SIDNEY — Residents on Saturday morning approved an annual budget of just over $1.7 million and rejected a mass gathering ordinance.

During the meeting, which lasted close to four hours, about 85 residents turned out to the Bean School on Middle Road, where they approved all but one of the 41 articles, according to Angela Nelson, the assistant to the select board.

The mass gathering ordinance was the only controversial article on the warrant. The ordinance would have required any gathering of 1,000 people to apply for a permit. Nelson said there was a lot of discussion against the article.

Municipal elections were held the day before on Friday, during which the town elected three candidates to the select board: Laura Parker, an incumbent, for a three-year term; Alan Tibbetts, a budget committee member and previous candidate for the Maine House of Representatives in District 77, for a two-year term; and Alisa Meggison Kaimel to a one-year term.

No one took out papers to run for a three-year term to represent Sidney on the Regional School Unit 18 School Board; however, James Isgro, who currently represents Sidney on the board, was elected as a write-in candidate.

The approved budget will alter the town’s property tax rate, Nelson said, but they are waiting for the RSU 18 budget to finalize the rate for next year.

Emily Higginbotham — 861-9239

ehigginbotham@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @EmilyHigg

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