MONMOUTH – Much of the discussion at a recent selectmen’s meeting focused on a plan to cut budgets and what should be done when a department goes over budget.

There was heated discussion about a proposal to require town departments to cut 10 percent of their budgets. The measure would be used as insurance against November’s statewide tax cap referendum. The 10 percent savings would be put into a reserve account, which could help pay expenses if the referendum passed.

The plan came just weeks after town residents voted on budgets at the annual town meeting.

Some residents called the town meeting an “implicit contract” and asked why town meeting decisions should be altered. Supporters of the plan argued that the town should show it is willing to trim some areas. Otherwise, voters might choose to pass the referendum question, which could cut budgets by as much as 50 percent.

No decision was made on the proposal.

Bethel:

Running track

ready for use

BETHEL – The new track at Telstar Middle and High School is ready for use, Superintendent David Murphy told the SAD 44 Board of Directors on Monday.

Paving is complete, the track is striped, and only a few minor details remain to be done around the perimeter, Murphy said.

“The track is ready to go,” said Murphy. “The infield has been mowed, the final coat of paving is on, and it has been striped. As a result it is open to the public if people want to walk through and view the facility. I think the community now has a beautiful track.”

He said the track cannot be used for in-line skates or skateboards because of limits in the schools’ liability insurance. But Murphy said he hopes people will take advantage of the track and enjoy it.

Auburn:

Council faulted

for school cuts

AUBURN – After an hour of debate and sometimes-heated exchanges among members, the School Committee agreed to cut 12 teachers, four secretaries and other positions to ensure no budget increase next year.

Many blamed the City Council for not giving schools more money.

Said Jane Williams just before the vote, “We as a school system are bleeding to death,”

The School Committee voted 4-2 to cut 12 teachers, four secretaries, two custodians, one receptionist and one teaching assistant. They also agreed to cut the stipends paid to teachers who serve as team leaders at four elementary schools and the middle school.

The School Committee had planned a few weeks ago to cut an elementary school music teacher also. It instead agreed Wednesday to keep the teacher and not replace a retiring elementary school principal. One principal will now be responsible for two schools.

The board had also expected to cut one more special education teacher, but school officials found another way to pay for the position.

Otisfield:

Recycling goal

exceeded again

OTISFIELD – This community again exceeded the state goal of a 50 percent recycling rate, the selectmen were told during their meeting Wednesday night.

Selectmen reviewed municipal solid waste information from the state for 2003. Otisfield’s adjusted recycling rate is 60.14 percent, which is determined by taking the base rate of 51.14 percent and adding a 5 percent credit for returned bottles and a 4 percent credit for compost.

Selectman Lenny Adler asked that the Oxford County Regional Solid Waste Corp. include the costs of recycling when it sends reports on how much money it makes by selling recyclables and how much it saves by eliminating recyclables from the waste stream.

Adler said he would like to know the trucking and staff costs in addition to the information provided.

The community’s recycling rate has increased in three of the past four years. In 2000 the rate was 47 percent; it climbed to 59 percent in 2001, then decreased to 44 percent in 2002.

Auburn:

911 call leads

to drug arrest

AUBURN – An abandoned 911 call early led police to a man they say was carrying prescription sedatives and nearly 30 grams of powdered cocaine.

Scott A. Packard, 39, of Monmouth was arrested on charges of possessing and trafficking in drugs.

At about midnight Wednesday, emergency dispatchers received a call from a woman who spoke incoherently while demanding to see police officers.

The call was traced to a single-family home at 512 Washington St. Investigators said Packard was walking outside the home when Auburn police arrived. They said he was also acting suspiciously.

Officers stopped Packard found a dozen tabs of the prescription drug Klonopin inside a plastic baggie in one of Packard’s pockets. Police also found $683 in cash on Packard as well as a crack pipe and more baggies. In his truck they found a larger bag containing more powdered cocaine.

In all, police said they seized 29.6 grams of the drug – 23.5 in the smaller bags and 6.1 grams in the larger one. At $100 a gram, the street value of the cocaine was estimated at $3,000.

Norway:

Town votes

not to sell land

NORWAY – Residents voted at Monday’s town meeting not to instruct the Norway Branch Railroad Corp. to sell its land.

The town owns 60 percent of the Norway Branch Railroad Corp., which has a right of way along the former Atlantic/St. Lawrence Railway covering more than a mile in Norway and South Paris. Shaner’s Restaurant and Bessey Motor Sales currently lease land from the railroad corporation.

Jack Shaner, owner of Shaner’s Restaurant, said, “It’s really important to the future of my business” that he be able to buy the land behind the restaurant. “It impairs the development of my property that I can’t put on more parking.”

A resident pointed out that snowmobilers use the right of way to reach gas stations in town. Shaner and other residents whose properties abut the right of way said they would continue to allow snowmobiles to use the land if they were able to buy it.

Dan Mosely spoke on behalf of those property owners. “We hope you appreciate that that’s our front yards and our back yards,” he said. “We’d like to have some measure of local control over that.”

About 75 percent of voters at the meeting agreed that the land was better kept as “green space,” passing a motion not to sell.

Lewiston:

$9 million fix-up

nears completion

LEWISTON – Freshly paved driveways still too soft for cars were black and pristine. Service men ran sprinklers along new lawn. Residents escaped the heat inside townhouses with new appliances, new carpets, new cupboards.

After nearly nine months and $9 million, the facelift of the largest housing project in the city was nearly complete.

Tall Pines became River Valley Village and began its upgrade under the ownership of the nonprofit Caleb Foundation last fall. “The property had fallen into disrepair,” said Debra Nutter, the foundation’s executive director. Back then, the vacancy rate was about 30 percent. Now it’s 20.

All 296 units are being rehabbed, including seven that are handicapped accessible, with new windows, exterior doors and paint, plus floors, boilers and roofs as needed.

The undertaking is the single biggest affordable housing project ever financed by the Maine State Housing Association.

“The improvements are fantastic; there’s no doubt they needed it,” said Mike Maheux, visiting his daughter and grandchildren who’ve lived in the village three years.

Auburn:

Hospice house

fund-raiser starts

AUBURN – Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice marked the start of construction and its public fund-raising kickoff for its $3.7 million inpatient hospice house at a groundbreaking on Stetson Road.

The campaign already has reached $1.18 million, which is 78 percent of its community fund-raising goal of $1.5 million, said Kim Wettlaufer, an Androscoggin Home Care board member and chairman of the hospice house capital campaign.

The balance will need to be raised in the public phase of the campaign, which will extend through March when the facility is scheduled to open. The remaining $2.2 million will be financed through Peoples Heritage Bank.

Wettlaufer acknowledged the leadership support of the campaign’s benefactor donors, the JTG Foundation, MeadWestvaco Corp. and Peoples Heritage Bank through the Banknorth Charitable Foundation.

He said Wednesday’s ceremony honored these three organizations and the many other individuals, businesses and foundations that have come forward to support this project. He said that Androscoggin Home Care’s board and committee members, volunteers and employees have raised $287,000 for the project.

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