Hanover held its annual town meeting Thursday night.
By Eileen M. Adams
Staff Writer

HANOVER – In just over an hour, about 25 residents passed all 40 articles and raised $155,000 at their annual town meeting Thursday night.

Selectmen are expected to work out the tax rate over the next week or so.

Selectman Bruce Powell told residents he expects the rate to remain very close to the $15.80 per $1,000 valuation assessed on property this year.

Voters overwhelmingly approved an agreement with the Gardner Roberts Memorial Library Association to lease a portion of the town office property for at least 20 years for $1 per year.

Plans are under way to raise money to move the Victorian-styled small library from its location on the Howard Pond Road to a portion of the town office lot on Ferry Road.

Once the library is moved, electricity will be installed, and hopes are that some of the town’s historical artifacts will be put on display there.

Although this year’s municipal budget is up nearly $30,000 from last year’s adopted figure, residents’ tax liability will remain virtually the same because the town’s share of tuition for its students has dropped.

About $10,000 of the increase was the result of allocating more money for town roads, including a portion of that to hire a consultant to devise a long-term plan for repairing the Howard Pond Road. The remainder of the rise was caused by small increases in several accounts, including those for Oxford County taxes, town officials’ salaries, Med-Care Ambulance Service, cemetery maintenance and welfare agencies.

None of the current municipal officers faced opposition for their seats. Veteran Selectman Brenda Gross won a seventh three-year term to the board. Town clerk, tax collector and treasurer Clem Worcester was re-elected to additional one-year terms to those positions, and Ruth Brown was re-elected to the town’s three-member School Committee.

Tax bills are expected to be mailed during the first week of December.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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