The town will not decide on a code enforcement officer or a planning board.
CARTHAGE – People will have a chance to act on this town’s first-ever Comprehensive Plan when they attend Monday’s annual town meeting.
They will also decide whether to pass a 2004 municipal budget of just more than $137,000, up about 8 percent from last year’s figure of $127,000.
The annual event begins at 7 p.m. in Webb River Grange Hall in the hamlet of Berry Mills.
More than a dozen residents have been working on the Comprehensive Plan, along with the help of Androscoggin Valley Council of Government’s Fergus Lea, for more than two years.
The 28-page proposed document outlines the natural and historic resources available in the town and the land use regulations in place.
First Selectman Steve Brown said the document, if adopted, will serve as a guideline for future growth.
“It is advisory,” he said.
Although a code enforcement officer and planning board are recommended, neither are included in this year’s town meeting warrant.
Brown is one of several town officials up for re-election. All nominations and elections will be taken from the floor.
Brown is running for a ninth, three-year term. Town Clerk and Tax Collector Linda Berry is seeking her first, full, one-year term. She was appointed in October to fill out the term started by Donna Berry.
Long-time treasurer Dot Mason is also running for another year. Carthage representative to the SAD 21 school board, Bill Skidgell, is running for his first, full, three-year term.
He was elected last year to complete the term begun by former school board member David Crutchfield.
Causing the budget increase this year are several factors, including a $2,500 increase in costs needed to dispose of garbage and recyclables.
Brown said the tipping fee per ton of garbage has gone up. More garbage is also being disposed of because of population growth.
About $4,000 more will be needed to cover fuel and insurance costs, and another $1,000 more will be placed in the capital account for re-roofing the town office. Brown said the original roof on the 1958 building leaks.
About $4,000 from taxes will be used to put the E-911 address change program in place and to chip and seal several town roads.
Although the town’s share of the Oxford County tax increased slightly to $18,486, the increase is virtually offset by the county paying the town’s share of costs for SeniorsPlus and the Sexual Assault Victims Emergency Services.
eadams@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.