Town Meeting Approves Tax Cap Increase, Budget, Rejects Land Sale

(Lamoine) — Lamoine's annual open town meeting saw voters turn out in high numbers despite the lack of any major controversy on the ballot. When the 3-hour meeting ended 35 of the 35 articles on the open portion of the warrant passed in one fashion or another. A proposed sale of 12-acres of land failed, and the article that followed, to put the proceeds of the sale into a capital reserve fund, was rendered moot.

Land Sale

The land sale was proposed by Doug Gott & Sons, Inc., which owns land behind the transfer station and landfill and operates a gravel pit on both sides of the strip of land they had proposed to purchase for $75,000. Selectmen were told the gravel on the town strip had been removed already by Gott under a previous contract with the town. Gott indicated it wanted to use the land for storage of gravel products removed from the back land owned by another company but mined by Gott under contract.

Voters argued that the town should not be selling any land, and perhaps there was more gravel available on the acreage proposed for sale. Others said holding onto the strip could help force restoration efforts should that need to happen. At the end of the debate the vote was overwhelmingly against selling the land. Selectmen will suggest to the company that maybe a lease would be in order—something Gott had originally proposed.

Parks Ordinance

Significant changes to the Parks Ordinance were approved by the town meeting. The original ordinance was passed the previous year, establishing the Parks Commission which spent much of its first year reviewing the ordinance. The change that generated the largest amount of debate involved banning vehicles from the beaches outside the boat launch areas. Marlboro Beach users expressed concern that they would be barred from driving to the water to launch kayaks. Parks commission members assured that because Marlboro Beach has no designated boat ramp that such vehicle use would be allowed.

The Budget

Voters approved some increases in the budget beyond what the Budget Committee recommended. One social service agency was added (Down East AIDS Network $600), the Parks Budget was increased to the amount requested by the Parks Committee, ($3,124 more) and the amount paid to the Ellsworth Library more than doubled from the recommendation to the amount requested ($3,335 more). Voters also approved removing $1,600 of Parks Fund money used to offset taxes, for a tax impact of an additional $8,659

LD-1 Override

The final article of town meeting required a written vote to increase the municipal tax commitment cap, currently set at zero. After a presentation by Administrative Assistant Stu Marckoon explaining the cap and override process, those voters who remained for the entire meeting overwhelmingly approved of the override. Marckoon estimated that the tax rate will still fall slightly in 2006.

At the Meeting

(Above) - Moderator Harvey Kelley presided over the annual town meeting. Kelley has run many Lamoine Town Meetings over the past 20-years.

(Below) Parks Commission Member Kerry Galeaz addresses concerns from summer resident Benji Grant (holding paper) about the access issues at Marlboro Beach as the town meeting listens to the debate.

Voters Return Cooper, Jones As Selectmen

Poll Watcher

Young Gwenevere Tatara peers out from the booth as her dad, Ben, casts his votes. Election Clerk Kay Bragdon is shown at left.

(Lamoine) — In most towns the annual election of municipal officers is lucky to draw 10-percent of the registered voters. Not Lamoine! A 31-percent turnout brought 420-voters to the polls on March 7th at the end of a well debated campaign. Winning election as Selectmen were Jo Cooper and Brett Jones, the two incumbents who ran for re-election. Cooper finished with 310 votes (74%) and Jones with 254 (60%). Challenger and former Selectman Richard Davis pulled in 151 (36%)votes and Robert Sharkey, the town's deputy plumbing inspector, gathered support from 56 people (13%).

Colene Sharkey, who ran unopposed, was easily re-elected as a Tax Assessor with 305 votes.

The school committee has two new faces, with all the candidates running unopposed and winning election. Tammy Dickey was re-elected to fill a seat vacated by Linda Haft who moved away from town last year. Robert Pulver won a two year seat left open with the resignation of Bonnie Marckoon, who served until the election was complete. Julie Tilden, who filled the 1-year seat until the election opted to run for a 3-year term and was elected along with former teacher Nancy Sargent.

Bus Driver Patricia Murphy ran as a write-in candidate for the two year position, but several people wrote in her name to the other positions as well. Murphy still picked up 48 votes for the 2-year slot.

TV Lauded in Election

(Lamoine) — Many voters had great praise for Lamoine's Cable TV channel's coverage of the town meeting process. Videographer Bill Butler recorded the candidate's night sponsored by the PATRONS organization. Several voters said it helped them decide how to vote.

Election Night vote tallies were posted on the channel which showed a live picture of the ballot clerks counting (no audio), and many said they watched the returns coming in. A live picture during voting helped remind some to cast their ballots.

The open town meeting at the school was recorded by Will Dickey, an 8th grade student making his first CTV effort. Some audio problems in the recording system prevented some of the audience comments made away from the microphones from being heard on the replay the next day.