CHESTERVILLE — Elections for two selectpersons positions will be held 2-8 p.m. Friday, March 19. The remaining warrant articles will be taken up beginning at 7 p.m. Monday, March 22, at the Fire Department on Dutch Gap Road.

A one-year seat and a three-year seat on the board of selectpersons will be decided. Current Selectperson Linda Bauer is seeking the three-year term. Write-ins will determine the one-year position as no one took out papers, Town Clerk Pamela Adams said.

On Monday, voters will consider a $1.1 million budget, an increase of $40,766 over the current spending plan that doesn’t include school and county taxes, Selectperson Chair Tiffany Estabrook said in a recent email. The total budget will be almost $2.31 million which includes $1.08 million school tax with a 3% increase and
$137,388 county tax, also with a 3% increase, she wrote.

The Selectpersons are recommending $1,612 more than the Budget Committee for payroll/taxes and supplies under administration.

“We differ with payroll for administration because the board asked for additional office support to be $15 an hour while the Budget Committee asked for $14.57 for the position,” Estabrook wrote. “Office expenses is that the board increased the town report line to allow for the return on the valuations in the town report.

Selectpersons are also recommending $10,947 more than the Budget Committee for Public Works.

Under public works, pay for the new foreman was negotiated by the board, Estabrook wrote. The board increased the on call plow drivers to $18 to entice potential drivers, she noted. The board asked for $500 in Public Works office expenses for safety spill containment after the Budget Committee had made their recommendations, she said.

Selectpersons and the Budget Committee are also recommending slightly different amounts for payroll for the transfer station.

“The board recommends foreman and assistant to be $15.50 and $14.75 respectively while the Budget Committee recommends $14.50 and $13.75 respectively,” Estabrook wrote. The position is Saturday and Sunday only from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  and the board felt their pay should be more in line with what other employees receive, she noted.

Selectpersons are also recommending an additional $7,495 for capital road projects.

“The board is assessing roads and comparing quotes. The board would like to repair roads as much as possible, Estabrook wrote. “We added reclaiming a few roads, ditching, brush cutting etc. If you drive Chesterville roads they need attention. The board felt that we should offer the citizens the opportunity to choose what amount they want to spend on their roads. At Town Meeting the citizens can vote the article lower if they choose. The board set the article at the same amount as what was appropriated last year.”

Voters will be asked to authorize implementation of a healthy harvest wood program on town owned properties using a licensed forester. The town owns approximately 40 acres and a forester hasn’t been chosen yet, Estabrook said.

Voters will be asked to double rental fees for the town hall as the current fees do not cover expenses, she wrote.

Also to be considered is taking a straw poll on researching the feasibility of a town manager.

“A lot is for continuity for employees and the public,” Estabrook wrote when asked for an explanation. “We realize that a town manager comes at a cost. We don’t know that cost and thus the reason for the article. We as a board want to be focusing our efforts where the citizens would like.”

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