March 14, 2013
Maine

Woodstock town meeting to consider ordinances, dam

By ALISON ALOISIO | The Bethel Citizen | March 14, 2013 | www.bethelcitizen.com

At their annual town meeting March 25, Woodstock residents will consider a proposed 2013 budget of $2,491,698. If they approve it, the town’s mil rate will rise approximately .3 mils.
The figure is up from last year’s $2,416,977, and includes county tax and an estimate for the SAD 44 share.
The budget hike is attributable to increases in several categories of spending, including general government (up $27,000, but including $20,000 from the Spruce Mountain Wind tangible benefits account for records preservation), road maintenance (up $23,000), fire protection (up $5,000), insurance/legal fees (up $10,000) and utilities (up $10,000).
“It’s not any one thing,” said Town Manager Vern Maxfield last week.
Voters will also be asked to raise $20,000 for improvements to the Lake Christopher dam and approve contracting with Cross Excavation to do the work this summer. The dam improvement account currently has $102,500 in it.
Selectmen also propose taking $30,000 from the Major Highway Equipment Reserve Account to buy a new one-ton truck with a plow. The vehicle would replace the current 2008 truck, to be traded in.
Residents will also be asked if they wish to raise $1,596 to support Bethel’s Mollyockett Day event. This is the first year the request has been made, Maxfield said.
If voters approve the budget, the amount to be raised from taxes would be $2,136,993, up from$2,081,428. The mil rate would be 11.76.
On the revenue side, selectmen are figuring on less money from state revenue sharing ($40,000 instead of last year’s $58,000) and from Homestead Exemption reimbursement (down $6,500).
In addition to money articles, residents will also consider several new ordinance proposals, including a new wind power ordinance and amendments to the fireworks and property maintenance ordinances.
The wind and fireworks proposals include tighter restrictions than those currently in effect, while the property maintenance ordinance adds clarifications.
In election of town officials, Selectman Ron Deegan, SAD 44 Director Julie Davis and Library Trustees Marta Clements and Jane Mills are all running again, Maxfield said, and he knows of no one opposing them.
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Woodstock Elementary School.