hannah Luce received 72.

REFERENDUMS: Norridgewock had one referendum question on its secret ballot, about whether to enact to an ordinance prohibiting retail marijuana establishments and retail marijuana social clubs in the town. Voters approved the ordinance

Colin Ellis — 861-9253

cellis@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @colinoellis

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