FARMINGTON – More than 100 people attended the annual town meeting Monday night, where moderator Paul Mills announced winners for two selectmen’s seats and two school directors.
In both races incumbents retained their positions. Charles Murray and Mark Cayer will each serve three-year terms as selectmen, while Joyce Morton and Robert Flick will do the same on the SAD 9 board.
After dedicating the community center gym to Richard and Judith Bjorn and unveiling the newly adorned gym floor with insignia naming the gym after them, officials and voters got to work.
Residents agreed to reinstate a $4,000 reserve fund to the Police Department, passing the article with amendment for a total departmental budget of $835,522, despite dissent from Bill Crandall of the Budget Committee. Crandall said he felt that although the department did a professional job, this was one place where taxpayers might be able to save money. He criticized the department and selectmen for authorizing a criminal justice academy tuition payment of $5,700 for a new patrol officer and for hiring a full-time employee who was initially anticipated to be part-time and not eligible for benefits.
Chief Richard Caton III defended his and the board’s actions, saying that if the town had hired an officer without the education, it would have cost upward of $14,000, including paying salary and benefits, while he or she attended the academy and without the benefit of having them available to work. The full-time secretary was hired “above board” and was discussed with selectmen, he said.
Work First, a local organization that provides work opportunities for developmentally disabled people, will be the recipient of $1,000 from the town. It requested $700. Selectmen and the Budget Committee had recommended no funding to the group. Mary Wright, chairman of the selectmen, defended the board’s position, saying the nonprofit group occupies prime real estate for which it pays no rent or property tax. Residents voted 49-29 to support the group with $1,000.
Rebecca Haley advocated funding for the Abused Women’s Advocacy Project. The group had requested $5,000, selectmen recommended $3,000, and the Budget Committee recommended $2,000.
“This program saves lives,” she said. “I think it’s an atrocity how much we need this program.”
Voters supported the group with $3,000.
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