GRAY – Voters axed $392,000 from the original municipal spending request to lower funds to a five percent increase instead of 13.5 percent at Gray’s four-hour annual town meeting on Saturday,

Gray resident Jim Monroe’s amendment change to warrant Article Three succeeded to raise $3,937,563 and appropriate $4,647,563 by a vote of 82 to 58.

The original article presented by the Gray Town Council asked voters to raise $5,039,968 and spend $4,647,563.

Town Council Chairman Pam Wilkinson said after she had no answers yet for how cuts will be prioritized for municipal operations. She said a workshop will follow to pare spending in light of the decreased approval. Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz said the amendment creates roughly a 10 percent reduction for operating dollars and could possibly eliminate employees.

The public spent nearly two hours questioning the specific language provisions of several articles, saying the warrant was confusing to understand. Some came with charts and documents to offer.

Moderator Dan True divided the audience within Stimson Hall for a hand-counted vote on the spending package.

Then, voters OK’d spending $733,180, a portion of a surplus undesignated fund balance totaling $2.9 million. The funds will fix local bridges at $300,000; set aside $116,000 for a public safety capital investment reserve; fund only one year’s payment for the Old Post Office building at $66,780; transfer $50,400 to reduce the tax rate and transfer $200,000 to reduce borrowing required for a sand and salt shed and transfer station improvements. Voters rejected paying off the final payment $71,820 of debt for the former Post Office property that continues to remain vacant.

Auditors said the surplus funds were too high and recommended the town keep a cushion of funds for unforeseen emergency expenses. Finally, voters overwhelmingly, by a show of hands, turned down contracting to fund a full-time, 40-hour-a-week community police officer with either the Maine State Police or Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department.

Gray relies solely on rural patrol covered by the Maine State Police and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department. Last month, New Gloucester voters defeated a similar article by a landslide vote.

Voters agreed to spend $10,000 to compensate the five-member Town Council as the warrant was written, despite a challenge to change the language of the article.